Get My Festive Look This Christmas: Kunal’s Design Philosophy

The festive season is a time for connection, joy, and, of course, style. For Kunal Trehan, the creative force behind Touched Interiors, designing a Christmas tablescape is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about creating a luxurious, memorable experience that captures the warmth of the season. Whether you're hosting an intimate dinner or a grand feast, Kunal’s approach to festive design ensures your table will be the centerpiece of unforgettable celebrations.

“Designing a Christmas tablescape is about more than just achieving a beautiful look, it’s about crafting an experience for your guests” 

“Remember to enjoy the process and embrace layering and personal touches to make the design uniquely yours”

As the festive season approaches, hosting friends and family becomes a central focus. One of the most delightful aspects of Christmas is creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that feels special and memorable. The Christmas table, where everyone gathers for the feast, offers the perfect opportunity to set the tone for an elegant and intimate celebration.

        Photo Credit: Cheshire Life Magazine 

This year, my husband and I took inspiration from both traditional and contemporary elements to craft a tablescape that’s luxurious, festive, and deeply personal. We wanted the tablescape to tie in with the decorative feel within our home internally and externally. Whether you’re hosting a casual Christmas brunch or an elaborate dinner, these design tips will help you transform your dining table into a festive masterpiece, just like the one featured in our home.

• Start with a Stunning Garland

To begin, lay a full garland along the centre of your table. This serves as the foundation of your festive design. You can either choose a garland that’s already decorated or personalise it with your own ornaments. I opted for a pre-lit garland and embellished it with glittering burnt orange apples, pears, red berries, rustic acorns, and deep emerald baubles. These vibrant touches added richness and depth, creating the perfect base for our Christmas lunch.

“By focusing on elements that bring warmth, luxury, and personalisation, you can transform your dining table into a stunning focal point for the festive season”

• Add Height and Depth

Once your garland is in place, it's time to introduce height and depth to your arrangement. I added a family of green velvet reindeers with gold antlers in various sizes, which brought a playful yet opulent touch to the table. To further elevate the centrepiece, I included velvet Christmas trees in a deep green, topped with melting gold snow, nestled among the garland. These elements made the tablescape visually striking from every angle, creating a full, inviting look for guests no matter where they were seated.

• Introduce Festive Drama

To anchor the design and expand its breadth, I incorporated smaller frosted Christmas trees with wooden bases around the garland. These trees brought a rustic charm and helped extend the design outward. For a festive, cosy atmosphere, I used red-scented candles housed in glass cloches. The candlelight enhanced the holiday scents, adding warmth to the scene. To add a whimsical touch, I placed white Christmas mice with gold crowns inside the cloches, tying the look together using red berry wreaths as candle surrounds.

• Keep It Structured, Yet Spacious

Balance is key to creating an impactful Christmas tablescape. You want it to feel abundant without becoming overly busy. To soften the structure of the garland, I added long, feathered wine-coloured branches, giving the arrangement a more organic feel as if it were gently flowing from the centre of the table outwards with sufficient space for food.

• Add Fresh Florals

To complete the centrepiece, I incorporated fresh white and red roses. These blooms not only added a touch of elegance and refinement but also introduced a beautiful floral scent to complement the festive greenery. The fresh flowers enhanced the feeling of a truly vibrant and festive setting.

• Perfect The Place Settings

With the centrepiece in place, it’s time to turn attention to the place settings. I selected textured glass charger plates with gold rims to echo the opulent feel of the garland and other decorative elements. Gold-plated cutlery complemented the setting, while simple yet elegant glassware which included, champagne flutes, wine glasses, and water glasses, ensured a polished and sophisticated look.

To personalise each place setting, I had custom crackers made, doubling as name cards. Each cracker bore the guest’s name and contained a set of crystals specific to the guests. My gorgeous niece was travelling to Australia in the coming months, so hers was a travellers protection set, and my mums was a healing crystal set amongst others. This personal touch not only added excitement to the crackers but also offered each guest a little gift of positive energy for the coming year. They were a big success with our family.

• Finishing Touches for a Luxurious Feel

Rich forest green napkins, tied with coral napkin rings, completed the place settings. The deep green echoed the velvet trees and reindeer in the centrepiece, while the coral added a soft contrast, enhancing the luxurious and organic feel of the table. The napkin rings were a small yet significant detail that added depth and elegance to the setting. The napkin ring is the first thing your guests will interact with when seated, making the choice of coral ideal for awakening their senses.

 With everything in place, the table was ready for a memorable Christmas lunch. The festive, opulent, yet welcoming atmosphere created the perfect backdrop for a meal with our family. By layering textures, colours, and personal touches, you too can create a similarly special tablescape in your own home and all that’s left is to serve your delicious Christmas meal and enjoy the celebrations with your loved ones! 

Enjoy the Process:

For Kunal, the festive season is not just about the final result—it’s about embracing the joy of creativity.

“Remember to enjoy the process and embrace layering and personal touches to make the design uniquely yours.”

Touched Interiors’ showroom, located in Manchester, offers a curated selection of luxury tableware, statement lighting, and bespoke furniture to help you bring your festive vision to life. Whether you’re seeking inspiration or looking for the perfect finishing touch, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.

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Plan Your Festive Transformation

Visit Touched Interiors, at 26 Blackfriars Street, Manchester, M3 5JS, to explore our range of bespoke holiday décor and furniture. With guidance from Kunal Trehan, your festive tablescape will embody the magic, luxury, and warmth of the season. Don't miss out on Kunal's Exclusive Column in the Cheshire Life Magazine.

Book a consultation today and make this upcoming year your most stylish yet.