There is something about a beautifully set table that elevates the entire experience of a meal, and yet, too often the décor and presentation when hosting are often overlooked. You might be thinking, “With everything I still have to do for Rosh Hashanah, the table design is the LAST thing I have time for!”

While it’s true that most of us are extremely busy with holiday prep, I truly believe that the table design shouldn’t be overlooked. I mean, you’ve put so much time and energy into creating a menu and cooking, so why tarnish all of that hard work for a disorganized presentation?

Think about it this way: When we eat out at restaurants, one of the first things we notice is the ambiance. The extra details like a small, single-lit candle and beautiful linens immediately draw our attention and make us want to stay.

Similarly, when your guests enter your home, they experience a certain atmosphere, and that’s up to you, the hostess, to create. Having a beautifully set table will earn you oohs and aahs, but more importantly, it lets people know that you care enough about them to put in the extra effort, it influences the appearance of all the food you’ll be serving, and (what motivates me) it helps create really special memories for your loved ones. Win. Win. Win.

Now you might be asking yourself, “How do I pull off such an atmosphere with so little time or energy to spare?” That’s where these 3 Rosh Hashanah table settings I’ve created just for you come in handy. I’ll walk you through each table design, and will include the links of where to purchase anything that catches your eye along the way!

I hope you enjoy reading and getting inspired by these table settings as much as I’ve enjoyed creating them for you.

When presented with the task of creating 3 different Rosh Hashanah table settings, I wanted to focus on how to make each of them unique from one another, while ensuring they all felt appropriate to the holiday. I also used products of all price ranges – most things I own, some things I purchased from cheaper stores like Target, and others are from more expensive stores like Crate and Barrel and Anthropologie. If something is out of your budget or sold out, check out your local home goods (or even your china cabinet) and use what you can find.

Table Setting #1- Apples and Honey

This is the most classic design out of the three. Although I wanted each design to be unique and original, I knew I had to include one design that was immediately recognizable. So apples and honey became the obvious choice.

I started with a simple white textured tablecloth, and used very classic china and flatware that had subtle gold details to represent warm honey hues.

For the centerpiece, I placed white and green flowers into short vases, and created a table runner using fresh greens and foliage. To make the runner, I simply cut sprigs of greenery and placed them in the middle of the table around the vases. I added more stems to each end until the desired length was achieved.

Pro Tip: Use greens that are meant to dry and don’t need water– perfect for Yom Tov!

You can’t have a classic Rosh Hashanah table without apples! I purchased a mix of lady apples (which are mini in size and perfect for decorating) and granny smith apples, dispersed them over the runner, and topped each plate with one to finish off the look.

Table Setting #2- New Fruit

While browsing some stores for inspiration, I came across a bunch of fresh figs, the first I’ve seen this season. I immediately gravitated to the colors and the idea of using fresh fruit for this table design. Overall, this setting has a regal, youthful, and seasonal vibe to it. My favorite part? The mix of beauty and functionality. I love incorporating fresh produce into my centerpieces, so what better time to do that than for Rosh Hashanah when eating new fruits is expected?!

I decided to use fruits that were in the same color family as the figs–deep purples and blues, mauves and pops of bright green.

I then went with a simple tablecloth that had small subtle grey details (it’s all in the details, am’a right?), and stacked a few “mismatched” plates together. Not only does each of the plates help tie the colors together, they’re also so easy to replicate. We all have white or beige plates at home, so start with those and find a plate with a pop of unexpected color from a nearby home decor store. I added a pop of the unexpected from a large glittery mauve plate here. Up close, the sparkle adds the perfect amount of wow.

I added an additional pop of color with the stemware, and chose colors that reminded me of other quintessential Rosh Hashanah fruit, like pomegranate.

Pro Tip: Stemware is a foolproof way of adding an unexpected pop of color to your table.

For the centerpiece, I used flowers in the same color family, and placed them in short vases.

Pro Tip: Use short vases so your guests can see one another during the meal.

I used small metal pedestals for the fruit, and piled them high with figs, plums and cascading candy grapes to be enjoyed at the Rosh Hashanah seder. Centerpiece and first course all in one? Yes, please!

Table Setting #3- Blue & Gold

I love this one– it’s a bit unexpected, but is still appropriate for the holiday and a cinch to put together. What makes this setting so easy is that you’re relying on mostly store-bought elements, rather than having to create much yourself.

I started with the plates. I mean, how stunning are they?! There was no way I could pass them up. From there I chose colors that went well with blues and gold. I picked a very subtle gray tablecloth, a cream and gold napkin, and chose flatware, stemware, a napkin ring, a challah tray and vases with gold details in them to tie everything together.

I added magenta, peach, cream and dusty green flowers to small gold candle holders, which add wonderful color and texture to complete the look.

Pro Tip: Turn candle holders into vases! The candle holders I used here were halo, and therefore couldn’t hold water for my flowers. I placed a clear disposable cup inside the candle holder and voila! Instant vase!

Oh and the honeycomb you see pictured in the photos? It’ll instantly take your Rosh Hashanah game up like 10 notches (and the taste is incomparable to the bottles), so be sure to splurge on it this year.

Here are my takeaways and tips for you:

Start with a color scheme and go from there.
Use what you already own.
Get your flowers at a wholesale market. They offer better quality, bigger selection and usually cheaper flowers.
For arranging your flowers, choose a few special flowers and fill the rest of the bouquet in with green leaves.
Simplicity is best. If you look at the 3 designs, you’ll notice that they are all relatively simple. Knowing when to stop adding details to your table will be the difference between tasteful and over the top.
Have fun! These designs are purely for inspiration. Feel free to play with what you have, and mix and match!