I can’t believe Thanksgiving is already upon us this week, and we are about to embark on another season of holiday celebrations. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, even remembering as a child waking up to the familiar aromas of turkey and pies baking in the oven, watching the Thanksgiving day parades on television, and waiting for family to arrive to enjoy a wonderful meal at our dinner table. People everywhere will be cherishing these same traditions this week and I like to imagine how that looks in everyone’s homes… what their dinner table looks like, what passed-down family recipes will be made, and how many old stories will be told. The dinner table is a significant place in our homes, and Thanksgiving makes this gathering spot even more special and memorable.
“The Fondest Memories Are Made When Gathered Around the Table…”
I thought it would be nice to share some Thanksgiving Dinner Table decor inspiration with you as you create your own Thanksgiving table this year. I’ve included some looks and ideas that inspire me…tables that invoke a sense of invitation, comfort, blessing, and family… the true essence of what Thanksgiving is all about. I hope you enjoy!
The Centerpiece
The centerpiece is the focal point of your dinner table and I like to create an arrangement that can stay in place during the entire meal, without having to remove it to make room for the meal. I generally like to keep my dining table centerpieces lower in height so they do not obstruct conversation or line-of-site among guests, but if I do decide I want to add some height, I use narrow candlesticks or pieces that are not too large or obtrusive. I also love the idea of decorating the entire length of the table, so all of your guests can enjoy your decor from any place they are seated. Here are some of my favorite centerpiece decorating ideas…
This fall decor lines the entire length of the table and is very easy to achieve with subtle greens, various size pumpkins, and simple candle votives… The decor is low to the table so it does not obstruct your guests’ line of site to other guests and creates a very simple, and festive look.
If you follow my Blog, you know I love to decorate using trays, baskets and boxes, and this is such a pretty centerpiece with varied textures and colors, all contained neatly in one unit.
This look is more of a traditional “centerpiece” with the decor placed in the center of the table.. I loved the white pumpkins and natural foliage, creating an earthy feel. This look could be achieved DIY or you could take this idea to your local floral shop to create a beautiful fresh floral arrangement for you.
The Dinnerware
I enjoy that the holidays give us the opportunity to use the special dishes…your good China, your grandmother’s passed-down pieces, or even holiday festive dishes that are perfect for the occasion, all add extra meaning to these special days. However, don’t feel you need a special set to make your dinner table unique, as you can still achieve a very festive look using your everyday dishes, by adding in decorative pieces to your tablescape. Here are some wonderful dinnerware ideas to give you inspiration… (& note to self… use the special dishes in your everydays’ too…for a random Thursday night dinner – use Grandma’s special serving bowl for the salad…she’d want you too!)
I found these items at HomeGoods and really liked the traditional feel of the festive turkey plates and thought the copper goblets added a bit of color and interest to the setting.
I put together this pretty arrangement at Pier One… the base piece is actually a place mat of fall foliage, along with a gold charger, plaid dinner plate, and a festive pumpkin salad plate creating an interesting, layered look. I could see using this as a two-person intimate table setting, or even to decorate a kitchen bar area all season long.
I really like the idea of using dishes that have history…special dish sets that have been passed down through the generations, or can even be found at antique shops to create a nostalgic, more traditional feel to your Thanksgiving table.
But seriously, don’t feel you need to go over-the-top to create beauty to your table…if you are into more simple, subtle, clean decor… look how beautiful everyday white plates can be when adorned with a pretty napkin, basket weave charger, and a little floral embellishment tied together with a simple stand of twine.. a subtle look of elegance.
The Linens
One of my favorite ways to add a festive flare to my table setting is with the use of table linens… so many options with table cloths, table runners, placemats, cloth napkins… all bringing texture, dimension, and color to your tablescape… some lovely ideas using linens for your Thanksgiving table are below…
This shows that your table linens do not have to be elaborate, expensive, or overly colorful…look how pretty this look is just using burlap tied at the ends with a neat bow? … gorgeous!
& Ya’ll get creative with what you have… This is a festive wool blanket used as a table cloth..I love it!.. and check out the mixed-matched pillows adding in even more varied texture and color to create a really festive feel to this cozy and comfortable table setting.
I wanted to show you this table setting so you could see how even using neutral linens and white dinnerware can still achieve a festive look by adding in other elements like the copper utensils and subtle seasonal decor in the table center… use what you have and add in little touches of the season to create a very gorgeous look.
This is a more traditional table, layering various colors and materials for a more vibrant Thanksgiving fall look.. layering a table cloth, placemats, chargers, plates, cloth napkins, and a colorful centerpiece creates a really cozy, seasonal vibe.
