How to Create a Homemade Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Can you believe how fast this year has gone by? It is almost mid October and before you know it, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Turkey and dressing, all of the delicious side dishes, and the decadent desserts! It’s one day of the year that I let myself eat until I just can’t eat anymore. But there is one more thing that you must have for your Thanksgiving dinner. A beautiful Thanksgiving tablescape.

Today I am going to share simple ways to impress your guests this Thanksgiving with setting a beautiful, elegant table. Rustic seems to be the big trend this Thanksgiving and I am going to share how to mix a little bit of rustic with a lot of elegance.

Creating an elegant tablescape is not hard at all, and there really is no right or wrong way to achieve the look you want. However, there are items that help you to pull off the perfect classic look.

How to Create an Elegant Thanksgiving Centerpiece

First rule, use what you have available to you. Below are some suggestions, but get creative.

Items Needed:

candlesticks – glass, silver, brass, wood
candles
greenery and berries
small pumpkins and other squash
pine cones
vases
flowers
table linens, placemats, napkins
dishes
goblets or mason jars

Frugal Tip: Shop your thrift stores!

Thrift stores have an abundance of candlesticks, vases, dishes, etc. Sometimes you can even find your nicer brands like Lenox.

Fresh flowers and pine cones can come from your backyard. If you have a tree with berries, use them too. They are a great way to add a pop of color and texture.

Your arrangements do not have to be over the top.

Start with your arrangement.

If you wish, you can cover your table with a tablecloth or place a table runner down the center. Then create your arrangement on top of the table linens. However, this is not necessary as a rustic design lends itself to having the wood of your tabletop showing.

Add fresh greenery to the center of the table.
Place pumpkins, squash, and pinecones on top of the greenery.
Add berries if you have them throughout the tablescape.
Optional place flowers or fall leaves in vases and set them into your centerpiece. I prefer small vases and low vases because I don’t want to create obstacles to conversation.

Add your candlesticks

The trick to candlesticks is layering. Mix tall and short, brass, gold, and glass candlesticks together. Create visual interest with the different heights, sizes.

Decor Tip: Use white or cream candles to maintain an elegant look. Use a variety of orange, brown, and yellow candles to create a more rustic look.

Add placemats or chargers for each guest.

If you haven’t used a tablecloth, you will want to use placemats. This is where you will may want to use texture and materials like wicker, bamboo, etc. to add more rustic elements.

If you have used a tablecloth, you might want to use chargers. A charger goes under the plate. It adds color or texture, and can really make your dishes pop. Chargers are usually inexpensive and can even be found at dollar stores.

Use fabric napkins.

If you want to add more pops of color to your table, use colored napkins. If you don’t have enough of one color for each place setting, alternate 2 different color napkins.

Wooden or metal napkin rings can extend your rustic look. But you can also just roll your napkin, tie it with a piece of twine. If you wish, you can write the names of your guests on card stock, punch a hole, and add the name tag to the napkin with twine and then your napkin ring doubles as a place card.