Setting the Kids' Table with Style

Can you give us a step-by-step guide to creating your beautiful tablescape?

1. Start with a beautiful tablecloth as your foundation. For this super charming children’s table, we went with a classic plaid in a sage green. 

2. Pull from your stash of holiday decor. We used bottlebrush trees from our collection as centerpieces. 

3. Go with an unexpected color scheme. Instead of looking to the traditional colors of the season, we went will cool pastels. Baby pinks and blues mixed with green felt fresh for this particular table. 

4. For flowers, we arranged pastel-hued roses in mini bud vases. To add a little dose of charm we tied each vase with a grosgrain ribbon. 

5. Decorate with candy and cakes. I really wanted this table to feel like a festive feast—little bowls of candy and snowflake-shaped marshmallows did the trick. Not to mention the show-stopping cakes!

6. For place settings we went with the sweetest Meri Meri paper-goods in complimentary tones. Easy for the little ones to manage.  

7. Add a dose of sparkle. I wanted my girls to feel a sense of wonder when seeing the table and bottle brush trees dusted with glitter were the perfect magical touch. 

More generally, what is your best advice for creating a festive holiday tablescape?

1. Pull from what’s around you - a bowl of oranges or some foraged greenery can create a beautiful and organic feeling. 

2. Use pieces that are meaningful - heirloom linens, dishes that remind you of a time when you celebrated a special milestone. 

3. For holiday tables, I love approaching the table in a slightly less traditional way. I love a pastel table like this one for holiday, for example! 

Particularly in a time where family celebrations might look a little different, what do you recommend to make it feel extra special?

Just because we can’t celebrate in big groups doesn’t mean we should let go of our traditions. I’m determined to infuse a sense of magic into this holiday season - more family time, more special moments, lots of cozy times. Even if the celebrations are for my family of four I will still set a proper table and my girls will wear holiday dresses.  

What was the inspiration behind the elements you chose?

We wanted to create a whimsical holiday table that felt like a fairytale. We looked for pieces that would evoke a winter wonderland feeling and would hopefully bring a big smile to my girls’ faces!  

How will you and your family be celebrating the holidays this year? And how do you like to approach holiday gifting?

My goal is to make the season feel as special as can be for my girls by creating new traditions at home. Instead of going to see the Nutcracker like we usually do, we’ll have a Nutcracker tea. Lots of cookie decorating, wreath making, needlepoint projects, and gingerbread houses with a real focus on how lucky we are to be together as a family. I’m committing to shopping small for all of my holiday gifting this year. I want to support my favorite brands and shops, specifically my local bookstores. Everyone is getting books this year, most likely wrapped in an HTH tea towel. I’m also newly addicted to needlepointing (thanks to Loop) and will be giving friends and family a special needlepoint.