A simple and easy Thanksgiving tablescape using an inspiration piece (white turkeys) and natural elements, plus tips to create your own tablescape & decor.
Happy almost Thanksgiving! I thought I'd share with you this simple, white, and nature-inspired Thanksgiving tablescape so you could see that a beautiful table doesn't have to:
- be expensive
- be complicated
- be over-the-top
- take a lot of time
Of course it can do all these things, but that's not what we're about here at AOC! We like things simple and easy, yet beautiful, right?
For this table, I wanted to coordinate with our fall mantel, updated for Thanksgiving with an easy "give thanks" book page banner:
Pulling a lot of natural elements - hopefully what you can find right outside your door, like the grasses, pumpkins, and snowberries pictured on the mantel inspiration above - in with your existing dishes is all you need. Even a few leaves scattered on the table with a couple of dollar store candles will add to the feeling of a holiday.
With just a little time and inspiration you can make a "wow" moment for your family and friends and let them know how thankful you are to have them around your table.
Tips to Create an Easy Thanksgiving Tablescape
- Find an inspiration piece. This year the Pottery Barn knock-off white rustic turkeys I made from thrift store candle holders helped set our theme color of white. Your inspiration piece can be something you inherited, something you grew, or something you made. Then let the colors in the piece guide the rest of the table decorations.
- Decide on a tablecloth, placemats, or runner and napkins that coordinate with your inspiration piece. Shop your house for anything that would work - even sheets for the table or tea towels for napkins if you don't have actual table linens.
- Gather natural elements. Use pumpkins that you grow or buy and branch out from the typical orange to mix it up. Leaves are always good, too, and at this time of year dried garden flowers like hydrangeas, coneflowers, coral bells and other interesting flower shapes all work well.
- Add some candles. Tea candles scattered around or just a couple of taper candles - it's up to you.
- Set the table with your dishes, glasses and silverware. If you have different plates to choose from, that's great, but it doesn't matter really once you've got the rest of the table looking festive. Use what you've got and it will all come together. Don't be afraid to mix-and-match, either, if you've got more company than matching dishes. Just make it look planned - like the unmatched plates only on the ends, or every other plate - and it will look like it was meant to be.
- Create your tablescape early, a day or two before if you can, because then you get to enjoy it for awhile, but the morning of is fine. You won't be as crazy as a last-minute set and you can enjoy the process more.
That's it! Take more time if you think it's fun, or spend just a few minutes if you need to be doing something else. But either way, your family will feel cherished because you took the time to help make the holiday special.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
terri says
Lovely! I forgot to look at the dollar store today for turkeys, pooh! And all the Thanksgiving stuff was 50% off. I'll have to go back with my $5off/$25 coupon and combine it with my soda purchase.
Lee says
What a pretty setting, I like things kept simple 🙂
Lee
Mary Ann says
Your table is simple, yet beautiful! Happy Thanksgiving!