Thanksgiving is almost here! Many of you may be getting ready to host Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends. After the menu is planned or pot luck coordinated, setting the table is the next fun activity. Luckily you can do this far in advance so you don’t have to rush Thanksgiving morning. It’s perfectly fine to start setting up the table a week in advance, especially if the table isn’t for daily use. To give you a little inspiration, I created this classic black and white table setting with pieces from the Better Homes & Gardens Collection. I know it is more traditional to decorate with warm tones, leaves and other fall accents, but I’m not the biggest fan of that style. I hope this gives you the idea to think a little outside of the box for all your holiday entertaining decor!
I started with a few yards of black and white striped fabric and used it as a tablecloth. To add a little texture to the table I used a natural jute table runner. It’s the most fall-like accent on the table and it does seem a little like hay from farm (think fall harvest).
For the plates, I wanted to move away from traditional round plates. Square plates actually offer more space for food, which is suitable for a Thanksgiving feast! They are inexpensive so I don’t worry about a guest accidentally chipping or breaking a dish. The classic black napkins are elegant and a beautiful contrast to the place setting. They are also hide messy stains as opposed to white napkins which can look kinda gross after a meal. I have a standard set of gold flatware that are great for special occasions and look beautiful when tied with striped ribbon.
I love using fresh flowers as a centerpiece, but sometimes the fragrances can bother guests. For this table setting, I placed a decorative candelabra as the centerpiece. In the evening, it is beautifully lit with small votive candles. It is the perfect piece for subtle elegance. I also used to small white pumpkins to accent the candelabra and add another subtle fall accent. Towards the ends of the table are fun little moss gem clusters to add a slight touch of green. They work great as apothecary jar or glass fillers too!
A Thanksgiving table can be incredibly simple yet styled to impress your holiday guests. If you’re more of a color-lover, then check out my Thanksgiving table from last year! Whatever design you chose to decorate, be sure to invest in basic pieces that can be used all year long. The easiest pieces to switch and create many combinations of color +pattern are the table linens.
For more inspiration and to check out other blogger creations visit the social channels below. You can also follow the hashtag #BHGLiveBetter !
*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Better Homes and Gardens products at Walmart. All content, ideas, and words in this post are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Planning Pretty.
Photography by Joseph Simmons
