When the tree is trimmed, the wreaths are hung and the menu is set, don’t forget that the dining table is the final frontier for showcasing your decorating and culinary talents. From the traditional to whimsical and even edgy, several Atlanta designers have shared their secrets for the perfectly personalized holiday tablescape.

Best news yet? Our experts show that you needn’t a big budget to be high on style.

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Louie Favorite/lfavorite@ajc.com

Lawrence Pritchard’s prized family heirloom, a German candle-powered carousel, adds interest to a traditional Christmas table.

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Katie Leslie/kleslie@ajc.com

‘You can always go to a store and copy the table,’ interior designer Tyler Colgan says. ‘But I find when you have to do it on a budget, you have to be more creative.’

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TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS AND HANUKKAH

Our experts: Owen Halpern and Lawrence Pritchard, owners of OwenLawrence, a luxury home goods retailer in the Westside Urban Market.

The vision: Traditional, elegant, sentimental.

What they used: A mix of high-end glassware and tableware from their boutique, fun finds from their travels and local shops, as well as cuttings of nandina or juniper from their Buckhead garden. All porcelain is “Treasure” by Sieger by Furstenberg; linens by Beauville; and Judaica items such as tinsel and menorah from Chosen Treasures. Five yards of taffeta from Lewis and Sheron Textiles adds an affordable and elegant base for the centerpiece, while protecting the table.

Fantastic find: A prized family heirloom: Pritchard’s German candle-powered carousel.

Best advice: “As much as you can, utilize elements from your garden,” Halpern said.

THE ENVIABLE CHILDREN’S TABLE

Our experts: Neighbors and craft-enthusiasts Tyler Colgan, an interior designer, and Laird Memory, a promotions producer with Turner Communications. Both women are DIYers and mothers of two young children.

The vision: Fun, whimsical, natural and edible.

What they used: After crafting a plywood table over a de-needled and spray-painted tree, the duo covered the table in burlap from Forsyth Fabrics. Affordable felt ornaments came from HomeGoods, while marshmallows and red licorice served as snow and ornaments. Memory made the placemats using a candy-cane striped fabric and rick-rack ribbon. The snowmen place cards were made with a simple Rice Krispie treat recipe, and the top hat is a marshmallow and vanilla wafer dipped in baker’s chocolate. Lastly, for seating, Colgan spray painted tree stumps from her backyard white and topped them with simple burlap pillows.

Fantastic find: Kid-friendly bird and owl-shaped felt ornaments from HomeGoods, costing roughly $3.99 apiece.

Best advice: “You can always go to a store and copy the table,” Colgan says. “But I find when you have to do it on a budget, you have to be more creative.”

MODERN GLAM

Our experts: Interior designers Wendy Blount and Brooke Taylor of Blount Architectural and Interior Design

The vision: Edgy, feminine and glamorous.

What they used: Playing off the architecture of a bare-branched centerpiece, Blount and Taylor used white, black, clear, gold and pink matte and shiny ornaments (from Ikea, West Elm, Anthropologie and Taylor’s collection) sparingly across the table. Gold chargers complement the pink calla lilies in the place-setting, while a nearby resin deer is cozily wrapped in a rose-colored scarf.

Fantastic find: Crystal skull votive-turned-candy dish ($9.95 each) from Z Gallerie, adding an unexpected twist to the holiday-themed table.

Best advice: Try to pick a non-traditional color scheme. Start with a neutral base with gold, silver, white or black and next choose one funky accent color, such as orange or fuchsia. And above all, choose shiny materials for a glam look.

QUICK TIPS

1. Find something uniquely you: Express your personality and get your guests talking with a sentimental or funky tabletop feature, such as Pritchard’s candle carousel or Blount’s unexpected crystal skull.

2. Consider your audience: Do you want your table to entertain and dazzle youngsters or encourage discourse among adults? Think about how your guests will interact with what’s on the table; try to keep centerpieces low for ease of conversation.

3. Pick a palette: Whether reds and greens or chartreuse and fuchsia, pick a palette and pair bright colors with neutrals such as white, black, silver or gold.

4. Frugal is fashionable: Budget-conscious hosts should consider cheap-chic stores such as Ikea or HomeGoods for trendy and affordable goods.

5. Mother Nature knows best: The best holiday decor comes from outdoors. Turn to pine cones, berries and evergreen clippings for a cozy, natural look. Spray painting white, gold or silver optional.

6. Mix and match: Not enough china for 16? Mix coordinating plates and saucers for a cohesive look.