Thanksgiving Inspiration

A quick post for those of you who are still looking for some inspiration for your Thanksgiving table settings and flowers! Today I'm sharing a few table settings from years past for your holiday inspiration. { I still haven't truly decided.} This is such an easy and pretty table! A textured black and natural French table cloth, black charger plates, antique French dishes, lavender goblets and Bon Appetit Napkins set the tone. This non -traditional table setting has lavenders, purples and deep merlot. {a favorite color combo for autumn here!} I used an antique French copper fish steamer for the centerpiece. So easy, I tucked in little glasses with water for the flowers, and nestled pomegranates and squash and artichokes on top. Beautiful, easy, and it can be moved with ease. The fun part of creating a special table setting for Thanksgiving is that you can use a n y t h i n g! For this special setting I pulled this antique French children's wheelbarrow into service. A simple antique linen runner is the base, the wheelbarrow is filled with pumpkins, gourds, hydrangeas and apricot colored roses. I used both antique and new checked blue dishes, embroidered linen napkins, and mis-matched silver flatware. Each guest had a warm baked bread in a glassine bag tied with a vintage velvet ribbon on their plate, with a name card. There are years that we can eat Thanksgiving dinner outdoors, {not this year, it's going to be wet and chilly!} and it's great fun setting the table in the back garden. We have appetizers around the fire pit area, and then all sit down to a casually elegant table like the one below. I favor the purple deep colors for autumn most years...one constant is the beautifully embroidered linen napkins. If you are having a smaller group this year, this is a fun casual table - I placed it in the living room. Set with our beloved enamelware dish-ware in white and grey, which is more casual, I still felt the sterling candle holders would be a good match. The tapers add a beautiful glow, they are on a larger platter which also holds the antique ironstone pitcher with green hydrangeas. It's okay to mix and match high and low! I do that all the time, these days we have "casual elegance" and happy to have the opportunity to set our tables any way we want, aren't we? Love blue and white? Blue and White is always magical for any holiday! For the table below, the natural tablecloth is layered with a runner, larger Bon Appetit towels, antique French plates and silverware, and the centerpiece is a simple stack of French medium compotes and tall compotes with pears, blue black grapes and white pumpkins. This year, I'm loving the creams and golds for the table. A simple French linen runner is the base for over the top extravagant gilded porcelain plates, gilded goblets, and luxurious antique linen napkins. No matter how you set your table, it's the people you gather there that matter most! I wish you a beautiful Thanksgiving, dear friends and readers. I hope your table is filled with people you love, and that their joy and laughter will fill your home with love.