11 Christmas Centerpiece Ideas That Are Fa-la-la-la-bulous

Skip to main contentSharing classic and contemporary inspiration, leading interior designers showcase how to celebrate the season in stylePhoto: Claudia Casbarian for Julie SoeferA festive Christmas centerpiece is not just a decorative focal point, it also sets the scene for making memories around the table. Whether you dream up a candy cane–inspired color scheme with elegant white china and poinsettia-red floral arrangements, or you create a winter tablescape complete with snowflakes, snowmen, and flickering tea lights, a holiday table is the perfect opportunity to get creative and channel your yuletide style. And the good news is, a holiday centerpiece isn’t just for a dining table—kitchen islands, foyers, and coffee tables all lend themselves well to a festive display. To inspire you, we’ve gathered our favorite Christmas centerpiece ideas that include everything from a classic cranberry-red palette to a designer’s chic jewel-toned Christmas table.Photo: Lara KimmererBring the Outdoors In with a Woodland-Inspired CenterpieceIf you’re going for understated elegance, take cues from this Christmas table. Layer together natural elements like foraged foliage, evergreen branches, pinecones, and antlers, then add height with candleholders. “The palette is deliberately restrained and a departure from traditional holiday decor to maintain elegance and elevate the materials,” says Rae McCalmont of PBF Homes. The Christmas decor leans into deep forest greens, warm walnut tones, soft ivory, and earthy neutrals. “Layered greenery spills organically across the table to keep the presentation soft and unfussy, metallic hints, a mix of etched and colored glassware, and eclectic dinnerware elevate the presentation, while softly glowing candlelight introduces warmth,” McCalmont says.Photo: Brian BiederTry a Chic Jewel-Toned Color Palette“When planning for my Christmas dining table centerpiece, I found these fabulous candlesticks in amber, peach, and gold to complement my dining room wall mural without screaming ‘red and green’ like the typical holiday colors,” says Maggie Griffin, founder and lead designer at Maggie Griffin Design. She arranged the collection of candlesticks with white tapers down the center of the table, while “touches of jewel tones in the glassware and table linens add to the festive vibe and layered tabletop,” Griffin shares.Photo: Brian BiederMake a Statement with Festive Greenery and BerriesPack a punch with a large Christmas arrangement that adds a festive pop of color. When assembling a seasonal DIY centerpiece, consider the vessel as an integral part of the arrangement. Here, Griffin layered seasonal magnolia and bright red berries in deep coral and celadon jars that she keeps on the kitchen counter year-round. “It’s a nod to the holiday season without the more traditional color scheme,” she says. “I believe in enhancing your home for the holidays, not totally redecorating it,” Griffin adds.Photo: Claudia Casbarian for Julie SoeferLet Your Interior Inspire the Christmas Centerpiece“We wanted the holiday decor to feel like a natural extension of the room rather than introduce an entirely new Christmas palette,” says Lindsey Herod, owner and principal designer at Lindsey Herod Interiors. The designer believes a room’s color story is a great starting point for any holiday table centerpiece. “Here, the centerpiece and holiday greenery can be lush and romantic because they’re speaking the same language as the chintz, antiques, and existing palette; it feels festive, but still completely part of the house,” Herod explains.Photo: J.L. Jordan PhotographyEmbrace the Magic of the Holidays with a Whimsical Centerpiece“It can be fun to look beyond traditional holiday themes and embrace decor that evokes the sense of magic and wonder that the season is all about,” says interior designer Bethany Adams, founder of Bethany Adams Interiors. For this centerpiece inspired by her late grandmother’s favorite china pattern, Adams wanted to create a quiet woodland that the deer on the mantel might have just visited. “A soft bed of moss, mushrooms of various sizes, and elegant taper candles lead the eye toward the mantel and its exuberant display of greenery,” she says. The best part? “Without obvious holiday themes, this centerpiece works all the way through the New Year,” Adams says.Photo: Jonathan Mitchell PhotographyMake a Custom Gingerbread House CenterpieceAdd a festive touch to a holiday party table or kitchen island with a custom gingerbread house. “We designed the gingerbread house as a playful nod to the home’s architecture, complete with an illuminated interior that echoes its expansive front entry windows,” says Kristi Will, founder of Kristi Will Interior Design. To make it extra special, the gingerbread house was personalized with the family’s dogs at the front door to welcome guests. “Created as the centerpiece for their holiday party, it brought a sense of whimsy and personality to the heart of the home,” Will says.Photo: Buff StricklandTap Into Holiday Nostalgia with a Vintage Christmas Tree CenterpieceEmbrace Christmas nostalgia by turning a vintage tabletop tree into a charming holiday centerpiece. Interior designer Bambi A’Lynn Bratton, founder of Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design, has a white Christmas tree, so this vintage German tree was the ideal choice for her table. “I have collected antique German ornaments for years and needed a special place to display them, so when I came across this little tree I knew it was the perfect fit,” she says. “I have also used this piece on a coffee table when I have a dinner party during the holidays, or on the hearth of a fireplace on top of a stack of books,” the designer shares.Photo: Amy Lamb of NativeHouse PhotographyEmbrace Classic Christmas RedFor an elegant holiday table, you can’t go wrong with floral arrangements in classic Christmas red. “When it comes to styling the floral arrangements, I always make sure the florals are low enough so everyone at the table can see each other easily, but still bountiful enough so everyone can admire the gorgeous flowers used,” says interior stylist Carolyne Steiner of The Carolyne Collective. To complete the holiday tablescape, Steiner dotted white candlesticks in between the florals and placed ornaments on the plates. “I collect ornaments throughout the year for each guest invited to my event—it serves as their place card,” she shares. “Before we sit down for our meal, each person has to guess which place setting is theirs; it ends up becoming a really fun game, conversation piece, and icebreaker before dinner begins,” Steiner says.Photo: Brian BiederCelebrate Winter White with an Orchid CenterpieceUse a potted white orchid as an elegant Christmas centerpiece on a foyer table for a festive welcome. “The white orchid is just a lovely neutral decor item that adds some formality to a space,” says Grace Brackman, founder and principal designer at Grace Brackman Design. She notes that white orchids look particularly beautiful paired with more traditional decor. “Add some interest by potting it in a pretty ceramic bowl enhanced with some fresh-cut magnolia and fir,” Brackman suggests.Photo: Caroline SharpnackElevate a Christmas Centerpiece—Literally!When creating a Christmas centerpiece, think beyond the surface of the dining table. “Decorating the chandelier draws the eye upward and makes the entire table feel more festive, rather than limiting the holiday elements to the tablescape itself,” says Lauren Sullivan, founder and curator at Well x Design. Here, red ribbon on the chandelier echoes the ribbon on the Christmas wreaths that hang from each chair, and visually extends the centerpiece beyond the table. “It also helps connect the table to the rest of the room and makes the whole setting feel more complete,” Sullivan says.Photo: Brian BiederReflect Ambient Candlelight with Mercury GlassArrange mercury glass trees and votive holders down the center of the dinner table to add height and create a magical ambience. “The reflective qualities of mercury glass make it a great choice for a candlelight dinner—it sets the mood and makes it feel extra festive,” Brackman says. To create an organic table runner and a soft backdrop of color for the trees to sit on, the designer recommends piling fresh-cut greenery at the base of the mercury pieces. “In my opinion, live greenery is a necessity as nothing beats the smell of fresh-cut pine,” Brackman states.Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the best of design in your inboxNot a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now