Whether you’re hosting family or friends, a thoughtfully planned and carefully executed Thanksgiving table setting can make your fall holiday extra festive.
Easy DIY seasonal centerpieces, place cards, fall foliage, cloth napkins, and candles can all elevate your Thanksgiving meal time and make the occasion more memorable.
We’ve compiled 18 Thanksgiving table setting ideas that will suit your budget and style, whether you prefer glam accents, a traditional design, or a minimalist setting for a casual, laid-back feel.
Take a look!
1. Showcase Gratitude
Thanksgiving is about meeting with family and friends to celebrate gratitude; your tablescape should reflect that. This tablescape honors this idea using creamy tablecloths with the message “Autumn Blessings.” White pumpkins and ceramics complement the table linens for a simple yet elegant look.
Taken from outside, a log has been fitted with colorful red candles to act as the centerpiece and is a festive and warm way to light this traditional-inspired Thanksgiving tablescape.
2. Take a Muted Approach
A Thanksgiving tablescape doesn’t require new tableware for it to be elegant. The buffalo check tablecloth and napkins, paired with the woven placemats, bring a fall farmhouse look to this tablescape.
This Thanksgiving table setting idea foregoes the traditional centerpiece but instead uses three small floral vases, mismatched candle votives, and tiny colorful DIY pumpkins. This allows guests to converse with one another easily while seated across the table.
3. Go for an Elegant Look
This Thanksgiving tablescape features a lush faux green ivy garland, glass pumpkins, and plum-colored faux florals running down the middle of the table as its centerpiece.
The metalized glasses give the table setting a refined look, while the candles add some height.
4. Stock Up on Pumpkins
Take a traditional approach to Thanksgiving table setting ideas with a bunch of pumpkins and greenery down the center of your table. The plaid napkins add more to the traditional feel, while the small pumpkins on top of them are the perfect complement to the pumpkin centerpiece.
Old book pages have been converted into placemats for a classic, vintage look that you can keep all season long.
5. Focus on Candles
The lanterns in this Thanksgiving table setting idea not only add interest but also have scented candles that fill the room with holiday fragrances to help make your guests feel welcome. Mismatched candle votives along the table bring added height.
The white tablecloth is an excellent backdrop, allowing the green foliage to take center stage while contrasting with the dark wood table for a charming farmhouse look.
6. Try a Simple Modern Look
Using seasonal florals and produce is an easy and effective way to introduce dashes of color to your Thanksgiving table setting. This tablescape uses vibrant fall flowers and persimmons that stand out from the neutral-toned tableware and decor.
The white plates, linens, and accents pair with the gray tablecloth for a sophisticated, modern feel. The dark green hairpin side chairs and candle holders add drama to the setup.
7. Unconventional Excellence
If your color scheme includes shades of blue, don’t be afraid to complement them with your Thanksgiving table setting. This Thanksgiving table setting idea takes a nontraditional approach to the color palette with a floral blue and green tablecloth.
The tablecloth serves as a base for chic blue tableware, a bouquet of fall foliage, and wreaths filled with mini pumpkins for a simple, refreshing holiday table.
8. Introduce Patterns and Textures
A quick way to create a Thanksgiving table setting that makes a big statement is by mixing textures and patterns. The napkins, buffalo plaid throw, and pillow add various patterns to this holiday table setup.
The rustic wooden table and vintage cutting boards, together with the black upholstered bench, chairs, and white sheepskin throw, bring texture, while a gray table runner anchors the lush garland centerpiece.
9. Small Details
Take pride in your garden florals and use them to showcase your green thumb through a Thanksgiving table setting. This tablescape uses flower vases filled with roses, mums, and red berries on both ends of the table for a charming, casual look.
Small details such as the mini pumpkins and place cards give the table setting a fall-inspired look, while table runners on each side of the table allow for a distinct spot for the holiday décor.
10. Go for a Simple Garland
In this Thanksgiving table setting, the garland features fall florals, produce, and decorative mini pumpkins that make the tablescape feel personal.
The black plates add some color and contrast nicely with the white napkins and fall garland, revitalizing the look.
11. Shine with White
Picking one or two colors for your Thanksgiving table setting is anything but boring, especially when you introduce different heights and textures, like in the above tablescape.
Different-sized white pumpkins are paired with fall foliage and tiny candleholders on a natural woven table runner for an exquisite and visually appealing look that suits a casual or formal Thanksgiving gathering.
12. Floral Setup
An arrangement of petite flowers and tiny fruits brings the right amount of bold color, brightening the color palette and energizing this traditional Thanksgiving table setting.
Greenery elevates the centerpiece, and the floral ceramic jug and scalloped plates further enhance the traditional look while complementing the vibrant hues.
13. Keep it Breezy
Layer in white and orange faux flowers into your greenery garland for an unexpected color palette that will give your Thanksgiving table setting a coastal feel.
The white cutlery, napkins, hyacinth placemats, and wicker napkin rings help bring a relaxed beach-inspired feel while keeping the design simple and clean so you can use it all season long.
14. Modest Tablescape
If you spent most of your time preparing for Thanksgiving meals, you can double down on your decorations to let your food be the star of the show. The wood salad bowl used for the floral centerpiece in this idea livens up the holiday tablescape.
The stylish pumpkin soup bowls bring a touch of glam to the Thanksgiving table setting, and the linen table runner adds some texture. Rattan chargers pair with wood tones for an understated tablescape that’ll stand the test of time.
15. DIY Fall Centerpiece
Save money on your fall decorations with a fun DIY Thanksgiving table centerpiece. This tablescape uses an old wooden box filled with fall foliage and a row of taper candles to evoke a farmhouse feel.
The wooden box blends seamlessly with the table for a cohesive look.
16. Contemporary Vibe
If you want your Thanksgiving table setting to lean more modern than traditional, you can achieve this with an uncommon fall-inspired theme. This Thanksgiving tablescape pairs pink napkins with petite fall greenery and gold accents instead of the more accustomed fall hues.
The different-sized candle votives add plenty of height and visual interest, while the dark wood table allows the vibrant hues to pop more, creating a refreshing, modern color scheme for the fall season.
17. Take a Maximalist Approach
This maximalist tablescape features whimsical DIY turkey figurines, dried purple corn, and a bountiful amount of fruits in the middle of the table, making guests feel as if they’re dining in the garden.
Votive candles and a stack of old books add height and drama to the Thanksgiving table setting.
18. Black Supremacy
Fall hues and patterns aren’t the only integral elements of fall decor—incorporating various textures in your space is equally important. This Thanksgiving table setting features plenty of textures, from the dried wheat stalks to the DIY woven pumpkins and rattan placemats.
Combining these textures with matte black tableware, silvery candleholders, and white pillar candles adds character without necessarily using bright colors.