The Place Setting
If you’ve worked in the restaurant industry you know how to set various place settings like the back of your hand, but for some who are not quite sure the correct way to set a table I wanted to share a couple great options depending on how elaborate you want your dinner setting to be. Here are Formal and Casual table setting examples you can use for inspiration…of course you can change things up a bit to make it your own (there are enough rules in life!)….but use these as tips as standard ideas to set your table…
The Placecards
Placards are not a necessity but they do add a little extra special touch to your table, and with a large group especially, they can be quite helpful for your guests to know where you suggest they sit. There are endless creative ideas for place cards at your dinner table, but here are some that I really like that are also easy to achieve…
I thought this was a simple yet thoughtful way to seat your guests… these adorable little “thankful for…” silverware bands can be printed on any type of paper to accentuate your table setting.
Without too much stress, sometimes the most subtle touches are just the right amount.. here’s a sweet touch using a hand written place card and adding in some light festive greens to be placed directly on the dinner plate to casually seat your guests.
And this is a cute little touch using a small pumpkin and leaf place card tied with a trim of twine.. simple yet sweet and something even your kiddos could prepare for your table.
The Ambiance
One thing I think brings the finishing touch to a table is it’s ambiance with candle light…even if I’m not aiming to create a romantic vibe, or low-lit setting, candle light can still create a warm, cozy, inviting feel to your table. I usually recommend using unscented candles so they do not detract from the aromas of the meal, or even opt to use battery operated lights that appear like real flames….also a great option to add a little candlelit ambiance to your table.
These votive candles add an inviting warmth to this fall arrangement creating a really pretty look.
Using candles in varying sizes and heights, but all in the same color, can create an interesting arrangement with a more prominent ambiance.
And I liked how the centerpiece of this table setting are the candles, using these clear glass hurricanes and pillar candles, and the natural elements of stones and berried branches to accentuate, creates a warm, inviting ambiance to the table.
The Pass-the-Dish Style…à la française
It may depend on the size of your table if you have the option of placing all of the food dishes right on the table, but I do like the social vibe this type of table setting invokes.. à la française, allowing your guests to socially pass the dishes around the table while making their plates… a little more lively, “enjoying the feast” type vibe to your dining experience.
In this table setting, the turkey is the centerpiece… and it looks delicious!… allowing the meal to be the main attraction of your dinner table.
A very elegant, old-world feel to this type of table setting.
The Buffet Style
Buffet style is more-likely what many of us use for our Thanksgiving dinners, allowing guests to make their plates at the buffet, and then have a seat at the dinner table. Buffets can still be an extension of your dining table decor though, by coordinating the two areas and remembering to make that space festive as well… here are a couple cute ways to achieve that…
Use pretty dishes of varying heights to create a beautiful presentation of your Thanksgiving buffet.. loved the chalkboard Menu for an added special touch too.
I like how these white dishes are very versatile and can be used for many different holidays and events, while allowing the food and subtle decor to create the festive look for the specific occasion.
Other Creative Ideas:
Oh you guys…so many ideas, I could just go on and on and really one could create a new look each year with all the unlimited creative options for our Thanksgiving Dinner Tables. Here are some more ideas I found inspiring that I had to share with you…many are easy to create to add that extra touch for your guests to enjoy and remember Thanksgiving in your home.
I just adored this idea of using roll paper with hand lettering to create a unique table covering for your Thanksgiving table… so unique!
& so cute to festively wrap your silverware with burlap and fall leaves.
I adored this idea of adding a little note and pencil to your dinner plates for guests to write what they are thankful for this year.. this also creates a great conversation piece to add to dinner time with your guests.
And how cute is this idea using paper again as your table covering…with hand lettered place cards written right on your table..so creative!
& Some of my favorite Thanksgiving Dinner Table Looks…
I love all the varying textures, colors, heights in this look.. and the subtle touches of blue really stand out among the more traditional fall colors in this table setting.
Sometimes I think less can be more and I really liked the fresh, clean, simple look of this table setting…look how the three plates and cloth napkin are all the same color white, but with varying designs, they create pretty texture and interest to the place settings.
And I truly love the comfortable, casual, dig-into-a-good-meal feel of this table. I really like the use of purple and jewel tones for a creative spin on the traditional seasonal colors for this Thanksgiving table… imperfectly gorgeous!
I hope you’ve found some new ideas and inspiration for your Thanksgiving Dinner Table this year… I would love to see how you decorate yours on Thursday! Comment below what your favorite ways to decorate your holiday table are and what your plans are for this year… I would love to hear! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, wishing you a blessed day with family and friends…around your Dinner Table.
