Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas to Impress your Guests

Thanksgiving decorating ideas to surly impress your guests.

Thanksgiving is a time to share with family and friends and if that sharing is going on at your house, feeling the need to impress can be overwhelming. Below are some table decorating ideas that will be sure to impress your guests. They will also make for a festive mood!

Sumptuous Centerpiece

Make the centerpiece as colorful as the rest of the table. Keep it compact so it doesn't interfere with the passing of dishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harvest Color

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.