With the holiday celebrations just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about your Thanksgiving table decor ideas. A day dedicated to feasting and spending quality time with loved ones, it's important to create the perfect setting to do it in.
With so many Thanksgiving decor ideas and themes to choose between, settling on one can be a tricky decision. Do you go classic with seasonal pieces, lean into the holiday with themed tableware, or opt for something pared-back and neutral?
To help you choose the perfect seasonal tablescape, we've selected a few of our favorite Thanksgiving table decor ideas that pay homage to the holiday, whatever your space and style.
11 Thanksgiving table decor ideas to impress your guests
The Thanksgiving table decor ideas you choose should feel personal and fun – if you like colorful schemes, embrace that for the holidays. But don;t forget that as much as your table needs to look beautiful, it should still be functional for dining too.
‘Fill your tables with feasts for the eye not just the stomach,' says interior designer, Cindy Rinfret. 'I love to create a festive table, and the holidays are just the time to be playful, creative and use anything you find beautiful that reminds you of Thanksgiving.’
1. Decorate your table with a mix of old and new
Decorating a home is all about combining old and new, and your Thanksgiving table decor is no exception. Having a blend of pieces – some new and themed and others inherited or thrifted – will create a visually intriguing tablescape.
'Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and gathering with loved ones over delicious food. A key hosting tip is to blend old and new items, honoring past traditions while welcoming new ones,' says Tiffany Matthews from Motif Homes.
'For example, pair grandmother's gravy boat with a new serving dish, or layer mother's china with modern chargers. Embrace both familiar and new traditions this Thanksgiving season,' she suggests.
2. Embrace a Thanksgiving theme
The holidays are a great time to bring out the wilder side of your crockery collection. ‘These days, there are lots of amazing places where you can buy unique and quirky dining sets,’ says Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet In Bed.
‘Darkly colored tableware is very ‘in’ this autumn, so you might want to opt for shades like navy and black. If dark isn't your thing, look at crockery available in seasonal warm shades such as burnt orange or forest green. Get creative and don't be afraid to mix and match contrasting shades.’
A beautiful array of different tableware, in different shapes, colors, sizes, and finishes, can create a wonderfully layered, collected, and eclectic look. This table features deep red hues – this season's trending color – and fun turkey-themed tableware.
This Rustic Turkey-Shaped Stoneware Tureen can add a fabulous finishing touch to your Thanksgiving table. We think it's a great Thanksgiving centerpiece idea.
What better way to symbolize the Thanksgiving holiday than with a seasonal dinnerware collection? This set features turkeys alongside other birds.
For a small nod to the main dish of Thanksgiving, these gold turkey place card holders, which some as a set of four, are a charming choice.
3. Be inspired by seasonal produce and foliage
Thanksgiving and harvest season go hand-in-hand, so bringing the two themes together will aid an inspiring spread. Look to motifs of the season paired with the natural foliage that grows at this time of year.
Here, very natural Thanksgiving table decor ideas have been embraced. A woven tale runner creates the perfect base for pots of grasses, dainty stems of flowers, and pared-back pumpkin ceramics.
The subtle yellow and orange tones instantly feel appropriate for the holiday and season without being too vibrant or overwhelming.
4. Lay a beautiful tablecloth
For many, the foundation of any successful Thanksgiving tablescape is a beautiful tablecloth. A chance to enrich your dining table with beautiful color, pattern, and texture, it's an easy Thanksgiving decor idea to give your dining room a quick spruce-up for the season.
Alison Howell, design and development manager at Burleigh, says, 'My favorite way to start to dress a table is with a linen tablecloth, ensuring it more than adequately covers all sides of the table. There should be a good amount of drape.’
'Next, add your placemats in a textural, contrasting material, such as jute or rattan for an on-trend look. From there, build your setting with a deep-hued, floral charger plate, opting for a style with a rich pattern that will work as a border as you layer up the next plate, and finally a bowl, depending on the menu. Mixing and matching floral, patterned ceramicware will add pops of color to your table, making each table setting unique.'
You can't get more classic than a gingham tablecloth. This fringed option comes in a gorgeous deep red, perfect for Thanksgiving.
A full tablecloth isn't your only option. A table runner can be just as impactful – we love the playful wavy design of this one.
Investing in a tablecloth that can be used for different occasions is always a good idea. This design is inspired by traditional Greek textiles.
5. Create a more modern, minimalist seasonal look
'Let's address the elephant in the room, how do you move seamlessly from fall table decor ideas to Halloween table decor to Thanksgiving and on to Christmas table decor without spending huge amounts of time reworking your decor?' asks Lucy Searle, Content Director at Homes & Gardens.
'I think the answer is to start with a very simple base that you can keep from the beginning of fall right through to New Year, and that you simply dress, undress, and redress, on repeat.
'Scandinavian decor is a great way to do this: start with a linen cloth and simple glass candle sconces, then look to more minimalist Thanksgiving decor, with subtle touches of autumnal colors – red, orange, green – to make the table feel festive. Come Christmas you can redress the table by stripping out the orange and substituting it for gold.'
6. Style your table with pretty pumpkins
Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween – swap the spooky vibes for homey, harvest ones and incorporate them into autumnal-themed Thanksgiving table decor to give them a new lease of life.
While a larger, real pumpkin might be better suited for a pumpkin planter centerpiece, miniature gourds and unique faux pumpkins make great partners to individual table settings, and can be piled up in small displays, or peppered down the length of a long table as an informal runner.
Double up aesthetics and ambiance with a pumpkin candle. This one comes in a charming glass and is scented with a pumpkin and vanilla fragrance.
