Hosting Thanksgiving? 8 Elements for the Perfect Tablescape

Though we will not be hosting Thanksgiving this year, I still wanted to have the dining room looking festive (and I’m a nerd and love decorating tables) – so I pulled out the China and got to work with what I had around the house to create an easy, elegant and festive tablescape.

Our dining room follows the burgundy, creams and antiqued gold color scheme, so I always tend to buy those colors when looking for decor specific for that room.

Here are 8 essential elements I use to create a beautiful and festive table fit for your holiday guests:

Good China or Formal Dishware

Does anyone even put china on their wedding registry anymore?! My mom recommended doing it and I am very happy we did! We have used it for holidays, baptisms and other special events. Her thought, when would you ever buy this for yourself? So true, I probably wouldn’t own china if it weren’t for putting this on my registry.

My china is Noritake Crestwood Platinum. I love it because it is heavy duty, elegant and simple with a touch of traditional.

There are also so many cute holiday dishware’s out there that you could splurge on as well. HomeGoods, Amazon, you name it, carry awesome dishes (not necessarily china) that could be used to seasonally spruce up your table in a BIG WAY!

Chargers

I LOVE chargers! They bring such an elegance to any table arrangement and add dimension too. There are so many cute chargers out there now a days in all sorts of colors and patterns that can fit just about any design plan!

I was very limited in which color charger would match my china. My china is not a true gold or silver so I had to test a lot of different charger colors. I ended up purchasing antiqued gold and burgundy chargers. I got the chargers below from Big Lots last season on sale for $1.25/piece, but you can buy these just about anywhere. I always check Michael’s and Walmart and I would imagine Hobby Lobby would have some nice ones too!

Dollar Tree also has some really cute options for $1. I thought the ones below were so neat!

Table Runner

Again, there are so many cute options out there and I find myself always wanting to purchase new holiday ones (HomeGoods and TJ Maxx having me doing double takes ALWAYS!), but this year I used a burlap table runner I had from Target. I got this half off ($3) and it’s simple and all I need!

Tablecloth

I like to use neutral colors for the table cloth that way my accent pieces and chargers and china will pop! We have a taupe tablecloth that we use, which hides stains a little better than a cream or a white would.

Napkins & Napkin Ring/ Decorative Holders

I ended up matching the tablecloth and linens for my tablescape (the set was on our wedding registry), but you could get creative and use a holiday themed napkin or use a plain/neutral color tucked into a stylish napkin ring holder to add some pizzazz!

These festive napkin rings would look so good on your Thanksgiving table.
Pumpkin Napkin Rings
Gold Mesh Napkin Rings
Rustic Wooden Napkin Rings

I ended up using tiny pumpkins on top of my napkins…I talk about that below.

Accent Decor

This is the fun part! For my tablescape I ended up using an assortment of foam pumpkins that I purchased from Walmart for a steal. Check out my Fall Home Decor post to find the links for those! Most of the pumpkins were $0.98 – $2 a piece.

I placed some tiny pumpkins on top of each napkin, particularly because I decided not to use napkin holders here. These tiny pumpkins were from Walmart and are technically called vase fillers. I’m so happy I used them this way – I like the seasonal touch they add and the eye is drawn right to them!

Candles/Lights/Votives

I love adding a light element to the table – whether it’s fairy lights or a simple candle – the light adds a nice touch to any table and takes it to the next level!

You can purchase candle sticks just about anywhere in all sorts of colors (I used burgundy here) and I happened to purchase these glass candle holders from the Dollar Tree for $1.

Centerpiece or Decorative Trays

I like to do a fall floral arrangement and put a decorative candle ring at the base of the vase. I found mine at a closeout section of a local supermarket where I live for $3.99, but you can find these anywhere. Here is a nice festive fall candle ring.

For centerpieces, I typically purchase two of the bigger florals (in this case the 2 bunches of the sunflower arrangements and two cream hydrangeas) as well as some fillers (I used burgundy cattail looking florals and a seeded burgundy stem – both from the dollar store).

I actually keep this floral arrangement on my dining room table year round, swapping out the fillers to make it fit the season.

And there you have it – these are the essential items I like to use that can make any tablescape look elegant and very festive! Also proof that the most elegant tables do not need the most expensive items! Get creative, use what you have on hand and don’t be afraid to use decorations in different ways to create a stunning display for your guests/family!