When it comes to your dining table at Christmas, you’ll want to make a statement and we have one way to ensure just that. The Ava Dining Table is a strong, sculptural and distinctive design with a circular shape that is warm and welcoming to guests. Christmas is a time to feel together and a circular table helps to ensure that everyone is within an equal setting. Exquisitely made by Tom Faulkner in Swindon, the tabletop floats above two tetrahedrons and can be made bespoke with materials, from glass to Carrara marble, that fit your interior style.

A dining room chair can be a hard purchase to make, but here at AUTHOR we believe in choosing handcrafted styles with a difference. Nevertheless, make sure that you choose something that will work with your dining table. It’s better not to mix different types of wood if you can help it and you should keep the styles fairly similar. The Sennon Dining Chair is the perfect classic dining room piece, and is handmade with either black walnut or ash hardwoods. The luxurious leather upholstery is utterly comfortable and the slanted backrest gives extra comfort to the user, making it a delightful and elegant addition to any dining table.

Another way to add some festive personality to your dining room is via the window treatments. As the colder weather sets in, you should have updated your curtains to a thicker style already but if not, a sumptuous velvet set will do the trick. Try our Midnight Limbs fabric for the perfect ode to the season. Designed by Iona Crawford, the fabric is inspired by bare winter trees and the dark hues of the crisp middle of the night and frosty mornings that occur in Scottish winters.

Creating the right ambience is your dining room is essential. You want the mood to be cosy, warm and intimate, all of which can be achieved with a successful lighting scheme. Starting with function, installing dimmer switches is a great way of controlling your ambient lighting. Combine this with table lamps and wall-mounted lighting and you’ll be able to control the tone throughout any entertaining event. For a real showstopper, install a chandelier above the dining table. The Fitzpatrick Eclipse Chandelier is sure to make a statement, adding a warm glow, joy and conversation to your dining room.

While you want to create a decadent and luxurious feel when it comes to your Christmas dining room, it’s also important to make guests, even if it is just family, feel welcomed and at ease. An ideal way to do this is by serving canapés or starters on sharing platters so everyone can pick and choose what they like from your Christmas menu. Our Bowly Platter Board is ideal for loading with cheeses or meats, with a generous dollop of chutney in each carved dimple, while the handmade Wooden Serving Troughs make the perfect serving board for bread. To finish your relaxed starter off, simply pop Bee Ramekin Dishes by Karen Gibson around the table with olives and dips for your guests to nibble on throughout.

It’s Christmas and everyone deserves a little sparkle on their table over the festive period. These gorgeous, gold edged Poetry plates feature traditional gilded edging and quirky, amusing poetry – the perfect talking point for your visitors and a true showstopper on your table. The romantic, old, love letter styled handwriting, complete with dips of ink and imperfections, is a delight revealed upon eating. You could even offer each guest their plate to take home as a wall hanging, after the washing up is complete of course…

Glassware can seem somewhat confusing but there’s one thing we can be sure of – bubbly should always be on the agenda. These beautiful champagne flutes look like they came straight out of The Great Gatsby with their ageless art deco style, and they’ll look exquisite alongside your other bar and glassware. Each place should be set with all the glasses that will be used during dinner. In true AUTHOR style, don’t forget to think about the glasses after you’ve retired to the sitting room; our Helvellyn Double Old- fashioned Whisky Tumblers should do the trick.

Napkins tend to be an afterthought for most people when it comes to laying their dining table so ensure you’re not scavenging for the nearest paper option and make your mark on the dinner table with something a little more luxurious. These lavish cocktail napkins by Scottish designer Iona Crawford and the late chef Andrew Fairlie are
ideal for adding colour to your dinner table and you can make them extra special with a sterling silver napkin ring to hold them in place at the table. If bright and bold isn’t for you, try our sumptuous linen cocktail napkins with a leather napkin ring for a more minimal take.

Not only do candles create a cosy and welcoming ambience, they’ll also fill your home with an inviting scent. Choosing the right one for your dinner table is imperative. For some added depth and drama on the table, invest in our Paris Candlesticks. Used as a pair, these candlesticks make the perfect addition to any modern dining table.

The final touch to make your dining room setup completely stand out is the addition of table decorations. A simple sculpture can really take your dinner table stand out. Try scattering our Bronze Cherry Leaves around the table or place a pair of Bronze Pears for something a little different. Bronze is particularly festive and will look beautiful with flickering candlelight once the sun has set.

We’ve recently covered decorating your home with Christmas foliage, and the dining room is no exception to bringing the festive flower cheer. Our local florist, Linda Cooper, recommends using sprigs of eucalyptus or ivy (fresh picked that morning as it can dry out quick) along your dining table as well as small posies or sprigs tucked into napkins on plates. Our Small Posy Bowls are the perfect size for a small decorative touch and are expertly handmade in the Cumbria Crystal workshop on the edge of the Lake District.