How to set up a Christmas table

When deciding how to dress your Christmas table, a good place to start is by looking at your other decorations. If you've already got gold baubles on the tree, consider continuing that colour onto your table or choose a contrasting hue for added interest. We chose to dress ours with golds and silvers, which matched perfectly with our Christmas tree.

The best way to make impact with your table setting is by using layers. Let's face it, a plain white table cloth is never going to cut it on the big day – why not add a table runner for added texture and interest? If you don't want to purchase one of these from a homewares store, why not check out the different materials available at Bunnings? 

Hessian, cut to size, makes a great runner, especially when paired with a rustic theme. While you're in store, check out the painter's drop sheets – these make fantastic tablecloths, especially if you're joining several tables together for a big gathering. Once you've layered your runner, add other elements like bowls and plates, and finish with centralised boards to hold your courses once they're ready to be served.

Ornaments aren't just for the tree – they also look great placed around the Christmas table. Grab some extra tree decorations or baubles and keep them aside to dress plates, or to add to centrepieces. Bunnings has a fantastic range in store – pick those that match your room's décor.

Floral arrangements and plants look fantastic when placed centre-stage on your festive table. We chose to dress ours with a miniature conifer, picked up from Bunnings. Wrap your pot with extra hessian to match your décor, and tie a pretty bow with twine. If you want to go one step further, head into your garden and have a look at any foliage you may like to bring inside – a sprig of fresh rosemary looks beautiful when placed on a plate or tied up as a napkin ring. We decided to get creative and sprayed some sprigs of bottlebrush a gold colour, using White Knight Super Gold spray paint, to match our décor. You can spray any foliage you find to match your table setting – the sky's the limit! And Bunnings has all the colours you may need.

Add some candles for soft lighting – and you're done! Lunch is in the oven, the guests are on their way, and all you need to do now is to have a very merry Christmas!