Thank you to Wayfair for working with me on this post. All opinions are my own.
Is anyone else like me and find they very rarely use their dining table unless company is over for dinner? Because it's only Lee and I, we use our barstools and island to eat 80% of our meals. It's a cozy little space looking into the kitchen and even though our dining table is just a couple steps away, that's reserved for guests.
Because of this infrequent use, I'm able to lay out a beautiful table with linens and centerpieces ahead of holidays and events. While that might not be attainable for some people, I wanted to share some practical tips and inspiration for your Thanksgiving or Harvest-themed meal this year.
It's a focus on functional but beautiful dishes, practical ideas for food storing and serving, and ways to add texture and depth into your decor.
Start With: The Base
Although I love our West Elm walnut table, I do feel like I have to add a fabric element first to the table to give it some depth and warmth.
Most of the time I opt for a runner because I find tablecloths can get in the way of the seated diners. This year I was looking for items in warm tones – browns, gold, and neutrals to compliment both the golden tones of the table and the inevitable tones of a Thanksgiving feast.
I found this table runner on Wayfair and in comparing it to some other similar styles around the internet, it came in at a fraction of the price. It adds a lovely interest to the table without drawing attention away from the star of the show: the food.
Next: Build from the Center Out
For a themed or event table, I like to start in the center of the table and work my way out. For this Thanksgiving table decor I started with this beautiful dough bowl from Wayfair with the thought of filling it either with apples, autumnal squashes, or a more natural element.
I ended up placing pinecones down the length of the bowl because that's what I had on hand and I think it turned out nicely. If you were hosting Thanksgiving you could always make it a bit more practical and turn it into a bread holder with a nice linen cloth lining the bottom.
Tip: if you have a rectangle table like I do, opt for a long basket or bowl instead of a round one. It will fill out the middle portion of the table and look much more proportional.
From the centerpiece, I simply added a few elements to give a bit of height to the center of the table. A wrought iron candle holder here, a small vase with autumn leaves there. And of course, adding in the practical elements like the salt and pepper grinders that we recently purchased in London.
Third: Add in Your Place Settings
A full set of matching place settings was something I had been missing for a few years now. We have some lovely handmade plates and bowls from potters around the country, but if we had more than four people over at a time we had to supplement with the white ceramic plates from Ikea.
Thankfully, Wayfair has an amazing selection of well-price dinnerware and I ended up choosing a set that would compliment our existing pieces very nicely. Because I'm not a super crafty person, I never have any grand ideas on things like place cards or table activities, so instead I added at each table a beautiful fresh apple. This could be a pre-appetizer or even a take home gift if the guest decides to. I found apples to be theme of this table so I paired the apple on the plate with a beautiful linen napkin that drew in the natural of the plates, the reds of the apple and the browns of the table runner.
Finally, Add Personal, Delicious Touches
A small crock of cinnamon apples at each place setting invites the guest to start the meal on a healthy note.
These glass jars make beautiful storage or individual serving dishes.
A carafe of apple cider ready on the table welcomes everyone to the theme of the dinner and table. And scattering the harvests of the season like parsnips, squashes, and artichokes invite the guest to celebrate the season, the bounty, and food provided.
Add some height, interest, and texture to the table with wooden serving bowls.
To shop beautiful, well-priced table decor for the upcoming holiday season, visit Wayfair.com and explore the entire decor shop.
But a gentle reminder that the season is not made by beautiful tables or elegant decor. It's about mindset and gratitude. A reminder that this year is coming to a close, a season of celebration and rest is upon us, and we have an opportunity to show our thanks through the small moments and kind gestures to friends, family and strangers alike.