Set the table and mood. Let your table reflect the warm colors of the season. The vibrancy of autumn shines through with aged wood, roses the color of fallen leaves, and fresh produce. A mix of antique and reproduction creamware, vintage amber glasses and dessert plates, and the utter simplicity of beeswax candles sets the mood. Here, propped against a russet-tinged pear, a rectangle of scallop-edged stationery is embellished with silk ribbon. Use your best handwriting to place family and friends around the table.
Dishes: Family china may steer the table's theme, but introducing a few simple, con-temporary pieces can create an entirely new look that is as personal as it is inviting.
Table: Favorite items like colorful linen napkins or a family heirloom can inspire the overall look. Employ a sideboard to keep plates and glassware handy for the second course and the dining table uncluttered
Table: Favorite items like colorful linen napkins or a family heirloom can inspire the overall look. Employ a sideboard to keep plates and glassware handy for the second course and the dining table uncluttered
Make the centerpiece as colorful as the rest of the table. Keep it compact so it doesn't interfere with the passing of dishes.
Favorite items likecolorful linen napkins or a family heirloom can inspire the overall look.
This holiday, expand your entertaining space and move part of the party out of the dining room. 1. Rethink your surfaces. Clear a side table or desktop in another room to create a cocktail bar or dessert station.
2. Vary the height and size of your serving pieces. Incorporate footed compotes, trifle bowls, cake stands, and stacks of dessert plates to add dimension and visual interest to your entertaining surface.
3. Corral your ice bucket, glassware, and libations on a tray that can be easily removed when coffee and tea are served.
4. Mix and match your favorite china and glassware collections at the dessert station. Don't worry about continuing the theme you create on your main table.
This holiday, expand your entertaining space and move part of the party out of the dining room.
1. Rethink your surfaces. Clear a side table or desktop in another room to create a cocktail bar or dessert station.
2. Vary the height and size of your serving pieces. Incorporate footed compotes, trifle bowls, cake stands, and stacks of dessert plates to add dimension and visual interest to your entertaining surface.
3. Corral your ice bucket, glassware, and libations on a tray that can be easily removed when coffee and tea are served.
4. Mix and match your favorite china and glassware collections at the dessert station. Don't worry about continuing the theme you create on your main table.
Jewel tones and saturated color heighten the appearance of the Thanksgiving table and celebrate the season's bright foliage against the late-autumn sky. To get the look here, take advantage of the enhanced color attributes of inexpensive faux foliage and rich textile remnants. Present the 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 of the collection 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; just be sure to set their flames well clear of the berries and leaves.
Fruitful Place Settings
The table, dressed in a rich palette and laden with autumn fruit, sets the tone for an intimate Thanksgiving dinner. Plump persimmons and scarlet pomegranates adorn the table — and the menu — a ripe reminder of the season's exuberant, and occasionally exotic, abundance. The table setting is a compatible mix of old (heirloom silver and dishes) and new (table runners, glasses, napkins), simply yet artfully arranged to bring out the beauty of all.
Floral Centerpiece
New York City floral designer Remco van Vliet chose roses, lady's slipper orchids, and ranunculus in autumn hues to create this Thanksgiving centerpiece.
"When you create an arrangement, start with thick-stemmed flowers, then fill in using blooms with more delicate stems," says Remco van Vliet, whose floral displays delight millions of visitors at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
TECHNIQUES FROM A PRO
1. QUICK COLOR: Fill vases with cranberries or kumquats, then add water and flowers in complementary shades.
2. NICE AND EASY: If you're on a budget, Remco recommends arranging inexpensive poppies, daisies, or dahlias in old milk bottles or tumblers down the center of your table.
3. EYE-TO-EYE: To ensure guests can converse freely, flowers should sit no taller than 14 inches, says Remco.
"When you create an arrangement, start with thick-stemmed flowers, then fill in using blooms with more delicate stems," says Remco van Vliet, whose floral displays delight millions of visitors at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
TECHNIQUES FROM A PRO
1. QUICK COLOR: Fill vases with cranberries or kumquats, then add water and flowers in complementary shades.
2. NICE AND EASY: If you're on a budget, Remco recommends arranging inexpensive poppies, daisies, or dahlias in old milk bottles or tumblers down the center of your table.
3. EYE-TO-EYE: To ensure guests can converse freely, flowers should sit no taller than 14 inches, says Remco.
Turkey Transferware
Antique turkey-themed transferware with its rich colors and patterns, inspired the mix-and-match look of the table. Multidimensional menu cards add an even more personal touch.
