Rustic Elegant Christmas Centerpiece Idea: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Rustic charm meets elegant style in this Christmas centerpiece idea that will add a touch of sophistication and warmth to your holiday table.

As a passionate gardener who adores the beauty of nature, I always strive to bring the outdoors in, especially during the holiday season.

One of my favorite traditions is crafting a stunning Christmas centerpiece for my dining table. This year, I’m excited to share a DIY project that combines fresh or faux winter greens to achieve a rustic-elegant style that’s sure to impress your guests.

Are you ready to decorate for the holidays? Let’s get started!

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Decorating for Christmas with a Rustic Elegant Style

Decorating for Christmas with a rustic elegant style combines the cozy and charming elements of rustic decor with the sophistication of elegant design. Here are some tips and ideas to help you achieve this beautiful holiday look:

• Use natural elements
• Include greenery, wreaths, and swags
• Add cozy candles and lighting
• Create cozy layers with linen and textiles
• Tuck in vintage and antique finds
• Minimalist elegance
• Use scented candles and potpourri

You’ll want to start with a neutral color palette that includes earthy tones such as browns, greens, and whites. Incorporate natural materials like wood, burlap, and jute. Wooden accents like reclaimed wood furniture or wooden candle holders can add rustic charm.

Be sure to include lots of Christmas greenery whether fresh or faux with wreaths, garlands, swags while tucking them in among other nooks in your home.

Keep in mind that sometimes, less is more. Embrace simplicity by decorating with a few carefully chosen elegant, natural, organic, and rustic elements.

Remember that the key to achieving a rustic elegant Christmas decor is to strike a balance between the rustic, cozy elements and the elegant, refined touches.

Pay attention to the color palette, materials, and overall aesthetics to create a harmonious and visually appealing holiday atmosphere.

When we create Christmas table centerpieces with a rustic elegant style, it’s important to keep these tips in mind so we strike the perfect balance with your Christmas aesthetic.

Making a Rustic Elegant Christmas Centerpiece: A Step-By-Step Tutorial

Creating a rustic elegant Christmas table centerpiece is a great way to infuse your holiday decor with a charming blend of natural beauty and sophistication.

This centerpiece idea revolves around the harmonious combination of rustic elements like winter greenery, berries, and pinecones with an elegant vintage gold accent.

The result is a visually captivating focal point that evokes the warmth of a cozy cabin while exuding timeless elegance, setting the perfect tone for your holiday gatherings.

But the best part? You can make this Christmas centerpiece idea using fresh or faux winter greenery.

Materials You’ll Need

Depending on your aesthetic, you’ll need the following materials. I’m not using all of these materials, but want to give you an idea of the types of things you can add to your DIY Christmas centerpiece.

• A shallow rectangular or round container (e.g., a wooden crate, a galvanized metal trough, or a vintage ceramic bowl)
• Floral foam or a floral frog to secure your greens
• A mix of fresh or faux Christmas greenery like pine, cedar, juniper, eucalyptus, holly, rhododendron, boxwood, etc.
• Pinecones, holly berries, or other seasonal embellishments
• Small ornaments or decorative elements (optional)
• Twine or ribbon for a finishing touch
• Pruners or wire cutters
• Waterproof liner (if using fresh greens)

Step-by-Step Guide

One of the things I love about making festive holiday centerpieces is each one you make will look totally different. I’ve tried replicating ones that I’ve made in the past and they each have a different look to them. These are really fun to make and great way to express your personality and style.

Here’s how to make a DIY Christmas centerpiece for the dining table.

Select the Container

Choose a container that fits your rustic-elegant theme. Wooden crates or vintage toolbox can provide a rustic touch, while galvanized metal troughs offer an industrial look. Metallic or vintage ceramic bowls can add an elegant flair. Just make sure your container is shallow to create a visually pleasing arrangement.

For this rustic elegant Christmas centerpiece, I used this GORGEOUS vintage fluted bowl with an antique gold finish. I bought this last year to make flower arrangements for from my cut flower garden and absolutely love it!

And I have to say that I love it even more with Christmas greenery too! The vintage gold looks so pretty with the variegated evergreen foliage. If you want a rustic elegant centerpiece, this fluted bowl is a must-have.

Prepare the Container

If your container isn’t waterproof, line it with plastic or a waterproof liner to protect your table. This is really important if you use something like a crate or vintage basket.

As you start adding greens, it may flop over initially while you work but it will balance and stabilize as you go.

Secure the Greens

Place your floral foam or floral frog at the bottom of the container. If using fresh greens, soak the foam in water until it’s thoroughly saturated. Ensure that the greens are at the desired height. If your foam block is larger than your container, cut it down to size.

Create a Base Layer

Start by arranging your base layer of greens. Use longer branches around the edges of the container and shorter pieces in the center to create a layered effect. Mix different types of greens for texture and depth.

For this look, I started with faux pine branches to create a base layer and then added a few more to create height.

Add Variety

Layer in additional greens with different colors and textures to create interest, depth and dimension.

Try to vary the colors and textures, such as pairing dark green pine with juniper, or silvery eucalyptus. You can even use larger foliage like rhododendrons or magnolias too. If using faux greens, fluff them out, bend, and manipulate them to look more natural.

