Looking for inspiration on how to set the table for your feast? Look no further – I have you covered. I adore setting a table any day – but especially at the holidays. Admittedly, I may go a tad overboard. However, I also try to keep things practical by mixing everyday basics with seasonal pops. Hopefully somewhere in there is a relatable balance that will spark an idea or a direction for your Thanksgiving tablescape in 2022!
In this post, I’m sharing the 7 essential elements that makeup this plaid and pumpkin table setting. Oh, and make sure you scroll to the end to get your hands on the exact place cards I used for this tablescape – a free download. The minimalist design and color palette should work for any decor direction you end up taking your table this year.
With that, let’s dig in, shall we?
Thanksgiving Tablescape 2022
1. Fresh Greenery Centerpiece
This is an old trick I’ve shared before, like in this post, but it bears repeating. Faux garland can get pricy quickly. To get something that looks realistic, you have to spend even more. For just a few dollars a bunch at the grocery store, get the real deal.
To bring in a fall vibe, I added orange mums in a beautiful planter (which I talked about in this post). Who says you have to have flowers in a vase?
2. Candlelight
Candlelight just makes everything cozier at a table. At Thanksgiving, isn’t that what we all want to feel? Comfy and like we could sit around and hang with the ones we love for hours? Cue tea lights.
These amber glass tea light candle holders were made for Thanksgiving. Seriously. Does it get any more perfect for the holiday? What’s so cool about them is they’re meant to stack. So you can get a bunch of them and create different height candles. In this case, I used them just as is and scattered them down the center of the table.
Additionally, gold hurricane candle holders (similar) added a warm reflective element to the centerpiece. Rather than using real candles that might drip and ruin the hurricanes, I opted for flameless candles. While you can find more realistic battery candles at places like Pottery Barn, I opted to go for something more budget friendly from Target. Not quite as good as the upscale option – but not bad either.
Lastly, gold taper candle sticks (similar) in a variety of heights with black candles were used to complete the look. I like the drama of the black candles, rather than ivory or even a seasonal orange. What do you think?
3. Pumpkin Accents
Can you have Thanksgiving without pumpkins? Just asking. 🙂 I bought these mini pumpkins from the grocery and placed one at each person’s place setting. Then, when they sat down, the pumpkins were moved to the center. So they kind of became part of the centerpiece!
4. Linens and Faux Linens
On a day like Thanksgiving when there’s already tons of dishes and other work-of-home going on, I personally think it’s okay to skip the cloth napkins and go for a faux linen. Using guest towel napkins like these make using paper feel a little more fancy than the square variety. And when you can find cute plaid guest napkins, well, it’s a no brainer.
For tablecloths, I cannot recommend enough getting large linen ones for your collection. If you’re like me and don’t have a dining table large enough to accommodate a crowd, then you have to improvise with folding tables. These large oversized banquet tablecloths cover the metal legs and make the look feel complete.
5. Basic Plates and Chargers
Wood chargers (similar) are a great investment for Thanksgiving tablescapes – and nearly any other time of the year. They look amazing with many different plate colors and patterns – and add depth and interest when you’re using basic white plates as I did.
Speaking of basic plates, I’ve been singing the praises of these plates for years. We use them as our day dishes, but also bought extra to use for large gatherings. They’re relatively affordable, hold up beautifully, and work for just about any and every occasion. Definitely recommend if you’re in need of matching plates for your Thanksgiving table.
6. Glassware and Cutlery
One of my favorite hacks for serving a crowd is to buy inexpensive glassware from Ikea. You can really stock up on a bunch of matching wine glasses, water glasses, coffee mugs, etc. in a budget-friendly way. We probably have more than 50 of the wine glasses and keep them in our basement (in the divided cardboard box they’re sold in) until it’s time for a party or holiday meal. Since they’re dishwasher safe, we just run a quick cycle and they’re ready to go!
Cutlery, well, I’m still working on finding a hack that isn’t disposable. I ended up having just enough to go around of my favorite gold set. However, I will keep searching for a quality, modern, affordable set that we can buy multiples of – like the glassware. Stay tuned!
7. Place Card Printables and Place Card Holders
Last but not least, are place cards and place card holders. If you like these place cards, you can sign up for my newsletter and have the Canva template delivered right to your inbox.
They’re sized to fit these adorable mini gold pumpkins, which I have had and loved for a long time. They’re definitely my go-to for Thanksgiving year after year.
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If you enjoyed these Thanksgiving tablescape 2022 ideas, you might also like these posts:
EASY THANKSGIVING DESSERTS AND HOW TO SERVE THEM
HOW TO BUILD THE PERFECT FALL CHEESE BOARD
YOUR GUIDE TO MODERN THANKSGIVING TABLE DECOR UNDER $30
3 SIMPLE THANKSGIVING TABLESCAPE IDEAS FOR YOUR FEAST
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you found what you were looking for and are feeling ready to tackle that Thanksgiving table decor plan. Questions or comments? Feel free to drop a note below or email me directly at sarah@hostessology.com. I always love hearing from you. 🙂
Cheers!