Flatware: Arte Italica. Compote: Villeroy & Boch. Glass: Lauren Home. Silver Vase: Barbara Barry for Wedgwood. Pitcher: Rosanna.
Flatware: Arte Italica. Compote: Villeroy & Boch. Glass: Lauren Home. Silver Vase: Barbara Barry for Wedgwood. Pitcher: Rosanna.
Photo Centerpiece
Photo Display: 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.
Pear Placecard: At each place setting, set out a Bartlett pear. From cream-colored card stock or manila file folders, cut out strips and write guests' names in gold or brown ink. Affix each with a ball-head sewing pin.
Candle Tray: A collection of brass candlesticks in varying heights also provides visual interest. The placement of the photos, which are nestled in a tray of nuts, is varied, too. Keep the candles the same length.
Pear Placecard: At each place setting, set out a Bartlett pear. From cream-colored card stock or manila file folders, cut out strips and write guests' names in gold or brown ink. Affix each with a ball-head sewing pin.
Candle Tray: A collection of brass candlesticks in varying heights also provides visual interest. The placement of the photos, which are nestled in a tray of nuts, is varied, too. Keep the candles the same length.
Thanksgiving Table Napkin Placecard
Napkin Placecard: Practice your script first, then write each guest's name invisibly: try the Prym Dritz disappearing-ink pen. Immediately trace over the name in bronze, copper, or gold with a medium round-tipped ink marker, such as Uchida's DecoFabric Marker; michaels.com.
Thanksgiving Buffet
Plates, utensils, drinking glasses, and cloth napkins are grouped at one end of the buffet table — the starting point for guests to help themselves and begin their movable feast that has virtually no time limits.
The capon is put at the center of the buffet, with side dishes arranged around it. The bird's garnish is a mix of seasonal fruits and nuts, an easy and artful touch.
The capon is put at the center of the buffet, with side dishes arranged around it. The bird's garnish is a mix of seasonal fruits and nuts, an easy and artful touch.
Table Tips
No-Sew Runner: Go through your sewing stash or the remnants bin at your favorite fabric store with an eye to reds and golds. Cut fabric to a length suitable for your table, turning under and pressing raw edges.
Easy Tablescape: Gather together a variety of pewter or silver pieces. Their deep metallic tones offer rich contrast to bright plates in autumn hues. Mix candlesticks with open vessels to vary height and shape.
Leaf Placecards: Real leaves curl, or dry and crack, so try this: Snip faux leaves and berries from inexpensive artificial clusters or garlands, and then use a silver gel pen to write each guest's first name on a leaf.
Easy Tablescape: Gather together a variety of pewter or silver pieces. Their deep metallic tones offer rich contrast to bright plates in autumn hues. Mix candlesticks with open vessels to vary height and shape.
Leaf Placecards: Real leaves curl, or dry and crack, so try this: Snip faux leaves and berries from inexpensive artificial clusters or garlands, and then use a silver gel pen to write each guest's first name on a leaf.
Homespun Crafts
In the days before Thanksgiving, a sense of anticipation fills the house as preparations begin. Spend an afternoon enjoying this feeling along with some young helpers or friends. This felt tablescape can be crafted days or weeks in advance to suit your schedule. Visit a fabric or craft supply store to buy wool felt, keeping in mind the length of your table and the number of guests. Cut a wide strip of felt in burnt orange for the bottom layer of the runner and a narrower green layer for the top. Wrap the candles and napkins with their lettered bands, and then arrange "falling leaves" along the table's length.
Elegant Autumn Table
This autumn, even more than most, we long for tradition, a sense of place, a feeling of home. When family and friends gather together, offer an array of foods that warm both body and soul. Our Thanksgiving feast honors the familiar holiday rituals we yearn for from childhood as well as new ones that define who we are now.
Of course, tradition demands that the centerpiece of the meal be a perfectly glazed roast turkey, surrounded by fondly remembered dishes like creamed pearl onions, baked sweet potatoes, and homemade dinner rolls. A tray of old-fashioned pickles evokes tender memories of a grandmother or aunt whose family recipe will be passed along for years to come. New favorites include a revised cranberry sauce flavored with orange, allspice, anise, and ginger, a lighter-than-expected Sourdough Mushroom Stuffing, and luscious pears poached in mulled red wine.
We always have almost too many side dishes to choose from, but on this most American of holidays, the term "feeling full" signifies something deeper. So lift your glass to friends and family, tradition and discovery, and feel your spirit soar as you glance around the table and experience the abundance of comfort that comes with good food and caring.