For this Christmas centerpiece look, I used several juniper branches with berries to add a different texture and interest.

Decorate with Pinecones and Berries

Distribute pinecones, holly berries, or other seasonal embellishments throughout the arrangement. These touches add a festive and charming element to your centerpiece.

But don’t overwhelm your Christmas table centerpiece with too many. Strike the right balance and scale with how many you use. And the number of extras you include will largely depend on the size of the vessel you use.

I recommend working with odd numbers and avoiding placing them in a linear fashion.

Optional Ornaments

For an extra touch of elegance, consider tucking small ornaments or decorative elements into the arrangement. Silver or gold accents can add a touch of luxury to your centerpiece.

While I did not include any in this rustic elegant look, I have used rustic ornaments in other DIY Christmas centerpieces. Here are a few examples of three different rustic looks I made using different rustic Christmas ornaments and baubles.

Final Touches

To complete the look, you can tie a piece of twine or ribbon around the container to enhance the rustic charm. Or leave it as is. You can also add a few candles around the centerpiece for a warm and inviting ambiance.

I usually don’t tuck candles in my dining table centerpieces. And instead, opt to use them in vintage gold candle holders with battery operated candles or dripless candles.

Placement

Once your Christmas centerpiece is complete, place it in the center of your dining table. Ensure it’s at a height that allows for easy conversation across the table.

If it’s too tall, no worries. Plan to remove it from the table when you and guests sit down to enjoy the meal.

While there are some general guidelines to follow where centerpieces are concerned, There’s no right or wrong way to make and enjoy a dining table centerpiece.

How to Care for a Christmas Centerpiece: Maintenance Tips

• Start with new floral foam for fresh arrangements to avoid any lingering bacteria from prior centerpieces.
• Remove any evergreen foliage that will sit in the water to prevent bacterial growth which can shorten the longevity of Christmas greenery.
• If using fresh greens, mist them lightly with water every few days to keep them looking fresh throughout the holiday season.
• Add fresh water to fresh arrangements every few days to make sure they stay hydrated.
• If you chose faux greens, simply dust them periodically to maintain their appearance.

If you’d like some more tips to help stop the needle drop get my free guide and keep your greens looking fresher longer here.

More About Rustic Elegant Christmas Centerpieces

With this DIY Christmas centerpiece, you can bring the beauty of the outdoors to your holiday table while adding a touch of rustic elegance to your decor.

It’s a fun and creative project that will undoubtedly impress your guests and make your holiday gatherings even more special.

Do you like to make centerpieces for your dining room or kitchen table too? I would love to know more in the comments below.

And don’t miss joining my Gardening DIY and Decorating Community on Facebook for more chatter. And follow along there and on Instagram as well. There are behind-the-scenes daily things that I share on Instagram that don’t make it to the blog. Would love to see you there too!

If you prefer to binge-watch Bricks ’n Blooms on TV, we go more in-depth with tours and posts on my YouTube channel. Would love to hang out with you there!

And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.

Enjoy your festive season and happy gardening!

Shop This Post

Want to recreate the look of this rustic elegant Christmas table centerpiece idea? Here is a list of supplies or click on any image in the photo.

Centerpiece

Gold fluted bowl
Artificial Cedar Garland
Faux juniper branches with berries
Real touch fir branches
Real Touch Hanging Cedar Branches
Natural Touch Cedar Pine Branches
Real Touch Cedar branches.
Red Berry Branches
Dull Red Berry Branches
Red Berry Stems
Red Berry Garland

Christmas Centerpiece Tour

Looking for Christmas table centerpiece inspiration? I got you! Check out these blog posts detailing how to make each dining table centerpiece. Click on the blog name to head over to the post.

And if you came over here from my good friend Jen from Midwest Life and Style, thank you so much for dropping by!

Monday’s Tour

Stonegable // Worthing Court // A Stroll Thru Life // The Tattered Pew // Thistle Key Lane

Tuesday’s Tour

First Day of Home // My Wee Abode // Midwest Life and Style //
Bricks ‘n Blooms // Craftberry Bush

And if you’ve been following through the centerpiece blog hop, next up is my good friend Lucy from Craftberry Bush. Wait until you see how she made this gorgeous Christmas centerpiece!

Want to Give the Gift of Flower Gardening This Year for the Holidays?

If you or someone you know has always wanted to grow flowers with ease, I got you. I wrote a book that shares all the things you need to know to grow a beautiful and easy-care flower garden. And it would make the perfect gift for Christmas!

What’s In the Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide?

• Gardening basics to set you up for success
• Great garden design ideas with ready-made plans for you to follow
• Easy-care instructions for a wide variety of flowering annuals, perennials, and shrubs
• Helpful how-tos for container and cut flower gardening
• Graphs, charts, and lists to help you stay organized

My book publishes on February 6, 2024, but you can preorder now and get a special pre-order bonus chapter you can’t get when the preorder period closes.

Preorder your copy here and get a free, downloadable guide that shares bonus information with tips and unique garden designs to get year-round color in your landscape. Offer ends 2/5/24.

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Enjoy a beautiful day! xo