Cozy Winter Table Setting

Neutral winter table setting with winter pine and lamb's ear garland as a centerpiece. Centerpiece is filled with brass candlesticks and white candles, white berry stems, and pinecones. Table settings have wooden charger plates, white dishware, and green napkins. Silverware and clear crystal glasses complete the spaces. Table setting sits atop a wooden table. A white shiplap wall and barndoor are in the background.

Written By Tammy Delbridge

Cozy Winter Table Setting

December 9, 2021

 Cozy Winter Table Setting for the Whole Winter Season

These tips and tricks for creating a cozy winter table setting will last the entire season. And it gets better. This winter table setting is versatile. Add color to it in the holiday months for a festive vibe, or simplify it for the winter months after the holidays. Let me show you how this simple table setting can be a holiday favorite and easily transition to a cozy winter table. Here’s how to do it yourself!

The coziness of the winter months brings comfort to my soul. Winter decor, to me, is simple and created from natural elements that mimic the outdoors. Pine greenery, pinecones, and the wintry whites that reflect light and brighten the dark months bring me joy. At Christmas, I like to pile on the layers of cozy items, natural elements, and color in my decor. Then, as the holidays pass by, I find myself yearning for the same comfortable wintry vibe with a neutral and less cluttered feel.

As the time to remove the colors and sheens so clearly intended for Christmas comes, I leave some piney greens and natural elements out to enjoy throughout the winter. Why does that work? Who better to mimic than nature for seasonal moods. Replacing the sparkle of Christmas twinkle lights by adding whites and shimmering votives with flickering candles is a favorite winter decorating strategy. It brings in light and contrast.

Planning a Cozy Winter Table Setting

Often my tablescapes will take form by pulling out all my favorite table linens and tableware and playing with them. The problem is, creative play can lead to a thousand ideas, colors, and styles I could use. My solution is to create a mood board. The mood board focuses my imagination and helps me design with color and style cohesion. Here’s the big secret: mood boards are never rule books. Instead, they make great anchors for focusing on a color scheme and feel. To see how a mood board worked in a fall table setting I designed, click here.

In this particular design, an elegant woodsy feel was the goal. I started with the neutral table setting items I use all year. White plates, vintage candlesticks, and clear glassware are perfect for the table in any season. In like manner, I planned a simple faux pine garland for the center of the table. This paired with my antique gold brass candlesticks, white candles, and some pinecones. The result? This look stays versatile. My original plan included a gold stag for the centerpiece and gold silverware next to each setting. The greenery and white easily pair with silver or black as well.

Cozy Winter Table Setting Centerpiece

Do you ever wonder how decorators get a full, lush garland given that they’re rarely sold looking so delightful? Stay with me here because the trick isn’t that complicated. The centerpiece may appear to be one garland. However, I create all the full-looking greenery in my home. In this case, I used three. Specifically, I used two real-touch faux pine garlands and one lamb’s ear garland. My table measured long enough for fitting two strands of the pine garland across the table without going over. The lamb’s ear strand added color and texture variation.

Building a Full Garland

It might sound too good to be true, but let me show you how easy creating a full garland is. First, I laid out the two pine garlands end-to-end with the branches of greenery laying towards the ends of the tables and away from the center. Next, I added the lamb’s ear garland down the center of the new table-length pine garland. After weaving the lamb’s ear and pine sprigs together, I tied the bases of the garlands with some jute string I had on hand. Likewise, a floral wire would be great for attaching them. As soon as I had a full-looking garland, I layered in accents. You don’t want to miss the next steps, but a video visual is provided at the end of this post.

As shown in the first photo, my antique brass candlesticks are a match of old and new. I purchased four antique holders from an Etsy seller but needed seven candlesticks to complete the look. For this reason, three of them are brand-new from a few years back. I love how elegantly replicated antique brass is today. Surprisingly, the difference between them is not noticeable from a short distance. How awesome is it that my set of mismatched seven works perfectly together once the white candles are added?

To finish, I added in some white berry stems I picked up from a local craft store. They made the perfect contrast against the green pine. Finally, I placed some pinecones evenly throughout the garland.

Cozy Winter Table Place Settings

During the holidays, festive reds and greens fill my home. For this reason, the holiday version of this cozy winter table setting includes green napkins. I started each place setting with wooden chargers. Notably, I love the way wood adds warmth to spaces. They also make the perfect contrasting backdrop to the classic white plates I use all year long. On top of each charger, I added a large white dinner plate. Next, I layered a folded deep green cloth napkin and a small salad plate for festive color and depth. While I dream of the gold flatware from the mood board, this instance called for silverware from the drawer. It looks great too.

I’m not stopping there. Finally, I added my favorite part-the accent piece. The accent is the part of every setting that wants to play. Accents make a spot so inviting and interesting. I pulled some pine sprigs leftover from another project and a few cinnamon sticks from the cupboard and tied them together with jute string. The plan is to switch it out with fresh rosemary or pine sprigs for the Christmas dinner setting. Fresh greenery has a lovely look and smell.

Transitioning from Holidays to Winter Decor

Now, can we talk about how this table can transition from a holiday setting to the cozy post-holiday winter setting I promised? Because the greenery in the centerpiece is neutral winter perfection, taking the table from holiday color and charm to winter beauty is a snap. When the time comes, I can remove the decor intended to give a holiday vibe and leave the wintry elements reminiscent of a snowy walk in the woods. Neutral linens and shimmering finishes are a great way to keep the winter feel while losing the holiday look. Specifically, I love the look of bright whites and cozy neutral beiges. I suppose this is because they mimic the colors we see on the snow-covered ground during the winter months. The colors are soft and comforting to me.

I also like to add pretty varieties of glass votives this time of year. The candles add some gentle light while the glass shimmers and flickers. Bright colors reflect light and help lift my mood in the long dark winter months of Northern Idaho.

Thank you for joining me to create a simple cozy winter table setting. I hope you enjoyed the read and came away confident creating yourself a beautiful winter tablescape. As always, I appreciate your presence and welcome questions or comments below.

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