Young House Love

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Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas

I’m a last minute gal, what can I say? I’ve been having some fun with a few quick n’ random turkey-day table settings, so I thought I’d share ’em (with 48 whole hours before Thanksgiving to spare). I usually do a bunch of Christmas ones (as seen here) but something about the new doorway between the kitchen and the dining table has me itching to play around with pretty table settings a little early this year. Well, I did do some Thanksgiving table stuff last year and the year before, so I guess it’s becoming a tradition to just use what I have and see what I can come up with. Maybe they’ll help one or two of you who want to pretty up your table in the final hour (especially if you have a few simple things lying around like apples, patterned paper, mugs, cocoa mix, or even a ceramic piece o’ fruit). So on with the show:

Thanksgiving Placesettings

Top Left – This is just some basic china and silverware (from Linens N Things) with my favorite cloth napkin (from Crate & Barrel), a woven glass (from HomeGoods), and two colorful bowls (gifts from a friend, but I’ve seen similar ones at HomeGoods) with a fresh fall apple inside. Simple but still a bit of color, which is nice if you’re a blue, green, tan, and yellow lovin’ gal like me.

Top Right – A tawny mocha runner (HomeGoods) paired with some basic silverware and china (from Linens N Things) and a patterned paper napkin (from Ikea) gets a shot of color thanks to a soft pink vase from Ikea with a pretty fresh bloom for each guest inside. A woven glass with some more pink ties into the vase and adds a fun accent color (it’s not necessarily the first color you think of when it comes to Thanksgiving, but somehow it works).

Middle Left – Here we have a goldenrod pashmina-turned-table-runner with basic china, silverware, and a white cloth napkin (all Linens N Things) along with a stemless wine glass (Crate & Barrel) and some patterned paper (from Michael’s) with a pencil so everyone can jot down what they’re thankful for.

Middle Right – This setting would not only work for Thanksgiving (especially if it’s cold outside) but could also be great for Christmas or New Year’s. The big idea here is a piping hot cup of cocoa complete with whipped cream waiting for each guest. Doesn’t that make you smile? Just me? I lovessss my hot chocolate. I made that mug a while back here (it’s not food safe so I just used it for inspiration – but maybe you have a set of mugs that are that would work?). There’s also a silver wood-grain plate (from Crate & Barrel) along with basic silverware, china, and a white napkin (all from Linens N Things) and a stemless wine glass from Crate & Barrel.

Bottom Left – This one is admittedly a bit crazy. But it just might be perfect for the gal who doesn’t take herself too seriously. A leopard pashmina-turned-table-runner (from the streets of NY) and a gilded West Elm box full of goodies (like an individually wrapped truffle or two) add some serious zing. And woven cups (from HomeGoods) bring some fall texture with a basic plate, napkin, and silverware (from Linens N Things) to balance out all that me-ow.

Bottom Right – Here we have a cloth napkin (from Crate & Barrel) placed placemat-style under the plate along with basic silverware, china, and a white napkin (all from Linens N Things) and a tall textured glass (from Ikea). Then I had some fun with ceramic fruit and a dry erase marker (you can write each guest’s name on anything smooth and wipe it down at the end of the night!). I had more fun with that whole concept than I should. Seriously, somebody needs to look me in the eye and say “put. the. dry. erase. marker. down.”

So there you have it! Some last minute Thanksgiving table settings. Anyone playing around with some setups of their own? Is hot cocoa involved? Will folks be jotting down what they’re thankful for at your house? Are there fresh flowers, boxes full of bon-bons, fruit, ceramic items, or dry erase markers involved? They’re the most addictive of them all. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Psst- It was hilarious and sweet when I saw that Katie B had also done some Thanksgiving table setting of her own. This makes complete sense since we love doing that stuff together (as evidenced here) so I guess if ya can’t be in the same room, doing it around the same time from a few states away is the next best thing.

Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15! 

Comments

  3. Christine at Casa-de-Christine says

    Love those woven glasses and that silver wood grain plate! Where do you have the space to store all these things?!

    That fruit with the dry erase marker is a great idea and I can sympathize with the addiction to dry erase markers. I love those things!

    Reply

  8. Meg says

    Love the idea of writing down what they are thankful for at the table. Great way to keep hungry guest distracted while waiting for me to carve the turkey!

