Thanksgiving table decor may be your dining table's biggest moment to shine all year. Use these ideas for simple Thanksgiving table decorations and add an extra festive feel this November.
Most people look forward to Thanksgiving for the food, and yes, I love turkey and dressing as much as anyone. But there's something I really look forward to: the Thanksgiving decorations.
To me, Thanksgiving table decor goes well beyond plates, silverware and glasses. With the right simple touches, you can create a spectacular, inviting dining space that will leave your guests in awe and keep them lingering at the table a little longer.
Even better? Here's a little secret: it doesn't have to take much work! Take a look at some of these easy, fun and elegant ways to dress up your table for Thanksgiving this year.
The whole family will love these
Thanksgiving Dishes
If you're setting the table, you're probably hosting the meal too! I have my family's favorite Thanksgiving recipes over on my food blog, Comfort Food at Home. Add a few to your menu this year and your guests will be begging for the recipes!
See the Recipes
How To Decorate Your Table For Thanksgiving Dinner With Style & Elegance
Choose Your Color Palette
Before I start on my dining room decor, I settle on a color palette. I want it to feel cohesive and inviting. Decide whether you want warm, muted tones or bright jewel tones! You could even go with coastal colors like blues and greens. Bring these colors in through the plates, table linens or centerpieces.
My dining room is already full of blues and greens, so I like to look at muted orange, rust, soft gold and other warm complementary colors for my Thanksgiving table decor.
Create a Timeless Thanksgiving Table with These Essentials
If you've never hosted Thanksgiving before, it can feel intimidating or overwhelming. But building a timeless tablescape is simple with these foundational pieces. I rarely change much about my dining table from season to season, because I have a solid foundation and simply swap out the salad plates.
Here's what you'll need for the dining essentials:
- Classic White Plates – I have and love these, but a less expensive option might work best for you.
- Gold Flatware
- Cloth Napkins
- Water Glasses
- Wine Glasses
- Chargers – optional, but I love including them to protect the table and add another layer of interest
- Salad Plates – my favorite way to change up a table setting without spending the whole budget
Set Out the Place Settings
Start with a placemat, then build each place setting with a dinner plate, salad plate and drinking glass. Next set out the forks, knives and spoons. The knife goes on the right with its blade facing the plate. If you're using a spoon, set it to the right of the knife. Place the forks on the left side of the plate, with the salad fork on the far left and the dinner fork on the inside, closest to the plate.
Line up all of the utensils along the bottom, even with the plate.
Choose Your Table Linens
I like to use a table runner down the middle, or a full white tablecloth with a table runner on top. This is the easiest approach for me, but you can get as creative as you'd like!
Then choose a colorful, themed napkin to set either to the left of the forks or on the plate, as shown in the photo above.
Decorate with a Centerpiece
Last, I make a centerpiece for the middle of the table. I like to set mine on a tray or in a bowl so it's easy to clear away for the big meal. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like! I've shared a ton of examples below to get your creative juices flowing.
14 Creative Ideas for Decorating Your Thanksgiving Table
One of the fun things about Thanksgiving dinner is that it's one of the few holidays where you can pull decor almost entirely from nature to use as the main centerpiece for your table.
Nature's bounty adds beautiful texture and color to the scene, and it's often free. Your only payment may be an hour or two of collecting and arranging. That's some easy Thanksgiving decorating!
Plus, when it comes to colors, the days of sticking to basic orange, red and brown for this holiday are long gone. There are so many pretty color combinations to try. Personally, I love neutral tones and modern textures, mixed with a few traditional elements. Don't be afraid to experiment and see what you like best.
1. Green and Copper Are the Perfect Complements
Here's a great example of how colors can be modernized. When you're planning how to decorate your table for Thanksgiving dinner, copper and green make a solid choice for a modern color scheme. I love how soothing and relaxing this style feels. The copper accents tie everything together without overpowering the look.
The fresh leaves paired with the white and green pumpkins look sophisticated and make you want to linger. Lauren at Bless'er House thought of everything when she decorated this Thanksgiving table.
Worried that you don't have any copper pieces and don't want to spend an arm and a leg on decor? Good news: you can simply spray paint items you already own, and they'll look brand new!
2. Add Conversation Cards
A beautiful and practical addition to any Thanksgiving table is these free printable conversation starter cards!
I created these cards a few years ago and printed them on kraft paper to look like leaves. Cut them out and place one at each setting. Then go around and share your answers as you eat. They're not only pretty, they'll also spark a lovely conversation around your delicious meal!
Get the Conversation Cards HERE!
3. Gourds and Pinecones Galore
The chic look of this natural centerpiece is gorgeous. Notice how striking the bleached pinecones look and how they contrast with the rest of this Thanksgiving centerpiece.
If you love this decor as much as I do, you can recreate this look in as little as 5 minutes. Ananda at A Piece of Rainbow used Spanish moss as the base on top of a wooden tray, then filled it with leaves, gourds and a few accents. Add some corn husks for an extra bountiful touch!
I love the pop of bright green peeking out here and there. The overall style of this centerpiece is fantastic and will pair nicely with practically any china set or tableware.
Another option is to use a bowl or pie plate to create a centerpiece with fall stems, pumpkins, fruit or pinecones. If you'd like something more structured, try my DIY fall dough bowl centerpiece with pumpkins and faux hydrangeas.
