Wow Your Holiday Guests with This Chic Black-and-White Tablescape

December Entertainging black and white - LEAD

Johnny Miller

When it comes to holiday décor, sometimes, more is more. If you're looking to add a touch of extravagance to your next winter gathering—and truly stun your guests—go high-contrast and bold with this sophisticated black-and-white setup, which allows the delicacies you bring to the table to really pop. If you're stumped on how to achieve an Instagram-worthy tableau, just follow these four steps and scroll through to shop our décor picks. Oh, and let the likes flood in.

1. Create a World
The key to getting this look right is to be utterly strict with the colors of your serving pieces, so stick to black, white, and gray. Line up marbleized bowls (we turned one upside down to vary the display height) next to cake stands, and tuck small bunches of white flowers, like anemones, in vases. Swirly-patterned balloons tied with matching baker's twine keep the mood from getting too serious.

2. Dish up the Delights
Tricky treats mean guesswork. Instead, go with a classically inspired spread that's simply rich and enticing. Cheese, prosciutto, dark red grapes, and ripe figs play beautifully within this color scheme, and it's the ideal theme for old-time favorites like black-and-white candy swizzle sticks and iced cookies. And, of course, it all works so well with both red and white wine.

3. Offer an Activity
A brimming bowl of letter beads plus a spool of cord spell good times. Invite guests to make bracelets—a crafty icebreaker!

4. Give Gifts to Go
Oversize chocolate bars are a decadent take-home treat, and the packaging from this Japanese variety adds an industrial-cool vibe to your display.

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French Kitchen Marble Fruit Bowl

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$50 Crate & Barrel SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Medium Vessel

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$85 Tina Frey Designs SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Slate Cheese Board

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$30 Brooklyn Slate SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Grey Ebru Marble Ceramic Cookie Stand

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$125 Simple Life Istanbul SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Grey Ebru Marble Ceramic Serving Board

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$75 Simple Life Istanbul SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Melange Entertaining Plate

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$295 Kelly Wearstler SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Darice Alphabet Beads

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$5/160 pieces Michaels SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Asher Black Tumbler

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$20 LSA SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Estetico Quotidiano Percolator

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$39 Seletti SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Old Fashioned Hard Candy Sticks

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$16/80 pieces Candy Warehouse SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Marble Handmade Ceramic Bowl with Glossy Glaze

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$58 One & Many SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Black/White Marble Party Balloons

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$10/set of 8 Knot & Bow SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Habanero Salt Bar

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$10 Fine & Raw SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Fresh Homemade Black & White Cookies

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$20/dozen Gimme Jimmy's Cookies SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Chocolate Bar

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$8 Royce SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Cotton Dinner Napkin

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$30/12 napkins MyDrap SHOP IT Opens a new window

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Wow Your Holiday Guests with This Chic Black-and-White Tablescape