    Reply

  11. bridget b. says

    cute table settings, i like the one with sue the napkin best.

    the craziest long-distance activity that i did with a friend of mine back in the day was synchronized movie watching (raising victor vargas) together while i was in houston and she was in dallas. :)

    Reply

  12. Christina says

    I love the middle right setting! Love some hot chocolate–with mocha and peppermint. I have been drawn to the monochromatic schemes lately. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  13. Meg@Keeping up with the Jenks' says

    I love the last one. White with a a color splash in the placemat. Such great ideas!
    P.S. I totally thought that, in the first picture, you had silver plated chop sticks and I was gonna be super jealous and have to drive up there and take them. Just kidding. It’s pretty far to drive, just for chopsticks.
    Great job- ya’ll will have such a wonderful day of thanking.

    Reply

  14. Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    I love the middle left! I really like the idea of sharing what we’re thankful for around the table.

    I posted about my Thanksgiving table settings today, too! I made burlap placemats for each setting.

    PS. Clara’s expression in this month’s photo is priceless. She looks like a little teenager!

    Reply

  15. Molly says

    I had fun this year taking the kernals off of indian corn cobs, putting them in Ball jars and adding a votive. Gave them to neighbors and Clarke Rose’s teachers (just added the canning top back on for travel). I have them on my tabel with come glass pumpkins! I love the little vase at each plate idea…esp if it is something (cheap) that folks could take home with them!
    Happy Thanksgiving!
    mhc

    Reply

  17. Natalie Muurisepp says

    I got to host the year my december baby was born cause it was too close to my due date to travel. My favorite table scape item was the tool that made my apples and little pumpkins into tea light holders. And then went right down the center of our table.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply

  20. Emily says

    These are so fun!! New goal- get more creative with my table settings! :) I don’t usually set our table, but I do decorate it for the season: http://davenportdiy.blogspot.com/2011/11/dare-to-diy-my-thanksgiving-table.html (maybe I’ll actually set ours for Christmas?)
    Also, Kim at Newlywoodwards is doing a Dare to DIY party and this week is table settings (hmmm, must be a theme around the blogosphere)!! Check out all the great ones there- so creative: http://www.newlywoodwards.com/2011/11/dare-to-entertain-week-26-link-up.html

    Reply

  21. Lindsey says

    We stole your THANKS jar idea from last year (even down to the etching) and we’re going to read our thankful things to each other before we eat :). I’m stoked to hear what my husband is thankful for!

    Reply

  22. Linda says

    Such good ideas – I love the way you show us so many budget friendly alternatives. I’m thankful for finding this blog – although I can scarcely be defined as ‘young’, you two have gotten me over the fear of breaking my condo – at least to the point of spackling and touching up a small hole off my hallway (yay pink spackle!) and caulking my shower. Honestly, I was terrified I’d do something that couldn’t be repaired; sometimes the older your get, the more fearful you get. Just having that small hole finally invisible has brightened up my entire day. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm expertise, and those inevitable ‘oops’ – I think a lot of us gain courage from you.

    A very happy Thanksgiving to your entire family (especially Burger and Clara!)

    Reply

  27. Tina Bland says

    I love the top two!! Sue the Napkin has a special place in my heart because of you. I lvoe the colors of the top right, so pretty.

    Totally unrelated…back with all the crazy rain we had in August (we live in MD) , we had a serious flood in our finished basement and the contractors are here now replacing stuff but they recommend us calling a plumber to install our new sink on our new vanity (they cant do it?)…here is the sink/vanity from home D..

    http://www.homedepot.com/Bath-Bathroom-Vanities-Sinks-Cabinets-Bathroom-Vanities-Vanity-Combos/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbzar/R-100672712/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

    In all honesty, is this something that the Hubs and I can do ourselves? Did you guys do your own? It’s $122 for the plumber to do…insurance will pay eventually but we’d have to wait until after the holidays to get the check (BOO)I just thought we could save time (this pushes back the whole reno project time frame too since we have to wait a week for the plumber) The vanity is installed and all the pipes, etc are already there from the old vanity that was almost identical…

    Anyways, if you have the time, let me know what you think. Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, we’ve installed many a sink/vanity ourselves. Just watch some youtube videos or google around for a tutorial (even reading the installation packet that comes with your sink might be all you need). You can always call a plumber if you try and can’t do it, but it’s worth a shot! Good luck!

      xo,
      s

  29. Jessica says

    I love the table settings, especially the ones with Sue the Napkin!

