Cable x Provincial | How to Set the Perfect Christmas Table
Photography by Georgina Morrison, Styling by Sarah Hope. Captured for Provincial Home Living and Cable Melbourne Christmas Campaign.
Whether you’re hosting Christmas for the first time (or tenth), styling your table can be exciting and daunting all at once! As your designated Table Queens, we’re going to walk you through our top tips for styling a stunning Christmas table––and help you step into your Hostess with the mostest energy.
Written and photographed by Australian Country House
Sarah Hope & Georgina Morrison
Originally published on Provincial Home Living 10 November 2025
TIP 1: Choose a theme (and stick to it!)
In order to have a beautiful setting that looks curated and considered, we recommend you pick a colour theme, and stick to it! Inspiration might come from a particular staple piece, textiles, and/or location. You can accentuate your key colour/s through your napery, Christmas crackers, table decorations and foliage. For this year’s table setting, we opted for greens, neutrals and subtle mixed metals.
TIP 2: Add a ‘Hero Piece’ and Foliage
Don’t be afraid to source things from your garden for your Christmas table (we opted for some voluptuous cabbages as our Hero Pieces here!). We believe tables work best when you blend organic and artificial elements. Just make sure to give your garden treasures a good shake/brush before you set them down, so there’s no creepy-crawly uninvited guests at lunch!
TIP 3: Don’t Obstruct Your Guests' View
Always keep your flowers/foliage at a low level, or use clear vases so your view of the opposite person isn’t obstructed. Sarah opted for the Granada Vase and a bunch of Sakura Blossom Stems.
TIP 4: Little Details Matter
Make sure your glassware and silverware is clean, and steam or iron your napery and tablecloths––this might seem like a simple thing, but they can make or break a table. Also make sure all of your elements are balanced, as one crooked or cramped place-setting can throw the whole table askew.
TIP 5: Table Cloth or Runner?
Choose a table cloth that sets a base for your table, but doesn’t detract from your styling. We chose the Hayman Table Cloth in Natural, which served as the perfect backdrop for our lush, green summer Christmas setting. If you’re not using a cloth and have a gorgeous (durable) table you want to show off, consider a Hayman Table Runner and the Indra Chargers.
TIP 6: Fabric Napkins for a Special Occassion
For special occasions, we always use napery over paper, as it elevates your table. Here, we used the Hayman Napkin in Natural with the Noelle Vintage Napkin Ring. To achieve the look we did, pinch the centre of the napkin, make sure the drop is neat, and pull it through the ring. Voilà!
TIP 7: Place Your Cutlery in the Correct Order.
Many of you will know the points of etiquette here – but if you’re setting a special table for the first time, make sure your cutlery is placed in the correct position. The key to this is that your first course begins from the outside and moves in. Your last set of cutlery (closest to the plate) should be for your plum pudding and ice cream! We used the Oxford Cutlery Set.
TIP 8: Set Up a Separate Serving and 'Bar' Table
Don’t try and do everything in the same space, especially if you’re entertaining a large number of people. Have a separate side table to service food, so you’re not cluttering your beautiful table setting with lots of bowls and platters. This helps the flow of guests getting their lunch, but also allows a hero moment for your beautiful food––like Annie Smithers’ incredible spread here, along with gin by Mrs Baker’s Still House. Also, top-tip –– food always looks amazing on green! One of our favourites pieces here was the Bretagne Platter in green.
TIP 9: Make Your Beverage a Staple Piece!
Consider what you’re serving on the day, and how it compliments the flavours of your food. With a beautiful bottle, your beverage of choice can be a staple in your styling too! We opted for ‘Stylish & Pragmatic’, a very dry gin by Mrs Baker’s Still House in our welcome G&T, and enjoyed beautiful Mumm and rosé over lunch.
TIP 10: The Table is Part Of Your Moment
Know how you want the day to feel, and how you want to feel! Elevate your hosting experience, by setting a dress-code (strictly no jeans at the table!). Put as much effort into yourself as you do the tablescape on the day. Part of being the ‘hostess with the mostest’, is meeting the glam of your event! We all felt gorgeous in the stunning summer collection by Cable Melbourne – and we think you will too!
Lastly – recognise your style, and make sure it reflects you (not your mother-in-law!). As host, it is your home, and such a special feather in your cap. Be proud of your own table, your choices, and let your creativity shine.
