This year, I focused my Christmas decorating on our home’s three public (and most used) rooms – the kitchen, living room, and dining room. Some years, I will add decor to the bedrooms, bathrooms, or my studio, but I decided to keep it simple. I enjoyed decorating the kitchen and living room this year, but my favorite was the dining room. For our first Christmas in the house, the walls still wore remnants of wallpaper glue and an old minty-green paint. Last year, the walls were simply primed white. (You can see that HERE.) This year, the ceiling is freshly painted, wainscoting and trim have been installed and painted in Oval Room Blue, and a hand-painted mural (in the French block-print scenic wallpaper style) is about 90% finished. There are still things to do, but it feels like a finished room.
As I did with the kitchen and living rooms, I used Norfolk Pine garlands and branches in the space and left them unadorned for a natural, timeless look.
Rug source | tablecloth & pillows source | real wax LED candles
As I do with most holiday decorating, I didn’t use Christmas-specific decor but used what I already had in a way that felt Christmasy to me. I layered textures, patterns, and different shades of blue and green.
The dining room tree is a 5 1/2″ European Fir from Balsam Hill. Their realistic trees never disappoint and I love how this one has the character you might find in a real tree. I decorated it with satin ribbons (from the non-seasonal ribbon section at Hobby Lobby), brass birds, some German glass glittered balls I made years ago, and a few other ornaments that worked with the brass, green, and blue palette. I also clipped on LED candles in vintage-style holders.
As I’ve wrapped presents this year, I’ve piled them around the dining room tree to add some extra color and pattern. The star is from Sweet Shady Lane and I love how it looks like an antique.
The table is not too far off from how we’ll have it set for Christmas brunch. I will remove a few things so there is room for the food and so antique plates and cups aren’t getting in the way.
Most pieces on the table are either inherited or were found at thrift stores or antique markets.
I put real wax LED candles in candle holders I picked up at a thrift store last year and tied a green satin bow around each holder.
The bells and tags are from JSH Home Essentials and the striped linen napkins are from Linen Bee.
I found this antique ironstone tureen in my Oma’s attic years after she passed away. It was in a bug-eaten box, wrapped in scraps of crumbling newspaper. I never knew she had any ironstone, so it was a real treat to find. It was like a gift from my namesake that was perfect for me. My mom said she remembered it sitting on the dining room table or buffet when she was little. It’s a magnificent piece and a favorite in my collection.
I tucked artificial greenery around the platter under the tureen and tucked in brass sleigh bells, oyster shells, faux juniper, walnuts, and dried oranges. I really just played with textures until I liked the mix.
When setting a table, I don’t really care if pieces are a part of a matching set. I like to play with mixing in different patterns to see how they work together. I think it makes a table setting feel more collected and interesting.
And I love pulling out random serving pieces like knife rests and salt cellars that most people don’t use anymore.
Last year, I set up the dining room tree by the window, but this year I set it up by the opening to the foyer and that’s a better spot. I love that it can be seen through the window at night, from the foyer, and the kitchen. It does have traditional Christmas lights in addition to the LED candles, but they are a bit bright in photos, so I turned them off.
The antique Empire buffet got some greenery as well…
I looped a garland around the large antique bowl and tucked some other faux greens in. In the bowl, I added brass sleigh bells to the antique wooden balls. A couple of pine branches are tucked over the portrait along with a swag of satin ribbon.
The chandelier is one of my favorite parts, though. Tessa, the talented designer behind Nine & Sixteen, swagged and tied ribbons on a chandelier and I adored the look. I decided to replicate it in my house. I started with a juniper garland since it’s a little thin and then tucked in some Norfolk pine and THESE cedar sprigs. I then created one large loop of ribbon that I draped around the chandelier and tied bows on every other chandelier arm. This will definitely be repeated! I love the look.
So, there is the Christmas dining room! I enjoyed working on this room so much and I hope you found some nuggets of inspiration in the tour.
You can find tours of the Living Room decorated for Christmas HERE and Kitchen HERE. You can find more Christmas decorating inspiration HERE.
21 Responses
I have always loved all your art, but this I’m not a fan of .
Thanks for sharing that with the class…. NOT!
Incorporating natural elements like pinecones, evergreen branches, and candles adds a cozy, rustic touch. For a contemporary vibe, use metallic ornaments, LED string lights, or a modern floral arrangement.
I love that wallpaper and murals have made a comeback. Your mural is the real icing on the cake in the dining room. While I love the beauty and simplicity of ironstone, I especially love anything chinoiserie and adore that blue and white Asian inspired bowl on the empire buffet.
Thank you for providing the sources of your linens. I ordered a tablecloth from a high-end company and was so disappointed when it arrived because the color was way off from the picture. I had to return it and instead used a white linen tablecloth with green and white heavy high end wrapping paper as a table runner. It’s a trick I see many designers do when they want a table runner that’s unique and simple to do. Merry Christmas!
Teresa, very clever runner idea, thanks.
Where did you get that massively encrusted silver pitcher?! That must be a challenge to polish! Do you know the pattern name? Just an amazing piece of craftsmanship.
The pitcher is one I inherited from my Oma and it’s in the Repousse pattern by Kirk Stieff. It even has her monogram engraved on the bottom. Isn’t it amazing?
I love, love the richness of the mural in your dining room. Anyone could do wallpaper but the fact you created it yourself just elevates the whole project. In my opinion the drapes are the cherry on top. The entire room exudes the Christmas spirit.
I’ve been following Homeworth this holiday season and what a delight to experience the creativity of women and men across the country. Everyone has there own way to express their Christmas cheer and it warms my heart. It’s great fun looking into their windows and seeing the love and joy that is alive all over the country. It gives me hope.
Beautiful wall mural in your dining room. I love it! I also love all of your Christmas touches. ❤️
Everything is gorgeous! I envy your talent!
Everything looks lovely especially the mural. Great job.
Could you give the source for the small candles on the tree?
The mural is incredible and adds to an already lovely room. Merry Christmas!
Everything looks so great, the mural is a masterpiece. I also loved the water pitcher on the table.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Everything is simply beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
The Christmas dining room is beautiful, both elegant and inviting. The Empire buffet is breathtaking! Thank you for all this beautiful inspiration!
Dear Marian,
Your Christmas home is a gift tied with poignant stories, collected treasures, and welcoming grace. Your heart honed artistry flows from kitchen to dining to living room while beckoning one to linger and reflect. Thank you for inviting us into your sacred places at this most magical time of year.
May laughter and joy fill your rooms as you and yours create the stories of Christmas 2024.
Love from Mercer Island,
Diney
Just beautiful! You are a true inspiration and have given me several ideas! Merry Christmas!
Stunning, all of it.
PERFECT! may be my favorite dining room yet, if I could pick a favorite ;). You really do so very well creating the Early American/European combined style that I love so much. I have deeply embedded German/French roots from early childhood and am all about the British style I’ve fallen for in adulthood. Your tree in the basket is amazing., the greens, ribbons everywhere oh my. I only wish I could paint murals. Merry Christmas Marion.
My family went to Savannah over New Years celebrating our granddaughter’s 21st birthday. We spent some hours at the Telfair Museum and I spent a lot of time looking at the wallpaper in the dining room. Your dining room mural reminded me of the style of this wallpaper, but yours is so much more restful and serene. Thank you for bringing so much inspiration to my life!
Wow, this Christmas dining room setup for 2024 is absolutely stunning! The blend of festive colors, elegant décor, and cozy ambiance creates the perfect atmosphere for holiday gatherings. Thanks for sharing such inspiring ideas—can’t wait to try some of these for my own dining space this year!”