It’s the most wonderful time of the year, friends! The holiday season is here, and our team is sharing a few of our favorite holiday design things— from tablescapes for your holiday dinner party, to hosting menu ideas, and transitional holiday accessories and decor.
We did what we do best for our clients and perfectly tied all these elements together, so your next holiday gathering is one you can enjoy as the host and feel like a party guest in your own home, too. Happy holidays to you and yours, from the team at Basil + Tate!
scroll down to find a few of our favorite things & what we’re loving this Holiday season…
1. Holiday Tablescapes
A beautiful holiday centerpiece and place settings set the tone for your dinner party. We recommend taking a more transitional approach, so that you don’t have to go out and purchase an entirely new dinnerware set to be used only once a year. (Plus, you’ll save on that precious cabinet or basement storage space!)
We love starting with a blank canvas of neutral tones— white dishes are a perfect base along with a neutral fabric table runner. Then we can add in texture and some holiday color with natural placemats, charger plates, and holiday-themed salad plates to top off each setting.
Cloth napkins are also a great way to add in some seasonal color, and let’s be honest— fabric just feels fancier than a plain ol’ paper napkin! A gold flatware set adds just the right amount of shine, and is an upgrade to everyday cutlery that you’ll still use for family gatherings and celebratory dinners throughout the year.
sources: Wedding Chicks // Half-Baked Harvest
Holiday greenery adds so much natural beauty to any table design, and you don’t have to use the real deal— faux foliage can create the same effect. Just as we recommend keeping your base layers neutral, brass candleholders are the perfect foundation to swap out seasonal taper candles and add a pop of forest green or a bright Christmas red to your table setting.
One thing you’ll want to consider ahead of time, is whether your table centerpiece will stay at the table while guests are eating dinner or if you’re going to remove the centerpiece. If it’s too large or awkward to have a conversation around, consider accessorizing your table more minimally. Also be sure to keep decor pieces appropriate to the table size, if a larger guest list means elbow space is at a premium.
These holiday tablescape designs from Wedding Chicks (above left) and Half-Baked Harvest (above right) are beautiful examples of combining natural or faux greenery with neutral place settings and small pops of holiday color from decor pieces. We’re ready to sit down and toast to good health and the new year!
2. Holiday Dinner Menu
Our main goal with this season’s dinner menu, was to pull together a collection of dishes that could be made well ahead of time — no more spending an entire day in the kitchen to prepare for this year’s Christmas dinner with the family! We’ve done the work for you and outlined your dinner menu prep list below— just follow along to relieve some of that entertaining stress, and focus on getting the kids to clean their rooms enjoying yourself more! :)
The menu is all set, just “add to cart” on your grocery delivery site, and begin your party prep. These delicious French-inspired holiday dinner menu options will allow you to prepare dishes ahead of time, so you can host your family gathering and actually enjoy it, too. Cheers!
Prep: 1-2 Weeks Ahead
Beef Bourguignon: make ahead and keep in freezer
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: make ahead and keep in freezer
Gruyère Croissants: let rise, bake, and then freeze
Nutty Harvest Honeycrisp Kale Salad: make nut topping and dressing; store in fridge
Cranberry Coffee Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce: make cake ahead and keep in freezer; make sauce and store in fridge
Prep: the Day Before Dinner
Beef Bourguignon: thaw in fridge
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: thaw in fridge
Gruyère Croissants: thaw in fridge
Cranberry Coffee Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce: thaw cake in fridge
Prep: the Day of Your Dinner Party
Beef Bourguignon: reheat for dinner
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: reheat for dinner
Gruyère Croissants: reheat for dinner
Nutty Harvest Honeycrisp Kale Salad: prepare salad base, add nut topping and dress before serving
Cranberry Coffee Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce: reheat cake and warm sauce topping before serving
3. Transitional Holiday Decor
From your table-setting and serving needs, to the accessories and centerpiece items that add those finishing touches— we have you covered with minimal holiday decor and the transitional pieces we’re loving this season. Tap the links below, or continue to scroll down and shop!
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Welcome to Basil + Tate, your full-service interior design team based in sunny Denver, Colorado. We describe our design aesthetic as light-and-bright, coastal, and modern. If you like clean lines and lots of white space, you’re in the right place! Looking for interior design services within the Denver, Colorado area? Let's get in touch.