A Casually Elegant Thanksgiving Table

Welcome! November has rather suddenly arrived, replacing warm sunny days with windy, rainy ones. The trees have finally begun to change colors, though the leaves are not as brilliantly hued as last year. Now the days are noticeably shorter and the weeks seem to be so as well. Soon it will be time to gather for Thanksgiving!  

 

Have you started to prepare for Thanksgiving? I've designed a table for my favorite holiday that I'm excited to share with you as part of a wonderful tablescape blog hop with fourteen talented stylists. Thanks to Rita from Panoply for being the creative inspiration behind this shared love for tablescaping. I know you will enjoy all their wonderful Thanksgiving ideas linked at the bottom of this post!

 

 

I decided to set a table that combines elegant touches with an easy casualness that conveys the season's celebratory mood. 

 

I started by laying a vibrantly patterned runner down the length of the table for a base that feels less formal than a tablecloth might have been. The runner has a background in a warm off-white, with botanical designs in autumn shades of gold, green and dark blue. 

 

         

On the runner I placed an array of pumpkins, acorns, and berries that suggest the season's harvest abundance. I added small rattan balls for texture.

 

I chose elegant dinner and salad plates for a multi-course Thanksgiving dinner. Their white bases are encircled by a blue mottled band, accented with gold roses and scrolls, and a delicate inner band consisting of a gold geometric design. Scalloped chargers emphasize the gold in the plates while protecting the table. Although they are melamine, they reflect far more light in the photos than they do in reality.

 

On top of the plates are single-serving castiron cocottes that will keep the lobster bisque warm. The bread plate is placed to the side; four of the place settings have them in the same pattern as the other plates, while the remaining place settings have bread plates made of glass. 

 

                     

Vintage wine glasses in elegant topaz are delicately etched, while their companion water glasses have casual modern lines with squared stems in a light blue.

 

              

Pumpkins in greens, golds, coppers and oranges are joined by oversized acorns. I particularly like the combination of the velvet pumpkins with the resin acorns and their pebble caps. Their colors blend comfortably with the bold runner.

 

               

This photo of the end of the runner displays more of the stylized pattern in the center and along the edges. The linens were a wonderful gift from my sister.

 

Matching napkins are held by festively beaded rings.

 

                                      

I like to use both patterned and solid napkins for an eclectic mix on tables. I placed solid navy ones at the ends of the table and added an inner liner of off-white napkins with lightly drawn leaves. This photo also clearly displays the vintage glass bread plates in vivid cobalt.

 

                                       

A pair of vintage glass candlesticks sits among the pumpkins. I love their spiraling stems and the way the glass subtly graduates in color. The pair, along with a matching compote, were acquired at one of the glass shows I've attended. Links to several posts about the shows can be found at Vintage Glass: All the Colors of the Rainbow.

 

I included two beautiful covered vegetable bowls that I found at a consignment shop for a low price. When I researched them I was astounded to learn that they are antiques — produced sometime between 1851 and 1881. Their gorgeous design complements the other table elements.

 

                          

Their design extends into the interior of the bowls. It's a variation of the "Indian tree" pattern, which became hugely popular in the 19th century. The design wasn't directly Indian — it was a European interpretation inspired by Indian and Chinese motifs. The design typically shows a stylized tree with curling branches, large blooming flowers, and sometimes birds, all in a symmetrical layout. On these bowls a tracery of gold highlights the design. They made their first appearance in  Easing Into Fall.

           

                             

I like how the casual linens, pumpkins and acorns work with the elegant glassware and china to create an inviting table, perfect for dining — and lingering afterwards! The low centerpiece has all the hallmarks of fall and allows for easy conversation; the sparkle of crystal and glass will catch the dancing candlelight when it's time for dessert.

 

A simple vignette on the buffet consists of pumpkins and acorns placed on the coffee/tea service tray and continues the festive theme. I love the richly muted colors of the pumpkins.

 

                        

 The table is currently set for six, but can easily be expanded to seat eight or ten.

  

              

Two candles can provide an amazing amount of light for the table! 

 

I would like to thank Rita from Panoply for organizing this Thanksgiving tablescape celebration. I hope that you'll visit each of my fellow stylists — you are sure to be inspired by their marvelous ideas!

                    Panoply - Thanksgiving 2025: Every Day's A Gift

                    Home is Where the Boat Is - Thanksgiving Greetings

                    Hyacinths for the Soul - Turkey Trot Time

                    Everyday Living - A Thanksgiving of Memories

                    Life and Linda - A Silver and Gold Thanksgiving

                    Pandora's Box - A Thanksgiving Breakfast

                    Me and My Captain - Gathering Together Celebrating Thanksgiving 2025

                    My Thrift Store Addiction - Copper and Velvet Vintage Thanksgiving Table

                    The Cat's Whiskerz - A Warm Thanksgiving Tablescape

                    Olla-Podrida - Over the River and Through the Woods: A Magical Thanksgiving Table

                    Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Thankful for You Tablescape

                    Dinner at Eight - A Casually Elegant Thanksgiving Table   you are here!

                    Red Cottage Cottage Chronicles - Elegant Thanksgiving Table

                    Mantel and Table - A Copper and Black Tablescape: Beautiful Fall Style

 

 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Table details
Plates | Noritake 'Lamarre'

Glass bread plates | Hazel-Atlas 'Newport'

Antique covered bowls | Pinder, Bourne & Hope 'Dresden'
Topaz stemware | Fostoria 'Versailles'

Clear stemware | Schott-Zwiesel 'Conte Sapphire' 

Glass candlesticks | Tiffin 'Amberina satin'
 
* Table details are provided for identification/information only. Dinner at Eight does not receive any type of compensation.