1. Create A Foraged Centerpiece
Tablescapes don't need to be elaborate or expensive to be beautiful. Instead of purchasing items to embellish your centerpiece, forage for them outside. 'Each year we use the little artifacts we unearthed on our morning walk – the clumps of moss, crooked sticks, acorns, bright leaves, and half-eaten nuts – to create a whimsical centerpiece sculpture,' says Capucine De Wulf Gooding, author of Together at the Table, and co-founder of tableware brand Juliska.
2. Incorporate Unexpected Colors
Shades of orange, red and golden yellow are the classic colors of Thanksgiving, but incorporating non-traditional hues can give your table centerpiece a fresh, unique look. Stylist Holly Jolley chose a pale blue to offset her display of orange flowers and pumpkins, creating a design that feels modern and southern-inspired.
3. Layer Pumpkins And A Garland
Running your centerpiece down the entire length of the table creates a fuller, more modern look than placing a single centerpiece in the middle of the table. To achieve a style like the one above, start with a table runner, then add a garland made of greenery on top. Add real or faux pumpkins, and layer in small votive candles and taller tapers. With a centerpiece this large, you can keep the rest of your Thanksgiving table setting simple.
4. Take A Collected Approach
If your approach to Thanksgiving is more informal, eschew a single, large centerpiece in favor of a collection of smaller vases and decorative bottles. Fill each with a single type of flower or greenery to create a casual and graphic display that still feels special. Finish off the look with both taper and pillar candles in unique candleholders or hurricanes.
5. Let Nature Be The Muse
Flower arrangements needn't be a centerpiece requisite. Instead, harken back to Thanksgiving origins by decorating your table with elements of nature like greenery branches, bird's nests, and even mushrooms.
6. Make A Display From Organic Fall Favorites
Need a little inspiration for your Thanksgiving table decor ideas? Simply look out the window. ‘Remember you can add gourds, small pumpkins, nuts and pheasant feathers on the table to create a runner for a centerpiece,’ says interior designer Cindy Rinfret. ‘This creates a fall cornucopia which is fabulous for fall dinners or holidays.’
7. Use A Wreath To Create A Circular Centerpiece
Don’t restrict your Thanksgiving wreath ideas to your front door – turning one sideways and placing it on your dinner table makes for a perfect festive centerpiece. A wreath’s circular nature means every guest gets a good view of it (working particularly well at the heart of round tables), while the center can be filled with pine cones, candles or pumpkins. You can either go all out and decorate it with feathers and all sorts of fall decor, or keep it simple like this pine version – which can easily be jazzed up in time for Christmas.
8. Display Seasonal Florals In Warm Colors
While florals may initially strike you as more of a spring or summer centerpiece, bear in mind that there are plenty of cut-flower favorites that come into their own in the colder months. ‘Seasonal winter flowers like honeysuckle or roses make the perfect impact and bring a burst of nature in from the outdoors,’ says Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet In Bed. Fall florals also include rudbeckias, chrysanthemums and dahlias, which are used in this display on a tablescape by Joanna Buchanan. Choose flowers to tie in with your favorite fall color schemes, and use oranges, reds and yellows to bring warmth to your Thanksgiving table.
9. Take On The Turkey With Bird Decor
The best Thanksgiving decorations are ones that balance style with a sense of playfulness – and what can be more fun than a feathered friend? ‘I have two kinds of pheasants,’ says Rinfret. ‘One sculptural one which I use on my sideboard, and feathered small quails and pheasants for the tables.’
10. Swap A Single Thanksgiving Centerpiece For A Runner
Thanksgiving or otherwise, an important part of choosing a centerpiece is making sure it works for the size and shape of your table. For dining table decor ideas that need to entertain for the length of a long banqueting table, consider switching up a single centerpiece with a display that includes a runner. The floral accent in this centerpiece is just one part of the arrangement, which includes a fabric runner, interweaving branches of pine and hurricane candles that stretch from one end of the table to the other.
11. Bring The Outside In With Foraged Items
Fall decor ideas should always make at least a nod to the outdoors, but why not make that connection stronger by quite literally bringing the outside in? ‘I love going to the flower mart to start a long, low, meandering foliage centerpiece and then taking a long hike in the woods with my children to fill in local bits,’ says interior designer Lindsay Anyon Brier.
12. Mark The Special Occasion With Glimmering Metallics
Of course, a Thanksgiving meal isn’t just any old dinner party – it’s a special occasion that deserves an aesthetic to match. ‘Try to focus on a few key items to ensure that your table is welcoming, elegant and a little bit opulent,’ says interior designer Benji Lewis. ‘I like splashes of gold, paired with chic colors such as blue and ivory.’
13. Switch Up Traditional Color Schemes
Warm colors inspired by the hues of leaves are always a favorite among fall table decor ideas – but why not make this Thanksgiving a little different? Turn the tables on what your guests may expect from your centerpiece, says home decor designer Joanna Buchanan.
14. Create A Warming Atmosphere With Candles
If there was ever a time to get out your best candles, it has to be for Thanksgiving. Creating a cozy atmosphere to share with family and friends is arguably the best bit of the holiday, so you can’t really go wrong with putting candlelight at the heart of your dining table.
15. Keep It Low
A Thanksgiving dinner should be about sharing conversation with loved ones – so, make sure you can actually see them. ‘Over-sized centrepieces that block access to speaking to one another across the table for example can be a nuisance,’ says Lewis. ‘You need easily to be able to see and enjoy one another’s company.’