3 Cheap Christmas Table Setting Ideas with Wow-Factor

Let’s face it: Christmas is expensive enough as it is. So when it comes to decorating, I’m ALL about cracking out cheap Christmas table setting ideas.

Last week I hosted a Christmas table styling event for my friends at Metricon with this very concept in mind. The best part? It proved my theory that you can create an amazing festive table without the spend. And if you didn’t get to attend, this post will give you all the pearls of wisdom you missed on the day.

The key takeaway here? You can replicate these cheap Christmas table setting ideas in your own home – all while keeping the budget intact. And below I’m going to show you how.

The only hard decision you’ll face now is which of these three looks you’re going to roll out at home!

1. The Scandi Theme: Classic Red and White

This cheap Christmas table setting idea is inspired my Metricon’s Scandinavian LookBook theme. It’s a classic approach to a festive table. The best part is that it doesn’t cost a lot to pull off. Metricon’s design team sourced a lot of the finishing touches from stores like Kmart, Spotlight and Lincraft.

The general idea with all of these looks is that your base pieces like the table and dining chairs you’ve already invested in. So the festive buys should all be cheap as chips. If you want to change the colour scheme up next year, you haven’t wasted loads of money on the decor.

Here’s how to build this look:

1. Start from the base up. A white or blonde timber table sets the foundation
2. Use a white, cream or soft grey tablecloth if your tabletop is dark
3. Down the centre, place a long strip of festive greenery – with red baubles
4. Intertwine a string of battery-operated fair lights through your greenery
5. Use white placemats in a soft linen and layer with neutral dinnerware
6. Include a Christmas bonbon and gold cutlery on each placemat
7. Finish off place setting with a festive napkin ring and red fabric napkin
8. Complete the look with vases containing twigs and berries

Don’t forget…

I definitely recommend that you make this look your own, but just remember to keep the colourway in a classic red and white combo. White is the dominant colour, and red the is punchy accent.

Also try to keep the red in the same tone. It’s so easy to go into a store and start buying red, then orangey red, then pinky red. Before you know it, the look has gone cray-cray and doesn’t resemble a classic Scandi palette. You gotta be disciplined 😉

2. The Rustic Theme: One for Nature Lovers

If you love nature, neutrals and rustic interior design, this cheap Christmas table setting has your name written all over it. What I love about this look is that it avoids all of the usual festive cliches. The colour palette is calm, the look is textural, and it feels so wonderfully Australian, don’t you think?

This scheme is inspired by Metricon’s Nordic Elk LookBook theme. The theme itself is clean, crisp and full of light, but still retains a sense of cosiness and craftsmanship. That’s pretty much how I’d explain the above table, so it’s good to know that your home’s design can influence your festive decorating each year.

Here’s how to build this look:

1. A dark table is a great place to start (if it’s rustic – even better)
2. Use a charcoal or black tablecloth if your table is light
3. Down the centre of the table, run some native gum (florists sell this)
4. Position white candles down the centre either side of the gum
5. Hessian or wicker placemats form the base for individual place settings
6. Use dinnerware that feels rustic and handmade – in a dark colourway
7. Add warmth through beige linen napkins and wooden Christmas ornaments
8. Silver cutlery would feel right at home in this look

Bear in mind…

This is another one of the cheap Christmas table setting ideas that you can totally put your own stamp on. You just have to be mindful not to introduce any bright colour. It’s all about rusticity, neutrals on top of neutrals, and earthiness. Muddy olive greens would be the only tones I would say you could work in here.

Restraint is the key to getting any Christmas table setting right!

3. The Luxe Theme: Blingy and Beautiful

Finally we come to the most sophisticated look of the lot. Of the three cheap Christmas table setting ideas here, this one hast the biggest sense of opulence. It’s still an approachable and easy setting though; inspired by Metricon’s High Street LookBook theme. Don’t feel that your home has to be high end for this to work, because it’ll fit into any home with a black and white vibe.

If you’re a fan of this style of decorating, you’ll probably love the New York hotel vibe that I’ve covered off in this post. There’s a video included so you can tour the home and grab some luxe, high-end ideas for your own abode.

How to build this look:

1. A dark table is the starting point. A smooth finish is preferred
2. Place round wreaths down the centre of the table, wrapped in fairy lights
3. In the centre of the wreaths, place thick white candles at varying heights
4. Use beige or charcoal grey placemats to ground individual place settings
5. Black dinnerware is a great idea here, paired with gold cutlery
6. Bring in gold napkin rings to elevate the look and make it feel expensive
7. Choose bon bons with ornate, feminine patterns in black and gold colours
8. Ground the look with some rosemary from the garden, paired with a name card

And Remember…

You’ll notice that although this Christmas table setting is high end, it’s also a little earthy too. We’re not going over-the-top to make it feel rich. It still has a bit of an easy, laidback, Aussie vibe to it.

That’s why the rosemary is brought into the setting, and the name cards are brown cardboard. It’s a luxe-for-less look, so don’t feel pressured to go full throttle with the bling.

Three More Cheap Christmas Table Setting Ideas

If you’ve looked at these cheap Christmas table setting ideas and yearning to immerse yourself in more themes and concepts, I have an additional three looks for you.

Click Here to explore three more table ideas that celebrate the traditional, global and French provincial interior design styles.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.

This post includes images and/or videos of Metricon display homes and events, reproduced with permission. © Metricon Homes Pty Ltd 2016.