The festive season is in full swing and we’re dangerously close to the big day. The tree is up, presents are wrapped, your guests are all confirmed and the recipe planning is underway, but are you forgetting something? The table! A beautifully dressed festive dining table will set the tone for the day, look spectacular and earn you instant praise from your admiring guests.
As one of the most important factors (in our book, at least) dressing the table involves planning, preparation and a dash or two of creativity. It needs to tick all the boxes - functionality, comfort, festivity and beauty. Additionally, as with the rest of the home, personality and uniqueness should shine through. With the Scandi interiors trend leading the way for 2015, and looking set to be staying with us for next year too, we challenged Norwegian interiors blogger Hege Morris to transform our solid oak and Caso extending dining table into the ultimate festive Scandi setting. As the first in our blogger styling series, Hege added her own personal items and elements to style the table in her own home…
We love the parred-back, fresh approach, with not a drop of Santa Red in sight! The clean, uncluttered styling leaves plenty of room for the turkey and all the trimmings and the table’s extendable element allows space for the whole family, and then some.
We chat to Hege about her Scandinavian past, styling influences and what Christmas is really like at the Hege in France household…
Hege, we can’t get enough of your simplistic approach to interior design. Talk us through your Christmas dining style – how have you so perfectly captured a bright yet festive vibe? I’ve been collecting Christmas decorations for years. I buy baubles and decorations that I think are special and display them on tables and on the window sill. This year I’ve gone for mostly metal colours and wood.
Being Norwegian a must is a real Christmas tree. The Norfolk Island tree on the window sill freshens up the room. I also buy eucalyptus for that lovely smell. A branch or two in water will last you a few weeks.
At Christmas time we always have nice chocolates and of course candles. The dining table wouldn’t quite be the same without candles. For comfort I also add cushions and sheepskin rugs.
What is the key to a comfortable Christmas lunch?
I think having enough space around the table is important. I like adding a lot of greenery as a centerpiece, so I would want to make sure there’s enough space for both decorations and dinner plates. This is why I like extendable tables. They’re so great to extend for special occasions but are also perfectly compact for everyday family life, too. What does Christmas lunch look like in the Hege in France household? The focus would be on the food, which is normally a lot of seafood. It’s a French tradition that we’ve kept since we lived there.
The table would normally have a white tablecloth, there would be lot of greenery as a centrepiece, and candles.
You have a beautiful parred-back feel to your styling – does this stem from growing up in Norway? How does the Scandinavian style influence your interiors choices? I definitely think so. Light would be one of the main factors. I love light rooms and find it difficult to cope in rooms with little natural light.
A lot of things have changed in Norway since I grew up. When I was younger we had lots of furniture and colours, but one thing that was always there were the green plants and the real Christmas tree.
I love wooden floors and that is something a lot of Scandinavian homes have. Not a lot of people have carpets. Rugs yes, but not carpets.
Scandinavian style has influenced me a lot. I like minimalist design and also try to keep things really simple.
What is your most treasured homeware possession?
I inherited my Grandparents’ old dinner set. It’s something I treasure and only put out for special occasion, Christmas being one of them.
A huge thank you to Hege!
For more styling inspiration check out Hege’s dining table styling pinterest board here
We would love to hear how you style your Christmas dining table. What are your Christmas table must-haves? Weill you be opting for the Scandinavian-inspired trend this year?