Thanksgiving Tablescape
Looking for inspiration to set your Thanksgiving Table?
Look no further. Setting tables is one of my love languages. Honestly, having people in my home, sitting at my table, and eating food that I’ve made at a beautiful table are all my love languages. So this time of year is always fun for me for more than one reason.
I’m hosting a group of 18 people for Thanksgiving this year. I’m cooking the turkey—using this recipe—and making an appetizer—using this one—and then everything else is falling to family members. I’ll have 14 of us at my dining table, and then a small “kids” table for the 4 teenagers.
Here were a few things I had on my brain when I created this tablescape.
I really didn’t want to have to buy anything new but use what I already had
I wanted to incorporate antlers
I wanted to use atypical fall colors like blue, dusty pink, and gold
I wanted the centerpiece to be impactful but low enough that people could easily speak to each other from across the table
I wanted to use candles
I purchased the the table runners from TJMaxx a few months ago, and used them for a goodbye party we hosted for some old friends. Remember these photos from Instagram?
I began with the table runner, and then topped it with some green garland I use at Christmas. I like THIS GARLAND because it’s not so full that you can’t use it on your table. It lays really flat which is great for a centerpiece so people can see over it. BP was concerned it would look too Christmasy, but I really just wanted the green to be part of the bottom layer. I love how it turned out! I’m also going to add a few sprigs of rosemary on the day of so the table smells wonderful.
After the garland, I layered some silk fall leaves from last year as well as some gold sprigs of silk foliage. I come from a hunting family, so securing a bunch of deer antlers was no problem.
I used a mixture of thrifted brass candlesticks and some deer candleabras I’ve had for years, and used both white and blue candles that I already had. Remember my goal: don’t buy more stuff!
I used the little silver-banded cups with my sorority crest that I thrifted back in the summer to hold electric tealights, and finally nestled some dried hydrangeas cut from my yard. If you don’t have hydrangea growing, you can use the silk ones from The Official Art of Living Beautifully Fall Edit.
One rule of thumb I always have when setting my dining table is that if I’m setting all 14 seats, I only use round placemats. This way, each person’s spot doesn’t touch the person’s next to them. Nothing looks too crammed, and I like that! My placemats are old Pier 1. I don’t have 14, so borrowed some of my sister’s. (She has the same ones.) Topping the leaf placemats is a gold charger…yes, the ones that everyone has, look cheap, we’re all sick of them. We all bought them at Michael’s or Garden Ridge years ago, but won’t throw them away. I’m over these chargers, but…they actually look pretty on this table, so I’m giving them another chance.
Of course I’m using my wedding china: Padova by Waterford, crystal: Aurora by Waterford, and sterling: Rose Point by Wallace. Napkins were purchased in San Miguel de Allende at the wonderful textile market. Napkin rings were a combination of 2 sets since I didn’t have enough for all 14 spots. I put the different ones at the host and hostess chair.
And that’s it! That’s my Thanksgiving tablescape. What do you think? Do you set your table early? Do you like to use real plates and silverware, or does your family prefer disposable?
