This season, we asked three creatives to show us some budget-friendly ways to deck our holiday dinner tables. They could use the servingware and table linens they already had — and any food that was going to be part of their feast — but they could only spend $25 on the rest. This sparkling tablescape from photographer, designer and event coordinator Cindy Chau proves that you can pick up almost everything you need for a festive scene at your local grocer.

Sugared fruit is the centre of attention in this tablescape inspired by Renaissance still life paintings. Chau spent most of her $25 on fresh fruit. She upcycled empty wine bottles and put a literal twist on some thrifted taper candles to come in just under budget. Here's how to replicate this look at home, even if you're not using the same fruit.

Total $23.46

My concept for this tablescape was to integrate both my Asian roots and Western art into a cohesive aesthetic. I used fresh fruit to create a colourful centrepiece inspired by Renaissance still life paintings.

Most of the items for this tablescape can be purchased at your local Chinatown or Asian grocer. To sugar the fruit, I whisked two egg whites, dunked the pieces of fruit into the egg whites, then dipped them into a bowl full of white sugar and placed them directly onto the tablecloth. I reused empty wine bottles as candle holders to add height to the table and enhance the still life look. To give the taper candles a custom shape, I simply soaked them in warm water in the sink for 15 minutes, and once they were malleable, I twisted them into a fun design.