4. Don't Be Afraid to Use Fruit to Decorate
Fruit doesn't always get the credit it deserves, but it's one of nature's most stunning creations. You don't have to spend much to load your table with edible colors and textures, and the results are beautiful.
Melissa at The Faux Martha knew exactly what she was doing when she chose fruit to decorate her Thanksgiving table. What makes this scene especially pretty is the simple white tablecloth, which makes the fruits and vegetables catch your eye.
One important tip is to stick with fruits and vegetables whose colors complement each other. You'll notice the pop of orange, green, red and even a bit of brown in the food in the photo above. Arranged this way, it looks perfect together!
The apples in this table setting from Dimples and Tangles add a bright pop of green that works so well with the black and white table runner.
5. Fill a Vase with Dried Hydrangeas
Let Mother Nature help you with a beautiful dried hydrangea centerpiece. These limelight hydrangeas were cut from the yard once they were fully dry and a little crispy, but before they turned brown. Stick them in a jar with no water and you're good to go for the season! Eventually they'll turn yellow, but they're still gorgeous!
6. Consider Going Modern
I'm in love with this centerpiece. It's the perfect blend of traditional and modern. The rest of the table is subdued with golds and patterned napkins, then the vibrant colors of the wheat add a pop that really stands out.
Michael at Inspired by Charm knows that decorating with wheat will never go out of style on a Thanksgiving table. Wheat is beautiful on its own, and when you add some embroidery floss, it takes on an entirely new look. The gold mini pumpkins are so pretty, too!
If you aren't a fan of really bright colors, you could go for a subtler look. You can create different styles just by playing with the colors in this simple project.
7. Less Is More
This beautiful Thanksgiving tablescape shows that you don't need large, abundant decorations to achieve elegance. You can quickly, cheaply and effectively recreate this simple, stunning centerpiece with some seeded eucalyptus, roses and a pumpkin.
Julie Blanner brilliantly added grace and style to her dining table with this look, and I know you can do the same. If you're lucky enough to have a dining room with lots of natural light, let it shine through. Natural light takes the chill out of a room and makes it even more inviting.
Here's another simple tablescape from the queen of minimal decor, Julie Blanner. She's a master at making simple things look elevated and elegant!
8. Row of Pumpkins
Add some cloth napkins with a few sprigs of seeded eucalyptus tucked into the napkin rings on the plates, and you're good to go!
A couple of years ago I simply lined pumpkins and a few other items down the center of the room for a simple friendsgiving setup!
Miss Mustard Seed used a stack of pumpkins in the middle of her Thanksgiving table, with plenty of magnolia leaves tucked around them. It's so simple, yet it makes a huge impact!
9. Go Vintage This Thanksgiving
I can't get enough of this beautiful dinner table decor, with natural wood paired with pumpkins. Thankfully, white or off-white pumpkins are in style and easy to find, whether you opt for faux or real.
The baby's breath and yellow flowers add just enough fall color and vibrancy to this pretty centerpiece. Recreate this look from Sarah Joy, and all your friends and family are sure to admire your creativity.
If you don't already have a long centerpiece box, you can easily make one with my tutorial HERE.
10. Make a Pumpkin Vase
If you want a showstopping centerpiece that absolutely everyone will love, this pumpkin vase is fantastic! Everything about it feels rustic Thanksgiving in a classic, stylish way.
You can easily customize this Thanksgiving centerpiece with the colors you choose, both for the pumpkin and the foliage inside. Browns, taupes and other neutrals are a great way to get the farmhouse style we all love. A vibrant turquoise or even burgundy would add a little more color.
Setting the pumpkin on top of a piece of wood completes the look. Crystal at A Pumpkin and a Princess thought of everything when she made this one!
11. Candles, Gourds and Flowers as a Table Runner
The bright, cheerful palette of these beautiful floral centerpieces makes them perfect for your next gathering! I love how both of these table settings use autumn flowers, mixed with pumpkins, greenery and a variety of candle holders to welcome each guest to the table. It's stunning!
12. Outdoor Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas
If you live in a mild climate, take the festivities outdoors! There's nothing more beautiful than dining among the fall foliage! Add dinnerware, linens and place cards to the table, with a few fall leaves and pumpkins in the middle for a gorgeous holiday table!
Look at the adorable place cards made from tree branch slices, and how they used large wood slices instead of placemats to really highlight the outdoor setting.
13. Bling Out with Metallics
Don't be afraid to bring out the bling! Add silver, gold and copper metallics to your Thanksgiving table decor with candlesticks, glittery pumpkins, silver trays and more!
You could also bring in colored glass or cut-glass drinkware to add some sparkle and glamour to your holiday table!
14. Free Printable Grateful Placemat
This adorable printable placemat would be perfect for a kids' table, or even the adult table! Place the dinner plates on top, then pull it out after the meal and ask everyone to write down what they're thankful for!
Final Thoughts
In the end, the most important thing is the people and the time you spend together, but as you can see, a little decor goes a long way! I hope some of these Thanksgiving decorating ideas have inspired you to make your table simply beautiful, too!
However you choose to set your Thanksgiving table, your friends and family will enjoy gathering around and spending time together.
More Thanksgiving Posts You Will Love:
- 27 Gorgeous Thanksgiving Tablescapes
- Free Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
- DIY Chinoiserie Pumpkins {with video tutorial}
- The Best Fall Decorating Ideas for a Cozy Home
- 25+ FREE Fall Printables to Decorate Your Home
