It’s hard to believe another Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Whether you are hosting or helping, you know great food deserves a beautiful table. But how do you keep your table décor from being the same old tired fall display? Here are some ideas for freshening your celebration.
Bring on the leaves! Try color linen napkins with a leaf embossed on them. You can put a simple green vineyard leaf on a white plate for a wisp of spring. Take silk leaves from the local craft store and write your guests names on them with white marker for place cards. You can add leaves to a hurricane candle to bring in the outdoors.
Bring on some color! Jewel tones and saturated color heighten the appearance of the Thanksgiving table and celebrate the season’s bright foliage against the late-autumn sky. Take advantage of the enhanced color of inexpensive faux foliage and rich textile remnants. Present faux berries and leaves (combined with real leaves, if you like) in a free-form display of pitchers and teapots, sugar bowls and goblets. The burnished finish will unify the look of the table, and the display lets you enjoy objects you love but don’t always have the opportunity to use. Soften the effect with simple white candles. If you are using a jewel colored runner, try pewter or silver pieces for your salt and pepper or vases.
Floral centerpieces are a great vessel for expression! Accessorize a large table by placing a long, narrow centerpiece in the center. Add a few smaller accent pieces or candles on each side of the arrangement for an added effect. Ask your florist to create a centerpiece in a treasured family vase or bowl, or in seasonal pieces such as a cornucopia or a utility vase surrounded by dry corncobs. To create drama, place a topiary at one end of the table leading to a cluster of small potted plants, or smaller topiaries with a tray of votive candles and flower petals. Garnish your serving trays with flowers and greens. When you create an arrangement, start with thick-stemmed flowers, and then fill in using blooms with more delicate stems. To ensure guests can converse freely, flowers should sit no taller than 14 inches.
Not a flower or leaf fan? How about photographs? Before the holiday, invite your guests to send you copies of family photos that you can then spray-mount to card stock. To age contemporary color digital photos, print them in sepia. Use the photos to decorate the table or use as place cards. Try creative placement of the photos, such as nestled in a tray of nuts. Create a table centerpiece with photos of bonfires and leaf piles. Attach a favorite family or fall photo to the front of a real or artificial mini pumpkin, and then place on the table. You can further decorate the pumpkin with Thanksgiving themed die cuts or some glitter.
No matter what your style, you can keep your Thanksgiving table looking personal and beautiful. Or, take the ideas above and offer to decorate someone else’s table this year!
Happy Thanksgiving!