Butternut Squash Soup, seasoned with the zesty flavors of fresh apples and apple brandy, warms and nourishes guests coming in from the brisk autumn weather. The first course's unexpected twist introduces spiced popcorn in place of traditional soup croutons. The table setting, too, reflects the day's mix of old and new. Vintage amber water goblets reflect the light, while chic crystal wineglasses gleam in the candlelight.
Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup
Of course, tradition demands that the centerpiece of the meal be a perfectly glazed roast turkey, surrounded by fondly remembered dishes like creamed pearl onions, baked sweet potatoes, and homemade dinner rolls. A tray of old-fashioned pickles evokes tender memories of a grandmother or aunt whose family recipe will be passed along for years to come. New favorites include a revised cranberry sauce flavored with orange, allspice, anise, and ginger, a lighter-than-expected Sourdough Mushroom Stuffing, and luscious pears poached in mulled red wine.
We always have almost too many side dishes to choose from, but on this most American of holidays, the term "feeling full" signifies something deeper. So lift your glass to friends and family, tradition and discovery, and feel your spirit soar as you glance around the table and experience the abundance of comfort that comes with good food and caring.
Butternut Squash Soup, seasoned with the zesty flavors of fresh apples and apple brandy, warms and nourishes guests coming in from the brisk autumn weather. The first course's unexpected twist introduces spiced popcorn in place of traditional soup croutons. The table setting, too, reflects the day's mix of old and new. Vintage amber water goblets reflect the light, while chic crystal wineglasses gleam in the candlelight.
Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup
Candles
Candle Bands: From wool felt, cut bands slightly narrower than each candle's length. Cut two of each letter for the "Giving Thanks" display. Secure one letter to each side of the band with spray adhesive.
Lit Centerpiece: Spelled out on both the front and back of these candles, this tablescape can be enjoyed from both sides of the table. Light the slow-burning candles just before guests come into the room.Felt for crafting comes in both wool and synthetic fibers. Wool will yield more natural-looking hues. For the bands and letters, use a light- or medium-weight felt. For the runner and leaves, a heavier weight is nice.
Lit Centerpiece: Spelled out on both the front and back of these candles, this tablescape can be enjoyed from both sides of the table. Light the slow-burning candles just before guests come into the room.Felt for crafting comes in both wool and synthetic fibers. Wool will yield more natural-looking hues. For the bands and letters, use a light- or medium-weight felt. For the runner and leaves, a heavier weight is nice.
Buffet Centerpiece
Add a playful yet practical touch to your table by bringing an outdoor piece — like a garden plant stand — indoors and placing a cake, tart, or pie into the stand's arms.
Child's Play
We all fondly recall holidays spent at the kids' table, joking with cousins and passing vegetables to the dog when no one was looking. To create special memories for the next generation, forgo the boring card table in favor of a fun, kid-friendly setup. In good weather, set the table outdoors (within your sight, of course), and offer plenty of treats and activities to keep boredom and squabbles at bay.
SETTING THE KIDS' TABLE
Giving Tree: Have the kids write down what they're thankful for this year on stamped tags, then tie to branches of fall foliage. Vase: Villeroy & Boch.
Sweet Treats: Thanksgiving-themed chocolate turkeys and lollipops make winning favors for tots. Glasses: AOH Design. Chocolate: Bissinger's.
Fun for All: Fill gift bags with rubber stamps and pads, then lay parchment paper on the table so the kids can play. Table: Pottery Barn Kids.
Alfresco Dining: Place a rug beneath the table to create the illusion of an outdoor room. Rug: Dash & Albert Rug Company. Stools: Bleu Nature.
SETTING THE KIDS' TABLE
Giving Tree: Have the kids write down what they're thankful for this year on stamped tags, then tie to branches of fall foliage. Vase: Villeroy & Boch.
Sweet Treats: Thanksgiving-themed chocolate turkeys and lollipops make winning favors for tots. Glasses: AOH Design. Chocolate: Bissinger's.
Fun for All: Fill gift bags with rubber stamps and pads, then lay parchment paper on the table so the kids can play. Table: Pottery Barn Kids.
Alfresco Dining: Place a rug beneath the table to create the illusion of an outdoor room. Rug: Dash & Albert Rug Company. Stools: Bleu Nature.
Read more: Thanksgiving Table Settings - Decorating Ideas for Thanksgiving Table - Country Living
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