Our dining room table is the heart of our apartment during the holidays. It’s where we serve festive dinners and desserts. It is where we sit, talk, and drink warm beverages. It is where we sit and delight in the company of family and friends.

I’ve often remarked that the dining room table is one of the most important design pieces in an apartment. It is a blank canvas, just waiting to be adorned fabulously!

People who live in small spaces know all too well that space-saving is a necessity. We have very little extra space to store away holiday decorations during the off-seasons (see Tidying Up Our Holidays). Rather than buying holiday-specific decorations, I use this time of year to design tablescapes using items I already have around the apartment! This year, a friend offered me several branches that she had cut off her tree and I jumped at the chance to incorporate the foliage into my designs.

Holiday Tablescapes

For these tablescapes, I brainstormed ideas that would inspire conversation around the holiday table and be playful for the girls! I looked through our toy rotation and kitchen for inspiration. For the base of the table, I used Emily’s grandmother’s china dishes and our everyday silverware and glasses. The white plates and blue glasses are a neutral base that hope make the toys and holiday decor pop.

Here are 10 easy tablescapes to replicate in your own apartment, using items that you already have:

1. Elf on the Shelf and Blocks

Materials used:

• Elf doll
• Red and green blocks
• Kitchen tray
• Tree clippings

 

2. Fancy Nancy does a Twirl

 

Materials used:

• Fancy Nancy doll
• Mini-trifle bowls
• Cake stand
• Marshmallows
• Tree clippings

 

3. Holiday Nostalgia

Materials used:

• Family photos
• Picture frames
• Glass vases
• Tree clippings

 

4. Nativity Scene

 

Materials used:

• Fisher Price Nativity Scene
• Cake decorating stand
• Scarf
• Glass vases
• Tree clippings

 

5. Coloring Table

Materials used:

• Coloring sheets
• Crayons
• Mini-trifle bowls
• Holiday scarf
• Glass trees
• Glass vase
• Tree clippings

 

6. Travel Memories

Materials used:

• Travel photos
• Picture frames
• Travel artifacts
• Glass vase
• Tree clippings

 

7. “I Spy” Theme

Materials used:

• Assorted small toys
• Holiday scarf
• Glass vase
• Tree clippings

 

8. Holiday Artwork

Materials used:

• Holiday artwork
• Picture frames
• Holiday scarf
• Glass trees
• Glass vase
• Tree clippings

 

9. Holiday Cards

Materials used:

• Holiday cards
• Picture frames
• Nativity set
• Glass vases
• Tree clippings

 

10. Winter Wonderland

Materials used:

• Cake stand (inverted)
• Cotton balls
• Artic animal figurines
• Scarf

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