Simple ideas for a natural Christmas table

And so it’s December. I’m not one for putting the Christmas decorations up too early – we’ll probably wait another week or two before getting a tree – but I am starting to feel a teeny bit festive. One of the things I do always like to plan well in advance is my Christmas table, so I’ve begun playing around with a few simple styling ideas.

Usually I like to keep things natural with seasonal foliage and fruits. You won’t find too much in the way of glitter around here. Textiles and tableware are also kept fairly simple – white bone china, a plain white linen table cloth and these soft oatmeal coloured linen napkins. And then there’s the cutlery, which this year will be the beautiful mirror polished Malvern collection I was recently sent by Robert Welch. I’ve written previously about how much I love their designs here. We already have quite a sizeable collection of Robert Welch pieces at home (you might have spotted this Alveston teapot on my Instagram feed recently), so these will make a very welcome addition to our table this Christmas.

One of the things I’ve always loved about Robert Welch cutlery is that it is really beautifully designed and weighted – the gently contoured pieces in this range are a joy to hold and use, so they make any meal time feel just that little bit special.

The black cast iron Hobart candlestick that I bought from Robert Welch a few years ago is a bold and solid presence that somehow anchors the other pieces on the table. It also sits perfectly alongside the black dining chairs.

In the past I’ve really battled with the light for photography at this time of year, but this Christmas I’ve decided to just try to work with what’s available. I actually really like the dark and moody still life feel of these shots… and I’ve discovered a whole new level of appreciation for pears.

Styling and photography by Design Hunter and posted in collaboration with Robert Welch – a company whose designs I use daily.