Decor

Gold and silver are really hot this season! Style at Home Editor Erin McLaughlin showed us how to get the look on a traditional and modern holiday table.

Erin's Tips for Setting a Beautiful Traditional Table:

1. When decorating a holiday table, don't be afraid to mix gold and silver together. There was a time when one was either a gold or a silver person but blending the two can have major visual impact!

2. Traditional tables tend to have more layers. Erin started with a foundation that included a white tablecloth and a sparkly gold runner.

3. For this meal, you'll probably have multiple courses. Dig out your grandmother's classic white and gold gilded china, start with a dinner plate then layer with smaller salad and dessert plates.

4. Gold-plated cutlery can really make the table look luxurious. Erin likes to add the dessert spoon and fork along the top of each setting with the fork turned to the right and the spoon to the left. Very English!

5. Wine glasses are a must even if your guests aren't drinking because they can always be used for sparkling water. Erin chose pairs of acid-etched antique stems with gold trim and for a bit of bling, she added a black-silver-gold Christmas ornament to each glass that guests can take home.

6. Let your dinner guests know where to sit and what's on the menu. These ceramic horse-inspired wipe-on/wipe-off boards can be adapted for each of your soirees.

7. Finally, Erin dressed up classic white napkins by tying them with gold ribbon and adding sparkly clip-on birds.

Erin's Tips for Setting a Beautiful Modern Table:

1. For her more modern setting, Erin created a chic restaurant look by layering silver and gold. Instead of a tablecloth, she used gold placements.

2. You'll probably serve fewer courses and guests might re-use their plates but the basic principals still apply. Here, Erin layered patterned gold plates one on top of the other.



3. You can afford to be a little more laissez-faire with a modern table - these gold-print napkins look great folded on top of the plates but no need to iron them!

4. Erin likes adding unexpected touches to each setting like these small hammered metal bowls filled with pear-shaped tree ornaments that guests can take home at the end of the evening.



5. For a bold but easy centerpiece, Erin suggested placing a classic wreath flat on the table and filling with candles, wooden bowls and pine cones.  For a touch of sparkle, she also added gold and silver sequined animal shapes.



Where to Buy:

Traditional Table

Gold trim wine glasses, gold-plated flatware & gold gilded china plates
www.cynthiafindlay.com
284 King Street W., Toronto, ON, M5V 1J2, 416-260-9057

Clip-on birds
www.westelm.com

Black, silver and gold balls
www.homesense.ca

Classic white table cloth & napkins
www.crateandbarrel.ca

Horse Place & Menu Tiles
www.placetile.com

Table & Chairs
www.elte.com


Modern Table

Dazzle dinner & salad plates
Dahlia gold placemats
Lumiraja gold napkins
www.crateandbarrel.ca

Wooden bowls
www.davidmellordesign.com

Sequin animals & pear ornaments
www.westelm.com

Table & Chairs
www.elte.com