Thanksgiving Decor | Build a Beautiful Tablescape on a Budget

If you love to host family and friends for dinners and parties, then you know that planning a delicious meal is only half the battle. You also want your table to look as amazing as the food, and creating a beautiful tablescape can really round out the experience and create a warm, welcoming atmosphere for your guests.

With the holidays right around the corner, here are some tips and tricks for using Thanksgiving decor to create a stunning tablescape for your feast:

Choose a Color Scheme/Palette

When you imagine autumn, the first thing you likely think of is the changing of the seasons and the fall harvest: crisp leaves in gold and crimson, dusty orange pumpkins, rust red apples, and roasted brown chestnuts.

This is a great place to start to inspire the color palette for your tablescape, but don’t be afraid to mix it up. Autumn colors are typically warm, so adding a pop of bright turquoise blue or subtle sage green can create a pleasantly unexpected contrast. This works especially well for creating focal points in your display.

Mix Textures & Patterns

Color isn’t the only way to create visual interest. First, consider the textures of the items you’re using in your tablescape: the sparkle of glass contrasts nicely with the velvety matte of stoneware, while softer, organic textures like wood or plant fibers offset the bright luster of metallic elements in gold, bronze, and copper. Even using different types of fabrics can add interest, like combining silky satins and coarse burlap. Mixing and matching these different textures creates a feast for the eyes!

Next, try playing with patterns. Mixing solids with fun, simple prints is an easy place to start, so experiment with your plates, dishes, chargers, and napkins. If you’re feeling bold, try mixing prints, like pumpkins and plaid. Just don’t go overboard!

Try a warm color scheme for a more traditional palette for your Thanksgiving decor, and experiment with mixing patterns for added interest.

Create Depth & Balance with Size

Your tablescape doesn’t have to be a mirror image – in fact, variety creates interest, and it can create balance, too. Asymmetrical balance uses the varying heights and weights of objects. Try placing a tall, slender candlestick next to a short, squat pumpkin, or surrounding a large vase with smaller decorative objects. It’s also a great way to lead the eye by creating an illusion of movement.

Light Up Your Tablescape

There’s no denying that candles are a great way to bring warmth and ambiance to a space, and your dining table is no exception! Try mixing and matching glass candleholders in different sizes, colors and patterns, and feel free to experiment with lanterns and other objects that could create unique lighting effects.

Worried about passing plates and dishes over hot candles and the safety of small hands? Replace them with the battery operated alternative! They’re available in all different shapes and sizes, with most offering a flickering display just like the real thing. Many even have timers to turn them off automatically after a set number of hours.

Use Thanksgiving decor with natural fibers to add interesting textures to your tablescape.

Consider Your Space

Whether you’re sharing a small, intimate Friendsgiving at a square table for four, or hosting a large family gathering with seating for 40, adjust your Thanksgiving tablescape to fit your space. Table runners create a great focal point to build on for long, narrow tables, while a single, bold centerpiece might be better for a smaller table.

If you’re limited on space, don’t forget that your dinnerware and serving trays can double as decor! Pick out unique pieces with visual appeal, like leaf-shaped plates, amber drinking glasses, lidded pumpkin dishes and gourd gravy boats. They’ll pull double-duty as both practical and ornamental, pulling together your Thanksgiving tablescape seamlessly.

Thrift Your Thanksgiving Tablescape

Trying not to break your budget? Shop unique fall tableware and decor at Goodwill and make your Thanksgiving table look like a chic magazine spread, for a fraction of the price! (Spoiler alert: we built this simple, stunning tablescape from fabulous finds at Goodwill!)

Create a stunning tablescape on a budget with Thanksgiving decor from your neighborhood Goodwill!