MERRY MOODBOARDS

SUJATA BISWAS, Co-Founder, Suta

Sujata Biswas — co-founder of the beloved homegrown saree label Suta — believes India’s most timeless textile can moonlight as festive décor with striking elegance. Sarees passed down generations carry a nostalgia and sheen that translates beautifully into table runners, tablecloths, napkins, mats, pocket squares or even delicate fabric florals.

She recommends classic reds and greens for traditional Christmas styling, or luminous brocades and golds as thematic anchors. For a more modern luxe aesthetic, she leans towards cooler palettes — teal, ice blue, soft pink — which contrast dreamily with fairy lights and winter evenings. A jamdani runner layered over crisp linen, she notes, makes any table look instantly editorial.

Biswas recalls being in Vienna and spotting Banarasi sarees used as curtains — an unexpectedly opulent gesture that transformed the room with old-world charm. “A saree, whether draped or displayed, is a piece of art,” she says — and in festive décor, it becomes a statement of heritage luxury.

ALOK VERMA, Founder & Food Stylist, Secret Sauce Studios
For Alok Verma, the creative force behind Secret Sauce Studios, this year’s tablescape language is softer, quieter and deeply intentional. The classic reds and greens make way for winter whites, sage, sand, ivory-dusted beige and frost-washed pastels that whisper luxury rather than announce it. Paired with ivory linens, matte-gold cutlery, smoked glassware and charcoal stone plates, the palette exudes a serene, modern opulence. Metallics return too, but only in their most restrained, brushed forms. Think champagne gold over festive sparkle.

Drawing from a lifetime in Mumbai’s culturally rich neighbourhoods, Verma notes how India’s festive aesthetic beautifully fuses global cues with local craftsmanship. Terracotta votives on Scandi tables, Kashmiri papier-mâché ornaments alongside minimalist Western baubles, and handcrafted Indian ceramics mingling with smoked European glassware define the new-age Indian Christmas.

At Secret Sauce Studios, food always leads design. Menus dictate palettes — mulled wine and winter citrus call for deeper tones and stone textures; saffron desserts and roasts glow under warm lighting. A lavender mulled wine shoot from last year even inspired a tablescape of violet accents and grey stoneware.

This season’s luxe narrative is richly tactile: boucle, linen, wool throws, untreated wood, hammered metal, handmade ceramics and terrazzo boards. Lighting provides the final flourish — tall clustered tapers, floating candles and diffused amber lamps that soften skin, enhance food and elevate every photograph. And scents — orange rind, cinnamon, pine, nutmeg, oud — anchor the home in winter nostalgia.

AMI KOTHARI, Tablescape Artist, Hosting Specialist & Founder, Dining Couture

Ami Kothari — renowned tablescape artist and founder of Dining Couture — sees this festive season defined by a calm, curated elegance. Her preferred palette: beige, ecru, sage, mushroom, taupe and warm monotones, all elevated with brushed gold or antique brass for a refined, global finish. For richer settings, she favours pomegranate, beetroot, emerald and gold, while pale pink paired with gold and white creates a soft, romantic glow.

Her modern-luxe philosophy champions reusability without compromising beauty. Dried florals, reusable textile runners, terracotta, artisanal pottery, natural wood, green candles, fairy lights, and neutral serving ware work seamlessly across occasions. “Choose décor that transforms,” she advises. “A lantern dressed with a red bow becomes Christmas-ready, and once removed, slips elegantly into Diwali or everyday styling.”

Fresh flowers remain timeless — uplifted effortlessly with ornaments or baubles. Height, she emphasises, is the secret to a dramatic tablescape: sculptural candles, tiered platters, footed bowls and risers create visual abundance and guide the eye. For sit-down dinners, however, low centrepieces maintain intimacy, reserving taller elements for buffets and grazing spreads.