"Wishing you a day of love, connection, and beautiful food," renowned designer Kelly Wearstler captioned an Instagram post, sharing her Thanksgiving table setting. And she wasn't lying. While we may not celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK, that shouldn't stop us from stealing a bit of design inspiration for our upcoming Christmas tables from the occasion. And the star of Kelly's table? Beautiful food — raw white radishes, specifically.
"It’s proof that vegetables can be just as chic as any floral arrangement," Iokasti Sotirakopoulou, stylist for Livingetc's Design Lab, tells me. "What really gets me excited about this look is how food becomes part of the decor. The textures, the shapes, the earthiness — it all adds such natural richness. It’s styling, but it’s also storytelling."
And why is it that flowers are always the first thing we reach for when it comes to our Christmas table decor ideas? There is just as much beauty, color, texture, and variety to be found in fruit and vegetable harvests. And white radish? Well, you can order it fresh from Amazon for just £3.75. The trick to this look is abundance — something Kelly applied by stacking them on plates, piling them up around candle holders, and even styling them as individual place settings.
And then, of course, it's how you make it feel intentional. The rest of the look that feeds (pardon the pun) into the story you're trying to tell. And storytelling is a big part of table setting trends these days.
"I love that she’s kept the white tablecloth as a clean backdrop," adds Iokasti. "It lets the vegetables do all the talking while the candlelight adds that soft, glowing mood in the center — the kind that instantly makes a gathering feel intimate."
"There’s something magical about a table that marries flavor and design like this," she continues. "It doesn’t just look beautiful; it elevates the entire dining experience. The textures of the food, the colors, the scents — everything works together to create a moment that feels immersive and sensory in the best way."
While Kelly's plates look vintage, Rebecca Udall has a beautiful collection of inspired crockery in all kinds of colors.
Vintage silverware will never date, and this hammered satin set feels like it's been the family forever (and it's 50% off right now).
Goblets are back when it comes to glassware, thanks to the trend for subtle historical references as a way of adding character and charm.
Our editor, Hugh Metcalf, called it in his Zeitgeist Edit months ago, but now Kelly has confirmed it: extra-tall taper candles are in.
You're never going to regret investing in a classic white tablecloth (especially when it's on sale) — the classiest way to start any table setting.
While Kelly, of course, used real flowers, if you can't find any in season around you, Pottery Barn's faux florals are next level.
So next time you're strolling the aisles of the supermarket, stop in the fresh produce section for a moment longer and really look at what you see — the character of squash, the varying colors in a bunch of grapes, all the shapes and sizes and shades of tomatoes. Because the best table centerpiece ideas don't have to be flowers.
