Welcome to my Thanksgiving Table
All are welcome, at the table. There is a place just for you! That song performed by Jonathan Taylor is such a beautiful reminder about the importance of gathering around a table and taking a moment to be thankful for our blessings.
With the same ideology that you dress in your ‘Sunday best’ going to church, I think setting the table for a celebratory occasion warrants the same enthusiasm. Whether you go with a more formal or informal table setting, layering is the key creating a stunning table for your guests to enjoy.
For this year’s Thanksgiving table, I knew that I wanted to use my grandmother’s blue willow pattern for my china. I love the pattern because its beautiful, but more so because of the memories I have of my grandmother and grandfather eating off those plates daily. There are 2 plates that are more faded than the rest because they are the two dishes that were used most frequently, and I love those two gently loved plates the most. They serve as a conversation starter, and it’s a way of honoring them on our table.
Once I selected the blue willow china, I had a starting point! This year Thanksgiving is having a chinoiserie flair! I already had the china, blue linen ticking stripe placemats, rattan chargers, white napkins with a blue monogram, agate napkin rings, and blue juice goblets (I’ll use as wine glasses).
All the pieces I had worked so well together, but don’t necessarily say Thanksgiving, so I had my friend, Madison, from MHB Paper create a watercolor place card that coordinates with my table. She used a rattan pattern around the border and added blue pumpkins, how perfect! She sent them via downloadable print, so I could print them on my home printer. Such a simple way to add a little more seasonal interest to a table scape and also eliminating confusion about who sits where! Love it! I picked up the white metal pumpkin name cards holders from Hobby Lobby, and now the table says fall!
I consulted the tablescaping queen herself, Penny Lyons, of Lyons Lifestyle and she recommended that I added a splash of color down the center of the table with the floral selection since each place setting was fairly neutral. I typically gravitate towards white and green floral arrangements for centerpieces, so I loved the idea of adding a splash of color! I went to the grocery store and got a fall bouquet, the orange and more saturated colors look great against the blue and white! I chose to use three shorter arrangements in birch wrapped vases so the arrangements don’t get in the way of conversations across the table.
I also added some pheasant feathers on from Hobby Lobby in the arrangement to reinforce the fall theme. For the finishing touch, and a little spark of ambiance, I found brass candle sticks at the thrift store and placed taper candle sticks in them. There’s just something about adding candlelight to a table that makes it feel special!
I hope this tabelscape inspires you to reevaluate and reimagine the pieces you already have to create a place to share Thanksgiving with your loved ones. I’m certainly thankful for all of YOU!
Xoxo,
Sarah