    I’m also digging your silverware! Where is it from?

    Reply

  35. Jessica @ The Desert Abode says

    Thanks for the last-minute ideas! I’ve figured out the centerpiece (our Thanks Jar), but not the place settings. Better get on that. :)

    Mostly though, we’re just crossing our fingers that the weather is good enough to eat outside!

    Happy Thanksgiving to you!

    Reply

  37. Leslie says

    Random question but do you use cloth napkins frequently in your house? I’m traditionally a pretty wasteful paper-towel user but I ran out a few weeks back and actually didn’t mind using cloth napkins/towels instead for a little while. Just wondering if that’s another eco-conscious choice you’ve made…

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, we pretty much stick to cloth napkins and sometimes randomly will get a cheap pack of paper napkins from Ikea (usually made from recycled materials) if we’re hosting a lot of people (and don’t have enough cloth napkins, hahah).

      xo,
      s

  40. Nette @ This Dusty House says

    Great ideas! It’s not Thanksgiving here (I will never understand the late Thanksgiving thing, though I do think it wonderfully defines when you’re allowed to start decorating for Christmas!) but we have weekly dinner parties with some friends of ours. I think I’ll have to pull some of these ideas for next week! I LOVE the twine wrapped glasses!

    Reply

  41. Stephie says

    Over the weekend a friend of mine introduced me to the ultimate hot cocoa: hot chocolate + Baileys. It definitely made me smile, so much in fact that I plan on bringing that same yummy drink to share at Thanksgiving with the fam on Thursday!

    Reply

  44. Anonymous in case my family reads this! says

    I just decided on a place setting for our surprise wedding. On my 40th birthday, 12 May, my fiance is also graduating from a leadership program at a university. We’re telling everyone it’s a 40th birthday party and a graduation party, then we’re gonna whip out an officiant right before dinner. Even our MOH and BM won’t know until we call them up to witness for us. We’re pretty excited because after seven years and three kids, everybody just thinks we’re not getting married.

    We’re more excited about the food, because we talked our venue into letting us have pizza delivered from 6 of our favorite pizza places. They’re supplying the pasta and salad, though. And the booze.

    But I digress, I decided that for the place setting/wedding favors, since we can’t really have anything that indicates a wedding, I’m going to put cupcakes on the chargers since I always eat dessert first. Then we’ll have cupcakes, a wedding, and pizza in that order. Sounds like a good night to me! Phew! Felt good to get that off my chest.

    Reply

  47. katalina says

    I really thought the last place setting was a mini animal for clara–an elephant and was a little disappointed that Clara wasn’t ready to start her own white ceramic zoo! a pear?

    Reply

  48. katalina says

    Oh good thing she has started the white ceramic collection!

    I am Thankful for your blog and giving me inspiration, some courage and laughter from your posts! and I bet you are thankful that you are not cooking thanksgiving dinner!

    I just found out I am traveling AND cooking a gluten free dinner because my parents are under the weather. I will be lucky that MY table setting does not include a flying cat landing on the turkey…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw we’re thankful for you too Katelina! And for all of our readers! Good luck with your dinner… you can do it! Hopefully it’ll be a cat-free turkey! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  49. Teresa says

    I am so jealous of all of you that can do place settings ;) We are decorating the table and the dessert table. I’m afraid the buffet table doesn’t have room for decorations with all that food! lol My sister-in-law and I are both doing decorations so we can’t put it all together until Thanksgiving day!! So we will be putting out the food and decorating the table. It might be a crazy day… I think some of that hard apple cider I heard word of up above me in the comments is in order….

    Reply

  50. LARY says

    Thanks Sherry! I’ve been debating whether or not to do a nice table setting on Thursday, and looking at this convinced me! We are having only one friend over and I think it will be fun to make it a bit more special by having our names awaiting for us. I might have to attempt something similar to the one with Sue the napkin on the bottom right. :)

    Reply

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