How To Set A Casual, But Elegant Thanksgiving Table
Use these table setting tips to set a Thanksgiving table that’s just dressy enough for a special occasion and just casual enough to invite your guests to stay awhile.
We don’t do formal around here, but I do like to dress things up a bit for special meals. I hope that my Thanksgiving table this year reflects the perfect combination of casual, laid back, cozy, welcoming style with a little bit of dressy thrown in. Just enough dressy to make you feel like this is a special meal and we’re so glad that you’ve joined us!
No formal, stuffy centerpieces allowed around here! I simply plopped a faux pumpkin into the middle of a wooden pedestal bowl and tucked in real and faux eucalyptus, faux fall berries from the dollar store and guinea feathers. The resulting look is casual because it’s unstructured and filled with texture.
I added a bit of sparkle and dressiness to the table by scattering mercury glass candle votives around both ends of the table. Twig pumpkins calm the dressiness down though and add some of that all important texture.
I love the look of the candles reflecting in the brown glass jugs.
I kept the colors on the table very muted, so as not to compete with the rest of the fall decor in the dining room. I chose to use white, beige, soft greens and zinc as the main colors.
Each place setting is grounded with a dark brown placemat. Did you notice that every place setting is slightly different? Even though I used the same elements at each setting, each one is styled just a little differently.
All six of the settings include the same linen napkin, silverware, eucalyptus, guinea feather and a zinc name tag all tied together with jute twine. I’ve never tried mixing my place settings up before, but I must admit that I love the look!
The ends of my table are curved, which can make using a tablecloth a bit tricky. To solve the problem, I gathered each end of the runner, tied it with twine and tucked in a few sprigs of eucalyptus and couple of guinea feathers.
This might just be my favorite Thanksgiving tablescape ever!
Love it, it looks so inviting. I am having Thanksgiving at my house this year and you have giving ideas on how to dress up my table for that day, so thank you for sharing
I really like this look. Even tho I live alone I still ‘dress’ up my table for Thanksgiving. 🙂
Love the slight difference of each place setting! Your whole table looks so cozy and inviting……what time should I arrive? ?
Beautiful Thanksgiving table, liked the pheasant feathers added to the table center piece.
Love all the different textures used. The colors are soft & just balance everything together. Wonderful looking table.
I love your silverware. Is it available anywhere?
Hi Joan. Yes, I’ve provided a resource list to where you can purchase most of the items (or similar ones) that are on my table. Look at the photos shown under RESOURCE LIST, click the arrows to scroll through the products, then click on the image of any product that you’re interested in and you’ll go straight to the product. In the case of the silverware, the image is only linked to the dinner fork, but that pattern is available in all of the pieces that you’d need for a place setting.
Thank you for your reply, but I have no picture of the silverware in the resource list. I must be doing something wrong.
I love your blog though❤️
Hi Joan. My bad – you aren’t doing anything wrong ! I’m so sorry, but I didn’t realize that the silverware wasn’t a part of the resource list. Anyway, you can find it at World Market.
Very pretty, Suzy!
Love your simple elegant table. Love the feathers. Where did you find these? I put a feather in every centerpiece create and I don’t have any of these beauties.
Hi Cookie. I’ve provided a resource list to where you can purchase most of the items (or similar ones) that are on my table. Look at the photos shown under RESOURCE LIST, click the arrows to scroll through the products, then click on the image of any product that you’re interested in and you’ll go straight to the product.
I agree with completely -it IS your prettiest table yet. So many beautiful elements but I love the tablescape and love the different placesettings. Its perfect! xxoo
I love the brown glass jugs that are on your beautiful table and also the use of Eucalyptus . Tying it at the ends of your table is so clever. Inspiring!!g
Your Thanksgiving table is so pretty. Do you serve the food buffet style out of your kitchen, or do you remove the centerpiece and serve family style with the food at the table?
Hi Julie. When I’m hosting a large gathering, I typically set up a buffet for the main dishes on the island in my kitchen and also set up a dessert buffet on the sideboard in the dining room.
So beautiful, Suzy!
Just right!!
Love the mix of the rustic with the mercury glass votives plays off of the amber bottles.. Very inviting great job.
Love the brown bottles and chandelier. You have a pretty table set for your guests.
The amber glass and the placemats are stunning…casual and elegant all at once.
Beautiful! I really like how you used the same elements in slightly different ways for the place settlings.
Stunning in it’s “casual elegance”! Love the colour combination – especially the brown vases with the candlelight beside them. I find it adds so much interest to the table when each place setting isn’t exactly the same – well done!
Suzy, love the table and you are so right this is casual bt elegant. Like he idea of the ends of the table cloth.
Cindy
Sigh! So beautiful! I am sure your guests will be thrilled that you have taken the time to set such a pretty table for them! I love the addition of the feathers to your centerpiece, and how you have displayed the flatware! I am going to have to try that way sometime! I am pinning this to my group tabletop board. If you don’t belong to it and want to, message me and follow it and I will add you!