’Tis the season to deck the halls, but while you’re busy trimming the tree and hanging the mistletoe, don’t forget to add a little holiday magic to your dining table, too. We caught up with three Toronto hosting experts to get their best tips on setting the table in style this holiday season. As for the one piece of advice they all shared resoundingly? Keep the big light off and rely on ambient lighting in the form of candles and portable lamps instead.
Isabelle Heikens, content creator
Go fruit-forward
“Food as decor is everywhere,” says Isabelle Heikens, known for her TikTok series, Dinner at Isabelle’s, where she chronicles her monthly dinner parties, sharing food and decor ideas with her 1.1 million followers. Heikens says she especially likes using fruit as part of her tablescapes for an elevated look in place of flowers, which can be pricey. For the holidays, she recommends shopping whatever’s in season that can keep well on the table for an evening, with oranges, pomegranates and pears (“for a partridge in a pear tree moment!”) being some of her favourites. Most importantly: “Keep the fruits whole. We’re still eating them after!”
Thrift wisely
“I’m loving the whole silver trend,” says Heikens. “So many of us have grandmothers who have silver pieces,” she adds, explaining that sourcing from family members can be a great way to tap into the trend. Alternatively, thrifting makes for a great option, and Heikens recommends being strategic about where you shop: “Try thrifting outside of the city, because that’s where you’re going to get the best value and the best pieces.”
The more the merrier
“Layer and stack things,” says Heikens. “Any time I’m setting a table or serving something and I think something looks a little off, it’s usually because it needs another layer of something.” She recommends getting creative by using what you have: “Say you have a decorative gingerbread house that you’re putting out on display; put it on a plate or a bowl upside down,” she says, adding that anything you can do to prop things up on different levels will go a long way. “It makes it feel more homey and lived in, not just randomly set on a table.”
Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault, design and DIY expert
Shop what you have
“Who goes out and buys new decor every single year?” asks Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault, a design and DIY expert who dispenses her creative advice on “The Good Stuff with Mary Berg” and with her 47,500 Instagram followers. Instead, she suggests looking inward, literally: “Shop your house!” she says. For her holiday tablescape last year, Allaire Perrault used a scarf she already owned as the table runner and sprigs of greenery from her backyard: “That’s always my little trick play,” she says, explaining that some freshly snipped cedar or branches in a vase can go a long way.
Rely on your existing colour scheme
Instead of getting hung up on curating the perfect festive colour scheme, “I love tapping into my existing decor colour,” says Allaire Perrault, who made a custom pale blue centrepiece to tie into her navy blue kitchen last year. Allaire Perrault completed the look by tying simple velvet navy blue ribbons around candlesticks on her dining table: “Instead of getting specific holiday candles, that simple touch tied in the colour scheme and added that little bit of texture to the decor,” she says.
Embrace vintage charm
“I love tarnished brass and tarnished silverware,” says Allaire Perrault. “I’m not one to waste tons of sweat and time polishing everything before the holidays because I think it also just gives more of a casual, weather-worn look to it.” No full set? No problem: “I really buy into more of the intentional imperfection of a table,” says Allaire Perrault, adding that mix-and-match tableware can only enhance a holiday table’s charm.
Abhishek Dekate, content creator
Get creative with chrome
For a more modern twist on classic holiday silver and gold, Abhishek Dekate loves incorporating chrome onto his tablescape: “It plays with light beautifully,” says the digital content creator who shares cooking and decor inspiration with his 81,000 Instagram followers. His favourite way to incorporate the metallic is with chrome cocktail coupes: “They reflect everything around them and feel festive without trying too hard.” And they’re not just for cocktails. “I use them for mini desserts, cheese and charcuterie cups, chips, olives or fries” he says.
Play with your food
Similar to Heikens, Dekate also incorporates food into his tablescape, but opts for more savoury elements instead: “Baguettes bring instant height and texture to the table,” he says. “They’re sculptural, warm, and completely edible, which means no waste. I love tying them with ribbon or linen to make them feel intentional. It’s such an easy, affordable way to style a table that feels lived-in.” Dekate is also fond of using a pasta drying rack to display charcuterie as “a playful serving piece” that brings height to the table.
Incorporate natural textures
One of the easiest ways to add a natural, warm feel to your holiday table? “Kraft paper,” says Dekate. This trusty craft supply can do double duty during the holidays, as gift wrap or a table covering. “It makes cleanup easy and adds a casual, rustic texture,” says Dekate. He ties the look together by incorporating other natural elements like raw linen, wood accents and natural greenery.
Shop the advice
If you need to add a little height or dimension to your table, look no further than your trusty Dutch oven. Heikens uses hers for everything from an ice bucket to a punch bowl, and in a pinch it can be flipped upside down and used as a serving platform. SHOP HERE
The best table accessories are the ones you can use year-round, and these metallic cocktail coupes will look just as good serving up olives or champagne this holiday season as they will serving up frosty margaritas or ice cream this summer. SHOP HERE
Whether you’re lining your holiday table with it, wrapping gifts with it, or creating custom gift tags with it, a trusty roll of kraft paper will be the most useful tool in your arsenal this holiday season. SHOP HERE
If your grandma wasn’t a silverware collector and your local thrift store has been picked clean, local Toronto Etsy sellers like verredesoie offer beautifully curated selections to choose from (plus, they can be passed down to future generations, too!). SHOP HERE
Skip the flower delivery and opt for a fruit delivery for your holiday centrepiece instead: local premium fruit delivery service Fruter offers Mystery Fruit Boxes that rotate with the seasons, so the star of your table can surprise and delight you and your guests. SHOP HERE
