Elevated Holiday Styling: Tips From a Warm Thanksgiving Table to a Quietly Sophisticated Christmas
The holidays come fast in Orange County. One minute you’re lighting the last of the fall-scented candles and the next you’re wondering how a nine-foot tree magically takes over your living room. The trick, and what I remind clients every year, is that styling for this season isn’t about perfection. It’s about ease, intention, and creating spaces that feel warm, layered, and filled with the spirit of the holidays.
Let’s start with Thanksgiving, because that sets the tone. Then we’ll move into Christmas styling that feels elevated, organic, and blissfully free of glittery plastic décor.
Thanksgiving Styling
A warm, earthy beginning to the season – Thanksgiving is where you ease into the holidays. It’s that moment before things get busy, when your table becomes the center of the home. When considering decor for this time I always think of grounding colors, soft textures, and candlelight that wraps you up in warmth making people want to linger just a little longer.
Work from an autumn palette
Every year I am drawn back to grounding tones like rusts, olives, walnut, warm cream, soft mushroom. These shades feel rooted and timeless and instantly make a room feel cozier without leaning too themed or too precious. They play beautifully with natural wood, hand-thrown ceramics, and linens that look inviting even when they’re a bit rumpled.
Layer your textures (even if the table is simple)
Layering is the one styling move that never fails. Washed linen tablecloths, textural cotton or linen napkins, a frayed-edge runner they soften everything. Tie your napkins with a simple knot and tuck in sage, rosemary, or even a dried orange slice for a charming, unfussy detail.
Build a centerpiece that encourages conversation
Skip the tall centerpiece you have to peek around. Go with taper holders in varying heights set in a loose zig-zag down the table. Brass always works, but vintage glass taper holders feel especially timeless and catch the candlelight beautifully.
Add greenery or florals in small vases, or lay branches directly on the table for an organic look. Slip in pomegranates, pears, miniature gourds, or colorful fall leaves. Keep it simple. Thanksgiving styling should feel effortless, not staged.
Choose tableware that feels collected
Hand-thrown ceramics, warm neutral dinner plates, mismatched serving pieces that still complement one another – that’s the secret to a table that feels gathered and personal. Even a simple menu feels special when the table has a lived-in rhythm.
And don’t forget the lighting – dim the overheads, turn on your sconces or lamps, let the candles do their thing. Ambient lighting is what makes even a casual dinner feel inviting.
Christmas Styling
Organic, layered, and quietly festive – once Thanksgiving plates are washed, most people jump straight into Christmas. And while I love that excitement, there’s one step worth taking first.
Declutter before you decorate
Put away all the fall decor – pumpkins, themed pillows and any faux foliage. Christmas décor has visual weight, especially once you bring in a tree, and clutter steals the magic. A clean slate is the foundation of elevated holiday design.
Choose a thoughtful holiday palette
Traditional red and green tartan is always an option, but you don’t have to stay there. Some of the most beautiful holiday palettes lean warm and earthy – chocolates, copper, burnt orange, deep sage, warm cream. Or go moodier with muted plums, forest greens and charcoals or merlots, earthy greens, and vintage gold.
The goal is cohesion. Your décor should feel connected to your home and not forced or clashing.
Layer textures (this is where things get good)
Velvet ribbons (which are big this season), frayed linen ties, chunky cotton stockings, woven baskets – holiday styling comes alive when textures overlap. Velvet ribbon in particular adds instant richness, especially when tied onto garland or draped through branches on the tree.
Mix ornaments in glass, metallics, flocked finishes, woven textures, paper mache and vintage pieces. Trees with a single ornament style always feel flat, while mixed textures feel collected and intentional.
Build centerpieces with real, organic elements
Skip the plastic picks. Truly. Real greenery and fresh elements make all the difference. You can use fresh pine or cedar from a local tree stand, eucalyptus for softness, dried citrus slices, cinnamon sticks, and fresh fruit like persimmons or pomegranates. Even branches from your yard add life and character.
And of course, candles. Vintage glass candle holders are especially charming because they reflect light in a soft, old-world way.
Style the mantel with organic drama
Fresh garland is always my go-to. Yes, it sheds. Yes, it needs misting. It’s so worth every minute. Drape it asymmetrically and weave in velvet ribbons, brass bells, taper candles, and my favorite – dried citrus. Keep it lush but not crowded. The visual movement is what makes it feel elevated.
Sprinkle thoughtful touches throughout your home
Add small vessels of greenery on nightstands, consoles, and bathroom counters. Swap in seasonal throws in flannels, plaid or chunky knits. Place bowls of citrus on the kitchen island. Use warm, low lighting – lamps, sconces, candles. Harsh overheads will undo all the cozy work you just did.
What to skip
Design is subjective, but for a more elevated holiday look, I say skip the word signs, plastic greenery, overly themed novelty decor, and anything that feels mass-produced or kitschy. The exception is handcrafted vintage decor with genuine charm. There’s always room for pieces that tell a story.
Final thoughts
Holiday styling isn’t about filling your home to the brim – it’s about warming it up and creating that holiday magic. Let the season guide the palette, use real materials wherever possible, and keep your lighting soft and layered. Whether it’s a Thanksgiving table or quiet December evenings with a cup of something warm, the goal is the same: spaces that feel thoughtful, cozy, and beautifully lived in.