For a more rustic, earthy look for your seasonal decorating ideas, these woven pumpkins, available in three different sizes, from Pottery Barn are the perfect addition.
Showcase fall’s bounty with these hand-painted pumpkins and gourds, available in a variety of organic shapes and seasonal colors, they can be placed all over the home (both inside and out) to celebrate the changing seasons.
7. Style your table with inviting floral displays
What better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons and bountiful harvests than through styling your Thanksgiving table with inviting natural accents.
Decorating with flowers will always bring beautiful character, color and texture to a space, and there are so many lovely seasonal varieties to choose from during fall and winter, as we explore in our fall flower and winter flower pieces.
Whether you use a large vase of flowers for a table centerpiece, or or opt for smaller arrangements for Thanksgiving table setting, real and faux flowers can look beautiful on a table – we love the look of decorating with dried flowers.
8. Create a cozy atmosphere with candles
There's something cozy and intimate about sitting around a dinner table, even with large groups of people. So setting the atmosphere with the right ambience is key.
‘Add candlelight and more candlelight,’ says designer Lindsay Anyon Brier. Thanksgiving is the time to get out your best candles and create a warm, inviting atmosphere for your guests.
Candles can also introduce wonderful height, color, and texture to your Thanksgiving table, as shown with the two tall candles used on this stylish tablescape designed by Alexandra Kaehler, creating a simple yet elegant effect.
These classic taper candleholders are available in either a brass or bronze finish and can help to add height and a warming, cozy glow to your Thanksgiving table.
These colorful candle holders can sit beautifully paired with a tall taper candle. Showcasing a pressed glass profile, the design is ideal for placing on a bookshelf or Thanksgiving table.
These taper candles are perfect for your Thanksgiving table decor, featuring hand-painted designs inspired by harvest season.
9. Forage for organic fall decor
Fall decor should be all about celebrating the changes we see in nature over the course of the season – and at Thanksgiving in particular, it’s good to add a personal touch.
‘I forage for branches like maple or pheasant feathers and bundles of bittersweet branches,’ says interior designer Beth Webb. ‘I will drape all these throughout the tables, and freshen up with new additions each day.’
Heading out into your local streets, parks and woodlands is a great way to find organic items to include in your table decor – just remember to forage responsibly. In this example, white poinsettias and ferns are built on with foraged pine cones and branches.
If you fancy a Thanksgiving craft idea, why not make your own Thanksgiving wreath or garland from your foraged finds.
10. Break from tradition with fresh patterns and colors
‘Put a fresh spin on the traditional Thanksgiving colors when setting your table this year,’ suggests home decor designer Joanna Buchanan. You may be tempted to stick to tried and trusted fall color schemes, but letting go of the necessity to major in browns, reds and oranges can lead to reinvigorated schemes.
We love this fresh blue and white tablescape designed by Birdie Fortescue, which creates an elegant contrast with the warming neutral walls and natural chairs, the use of flowers and candles also add just the right dose of coziness and warmth.
Blue and white is a truly classic color pairing. Opt for a traditional pattern for a Thanksgiving table scheme that never dates.
Blue and white doesn't have to be traditional. This dinnerware set is a more contemporary take, inspired by Mediterranean designs.
A vase is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table if you want to add a floral centerpiece. This design has a more rustic, vintage feel.
11. Pare it back for a more contemporary scheme
If you’re looking for table decor that will fit in with modern dining room ideas, consider keeping it simple. Try a simple white tablecloth and greenery from the garden to bring a touch of Scandinavian crispness to their dining room, and embrace more neutral, earthy color palettes.
This autumnal setting by Piglet In Bed uses heavy textured linen and woven placemats for a cozy but natural scheme. ‘For a more contemporary holiday setting, I use browns, golds and cranberry accents with my pheasant mats,’ says designer, Cindy Rinfret. ‘The mixture of texture is sophisticated and fabulous and a modern take on the holiday. I also fill a glass bowl with water as an arrangement with cranberry flowers and floating candles.’
FAQs
How do you set up a Thanksgiving table?
A Thanksgiving table needs to feel that bit more special than your average dinner party table. Adding a centerpiece or decorative runner is a great way to elevate your table decor and create something specifically seasonal. The holidays are also an excellent excuse to get out your best (or quirkiest) silverware, glassware and crockery.
‘Linen napkins are a great way to tie your tablecloth and place settings together or to add color to an otherwise neutral table,’ says Jessica Hanley from Piglet In Bed. ‘For an extra touch, you could use some twine or string with a small autumnal flower or leaf to tie the napkins together. You can even quickly make up some name cards to sit on top of your napkins adding that extra special, personal touch.’
What is traditional Thanksgiving table decor?
The great thing about truly autumnal decor is that the best pieces can often be found rather than bought.
The changing seasons not only serve as excellent inspiration for interior decor, but also produce an organic bounty of treasures that look great in our homes. Head out to your surrounding green spaces and collect fallen leaves, berry-laden branches, pine cones and more to use for a centerpiece, either held in vases, piled up in bowls or strewn along the table as a natural runner.
As well as flowers and foliage, decorating with pumpkins will always prove timeless for Thanksgiving – and, of course, for fall and Halloween too.
'Thanksgiving table decor is an opportunity to create interest and spark conversation between you and your guests. Don’t shy away from familiar fall tones or holiday motifs, but instead find ways to accentuate a freshness within them,' says interior designer, Kristina Khersonsky from Studio Keeta.
From a beautiful new tablecloth to a table adorned with layers of foliage, candles and ornaments, you can be as simple or as maximalist as you like with Thanksgiving table decor; your chosen decorations should simply work to make your dining space feel a little bit more special and unique for the season.
