How-to set a Unique Festive Farmhouse Inspired Thanksgiving Day Table

Casual Farmhouse Style

Welcome to our November Thanksgiving Blogger Home Tour. I’ve joined up with another group of fantastic blogger sharing loads of inspiration and spilling all our secrets on how-to host a stress-free Thanksgiving. I’m so excited to share with you my most recent casual farmhouse table all ready for Thanksgiving. Come take a seat!

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away?  Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays where the majority of pressure is getting the bird in the oven on time.  Granted, Thanksgiving is about gathering with loved ones and giving thanks for all our blessings but I never overlook the chance at making the home more inviting. 

Bright White Holidays

Last year I shared my 7 tips to decorating your home for a rich and inviting Thanksgiving. Today I’m thrilled to share my client Lori’s newly built home and a brighter simplified look.  After working side by side for the past few months selecting finishes Lori asked me to help furnish and decorate for her first Thanksgiving dinner.  “Can you make my house look like a Joanna Gaines fixer-upper, all bright, casual and farmhouse style?”  Boy, that’s a tall order to fill!  She asked me if it was worth decorating for a party for an intimate party of 4 . My answer was undeniably “yes!”

A Neutral Canvas

With cherry floors that would eventually darken, I aimed to keep everything bright white, uncluttered and clean. All bright white trim framed out three gorgeous windows and a set of french doors overlooking her rolling hilled backyard. The soft greige walls painted in Kestrel White SW7516 by Sherwin Williams are the perfect canvas to highlight new  farmhouse table  and furniture and her first dinner party. 

1. Relaxed Dining Table

Room for All. As I mentioned before Lori loved a relaxed farmhouse style.  A creamy white glazed base, a darker charcoal stained top and drawers on all four sides was the perfect farmhouse table for Lori’s needs. . Eye catching contrast, extra storage and beauty all rolled up into one.  The kind of table that you could use with our without a tablecloth! That’s how I define Farmhouse style.

2. Picking Your Palette

You just need one piece for inspiration. Mine was a chartreuse velvet pumpkin with striped feathers. My theme was set.  I chose a soft neutral palette of black, white, golds and the not-so traditional Thanksgiving color green. I scattered the green throughout the entire table balancing out the color. Matchy-matchy with color is boring. My greens run the gamut from chartreuse to grass green and dark olive.

3. Focal Point Centerpieces

Elegant and organic. If you’ve been a reader for a while you might recall that my family owns a floral and gift shop. My sister and her team of creative designers executed my vision to a T. It’s not always easy when someone requests an arrangement that needs to be rustic, a little bit whimsical and made up of mixed metals with accents of chartreuse… but Wisteria delivered!

4. Tablecloths and Runners

Layer on the pattern. There was no way that I was going to cover out the beautiful dark wood tabletop but I needed to soften things up and anchor the centerpiece. Get creative with this layer.  Think outside the box and use a gorgeous scarf, rolls of craft paper, fabric remnants or beaded placemats. I folded up lengthwise a gray and white striped tablecloth and used it as a runner giving my table decor a long space to spread out on. 

5. High and Low Decor

Bring out the good stuff.  What are you waiting for? As a self proclaimed dinnerware junkie I am always finding unique plates, odd glasses, decorative serving pieces and flatware sets that I just can’t live without. Mix and match store bought plates with family heirlooms for an authentic look. I layered inexpensive Thanksgiving plates with my great grandmother’s gold rimmed dessert plates. 

6. Add Texture

Come one, come all.  Once my pumpkin theme was established I scoured stores for pumpkins in all shapes, sizes and made of varying materials. From ceramic to metal, and velvet to cornhusk, grouping these pumpkins were pretty to look at irresistible to touch.

 Shopping Tip:

My favorite place to look for inexpensive seasonal decor is in the floral filler aisle. For under ten dollars I scored a dozen of these green, white and brown straw mini pumpkins. Scatter them or group in a large bowl or glass canister. The possibilities were endless for this farmhouse table.

7. Heighten Your Interest

Short and tall, you want them all. When planning our your tablescape look for decor of varying heights. Start with your tallest piece in the center and work your way out.  Tall gold and white striped candlesticks bring your eyes up. Fill on the empty spaces with with your mid-sized decor and tuck in the smallest pieces in the gaps. 

Whether you’re hosting 4 or 40,  creating an elegant Thanksgiving Day tablescape should be simple and stress-free. 

8. Side Business

Finding extra room. Let’s get real the the amount of plates and platters for Thanksgiving dinner can take up some serious real estate.  Set up a buffet and give your guest some extra elbow room.  Before dinner she has room for a bar set up and after dinner a place to display all the desserts.  The glass drawers allowed me to show off her decorative accessories and cookbooks. I hung a rustic arched window mirror above that bounces the light from the opposing french doors and gives the illusion that the room is more spacious. 

9. Swap out Decor 

Fickle fundamentals. I always run into seasonal art and decor that I fall in love with even after the holiday has passed.  If you love it, and the price is right, buy it.  That’s my motto. It’s not necessary to fit it into your year round decor. Just like your Christmas decorations, store seasonal decor in bins and swap out for a completely fresh look. I tend to gravitate to white pottery so that I can blend it with multiple seasons and color. I have a large canvas art in my morning room that sticks around for Spring and Summer. 

Shop at Home:

Rotate lamps from room to room or switch lampshades for a fresh look without breaking the bank. 

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.  

-William Arthur Ward

A caned basket with tin wall pocket holds inexpensive wood cooking utensils. At Christmas time Lori could add fresh greens, candy canes, or even birch branches with mini ornaments. 

10. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

 Forget about waistlines and timelines.  Thanksgiving is a time for togetherness and gratitude.  In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays it’s most important to sit back and enjoy time with your loved ones. A time to be thankful and grateful for those in our lives.  Putting forth the effort to create an inviting space is good enough… Don’t fret and pull-up a seat to our farmhouse table.  Is it time for dessert yet?  

Traditions

After our family has eaten the last cannoli and piece of pumpkin pie the guys roll into the family rom to watch football and the girls get out the cards. My grandfather loved to play gin rummy and taught us all how to play. Grandpa Meme (The Meme of MemeHill) always wore a hat or knit cap. In honor of Grandpa Meme we all sit around the table and wear hats while playing cards. Over the years the knit hats have evolved into crazy hats and wigs. I will make sure that I take a picture of us this year so stop back for an update.

What is your family tradition? 

Now be sure to visit all my friends that are joining me this month in sharing their Thanksgiving decorating ideas!

Happy Happy Nester | Creating an Inexpensive Thanksgiving Table

Modern Glam | Golden Thanksgiving Table with Foraged Centerpiece

2 Ladies & A Chair | Creating A Simple Elegant Thanksgiving Tablescape

Life Is Better At Home | Elegant Thanksgiving Table Using Mixed Metals

Meme Hill Studio | How-to set a Unique Festive Farmhouse Inspired Thanksgiving Day Table

Styled With Lace |A Welcoming Fall Foyer for Thanksgiving

Finding Lovely | A Thankful Thanksgiving with Boat Placecards

The Posh Home | Thanksgiving Decorating

Love Your Abode | How to Decorate for Thanksgiving Using Free Botanical Printables

<!– end InLinkz script —>

Make sure you sign up on my email list so you won’t miss the Christmas changes made to our master bedroom or tips on creating a cozy personalized guest bedroom!  Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving! 

Lots of love, Amie

Want to see more of this home? Here’s a short tour just after staging this townhome.