How-To: Set a Holiday Table with Katie Elliot

Holiday hosting has a way of making even the calmest among us feel like we’ve suddenly enrolled in a high-stakes styling competition. But for Katie Elliott, Schoolhouse’s VP of Design, the table is less about performance and more about creating a space that feels warm, fluid, and unmistakably personal. Her approach is equal parts practical and playful — a reminder that a memorable meal is built on thoughtful details, not rigid rules.

Start With the People (Not the Plates)

Katie always begins with the guest list. It may sound simple, but thinking through who’s coming (whether kids will be running around, whether a vegetarian meal needs a starring role, or whether a guest is left or right handed and needs a certain spot at the table) immediately shapes the entire plan. This early step helps determine everything from layout and seating to the kind of dishes she serves. It’s a quiet nod to the idea that good design isn’t just visual; it’s about how a space functions and how people move and feel within it.

Choose an Anchor

Once she knows who she’s designing for, Katie begins with one grounding element. Sometimes it’s a favorite dish passed down. Other times it’s a tablecloth she can’t wait to use. Whatever it is, that single piece becomes the starting point for layering in everything else. She loves to combine linens in soft, washed textures, sprigs of foraged greenery that bring the outdoors in, and a few unique finds she’s collected over time.

Her palette leans playful and intentionally non-traditional. Rather than defaulting to classic holiday colors, she mixes unexpected shades and patterns—combinations that feel fresh, light, and instantly welcoming.

The Secret to a Joyful Table

A hallmark of Katie’s table-scape is the mix of whimsical details that also serve a purpose. A cute candle snuffer that adds personality while keeping wax drips at bay. A simple card set that delights guests and effortlessly organizes seating. Each piece is playful enough to spark conversation, yet grounded enough to feel useful. Even better, these accents double as thoughtful gifts or fun tasks for kids who want to help set up.

Make Room for Connection

While the styling sets the stage, Katie loves ending meals with something that keeps people lingering: a bowl of clementines, a shared aperitif, or an easy dessert that invites conversation. It’s a simple gesture that turns the final moments at the table into a memory everyone carries home.

Forget Perfect (Aim for Personal)

Katie’s overarching philosophy is refreshingly liberating: a holiday table doesn’t need to be flawless to be beautiful. In fact, the charm often lies in the imperfections, the mix of old and new pieces, the slightly mismatched napkins, the hand-collected greenery that refuses to lie flat. What guests remember isn’t the perfect place setting; it’s the warmth, the humor, the little details that feel like you.