Thanksgiving Tabletop Inspiration
November 10, 2021
We love Thanksgiving for it’s cozy, warm foods, crisp weather, and a chance to be with family and friends. We also love designing a tabletop fit for yummy food and good conversations, and that’s exactly what we’ve created here. Almost everything on the tabletop was sourced from Amazon, meaning you could bring the same look and feel to your own home this season!
There are four things that I believe are essential for any tabletop, but especially a Thanksgiving tabletop. They are candles, personal touches, layers, and natural elements.
- Candles – I love, love, love the warm flickering glow of an abundance of candles on my tabletop. These taper candles that I chose here were the perfect warm neutral, although they come in a variety colors. If you’re like me and you have small kids at home, exposed flames isn’t always realistic. You could try hurricane vases (tall, clear cylinders) to enclose taper or pillar candles, or you could get some faux candles for this season of life. Either way, adding a warm glow to your tabletop will immediately add warmth and a cozy atmosphere.
2. Personal Touches – Nothing shows someone you anticipated their arrival like a personalized detail, such as a place card. While we had Amber Taylor create some for our tabletop, yours could be as simple as your own handwriting on a homemade tented card. The important thing is you added a detail that made your guests feel cared for and prepared for. (PS – I love the easy addition of a wax seal for an elevated look! I’ll share a DIY on that soon.)
3. Layers – This can play out in a lot of ways depending on the type of tabletop you’re creating, but layers can be incorporated with the runners, tablecloths, chargers, china, napkins, place cards, florals, and an assortment of other pieces. For this specific tabletop, I layered two gauzy runners (this one and this one), and on the actual plates I layered a small salad/dessert plate with the place cards and a knotted napkin. This, to me, is the fun part of building each tabletop! I love getting creative with the way I layer each time.
4. Natural Elements – There are very, very few examples of tabletops that do not incorporate natural elements that I love. Whether it’s a creation made by a florist, flowers picked up from the grocery store, or things foraged in your yard, include some beautiful natural touches to bring life and visual interest to your table. For this particular table, I wanted to represent the season on my table the way I saw it out my window. I cut some branches from a tree in our back yard and placed them in vintage brass vases. I love how they add a structural and unexpected piece to the tabletop story.
Photography by Liz Grogan