A Layered Thanksgiving Table
[Updated November 7, 2024, Originally published November 2023] David and I are hosting Thanksgiving again this year and I am so excited to establish our own traditions now that our families live locally and we won’t be traveling for every holiday. Unsurprisingly, setting a beautiful table is one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving and I did a dry run today to share with all of you! One reader asked for ideas for creating a cozy table around white dinner plates and I thought that the perfect assignment, since most of us rely on white plates for our daily meals and may not have specialty Thanksgiving plates. (Though every year I start lusting after something super thematic like these harvest plates!) So here are my top tips for setting a cozy table starting with white dinner plates.
Add drama with a tablecloth
This is the easiest way to transform your table for Thanksgiving. Picking a multicolored tablecloth in autumnal hues is an effortless way to give your daily white china a new look. My tablecloth is a souvenir from this summer’s trip to Simrane in Paris, but there are so many beautiful options available. I've rounded up a few favorites below including this burgundy vine print, this olive floral, and chestnut botanical print. I like pulling one or two colors from the pattern to carry through other decorative elements like the napkins and flowers to create a cohesive look.
Warm things up with earthy materials and metallics
To my mind wicker is not just for warm weather, and I love bringing in deeper colored rattan pieces around the holidays to add texture and warmth to a table. Here I’ve started with a honey-hued wicker placemat from Cailini Coastal as the foundation for our dinner plates. I love the matching placecard holders which are an easy way to ensure your guests are seated next to their best conversational partner for the meal. I added a wicker vase, leather napkin rings, and linen napkins to the table, and mixed metallics such as pairing brass candlesticks with silverware give the tablescape a collected look and will catch the light when the candles are lit.
Bring in vintage pieces for personality
I love collecting vintage tableware on our travels and these special momentos are the perfect way to make your table truly unique. Here, I’ve gathered a set of brass candlesticks in varying heights to add sparkle to the table, as well as a set of antique majolica knife rests I picked up in Paris last year. (Each piece features a different vegetable and not only coordinates with the tablecloth beautifully, but they’ll help keep the linens clean by preventing dirty knives from rolling off plates.) I also love using my antique French opaline glasses for water and our danish princess silverware. Vintage salad or dessert plates can be an inexpensive way to layer in more color, though if you’re eating and drinking from vintage pieces be sure to test them for lead etc to make sure they’re food safe! (My salad plates aren’t vintage so you can find them here!)
I rounded up some of my favorite tabletop finds to inspire your own tables below!
SOURCES:
Cailini Coastal Wicker Chargers (currently 15% off!)
Cailini Coastal Wicker Placecard Holders (currently 15% off!)
Simrane Tablecloth from Paris (similar here, and here)
Antique French Opaline Glasses
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