14 Tastemaker-Approved Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas (2024)

This colorful tablescape design is by Charlotte-based designer Gray Walker, whose love for pattern and many trips to the farmers market inspired this setting. The bright paisley napkins, unique china, and pastel blue tablecloth are delightful foils to the festive and rustic centerpiece.

"I often shop the farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, and I fell in love with the Indian corn and the dried husks so decided to do the pumpkins, gourds and corn scattered down the table," says Walker. "The daisies and wildflowers felt right coming out of the top of hollowed out pumpkin. I love the natural decoration with my china, crystal and silver. It’s warm and inviting with a dose of the good stuff."

Get the Look: Paisley Dinner Napkins

"I love to decorate with green year-round—it's a season-less color in nature as well as in your home," says Amy Burstyn Fritz, co-founder of Misette. "For special occasions like Thanksgiving, I pair it with touches of gold for an elevated look.”

Even though neither red, orange, nor yellow comprise the bulk of the color scheme, this table manages to feel appropriate for a Turkey Day meal. Plus, it would also be a beautiful setting for a Christmas celebration later in the season.

Get the Look: Green and Gold Dinner Plates

This biophilic Thanksgiving table setting idea comes from chef and shop owner Stephanie Nass of Chefanie. Her Pressed Fall Tablecloth and Dinner Napkins pair beautifully with tortoise glassware, forest green placemats, and green bamboo utensils. Nass says no Thanksgiving place setting is complete without individual chocolate turkeys.

Get the Look: Individual Chocolate Turkeys

Various shades of pink may not be your first color palette choice for a Thanksgiving table, but we love this feminine design by Houston-based designer and shop owner Paloma Contreras for a unique setting that still feels plenty festive.

“I wanted to create a setting that was unexpected," says Contreras. "Rather than go with traditional Thanksgiving colors, I opted for a color palette composed of various berry hues which feels both festive and sophisticated.”

Get the Look: Pink Tablecloth

This layered Thanksgiving tablescape designed by The Avenue is rich in fall's signature colors, making for a well-collected design that doesn't feel too loud. Terracotta and straw pairs brilliantly with the bold gray placemats, and the brass candlesticks give the table a vintage feel.

Get the Look: Brass Candlesticks

Where better to host an intimate Thanksgiving than a rich, forest green-swathed library? Reed Smythe's Keith Meacham decorated this lovely table with rich reds and magentas while featuring pops of blue in the plates and florals. The festive tablecloth from the brand's new collaboration with Lisa Fine Textiles ties everything together seamlessly.

“This tablecloth from Lisa Fine and Reed Smythe is the perfect backdrop for a fall dinner," Meacham says. "I love the way it looks here with rose colored glassware and a Mochaware cachepot filled with dark peonies and a shot of blue in the arrangement.”

Get the Look: Rose Goblets

This plant-forward table was designed by Tarik Koivisto, founder of the brand Luxe Provence and photographed by Jamie Beck, author of the upcoming book, An American in Provence. Beck says you can never go wrong with bouquets of freshly cut blooms and bundles of olive branches at each setting to bring texture and organic beauty to the scene without feeling too "Thanksgiving-y." Locally made pottery, antique glassware, and linens from Kovisto's brand ties everything together for a layered look.

"I loved the thoughtful approach of something old being the wine glasses, and something new, using the tablecloth, married with what's available seasonally, the flowers, and locally, the artisan's dishware," says Beck.

Get the Look: Olive Floral Tablecloth

Acclaimed photographer, tastemaker, and shop owner Lucy Cuneo says she loves to collect unique items from Etsy and eBay to mix up her holiday table arrangements. She snagged these velvet faux fruits online last year and loves to decorate with them to bring some festivity to the scene without feeling pressured to be too "in season."

"Foraging is another fun way to go," says Cuneo. "If you're in a place where the leaves are still turning, it's striking to use a mix of green, gold, and red leaves on the table." This way, you'll still evoke a fall setting while following Cuneo's lead and using your favorite tableware and linens to create a one-of-a-kind setting.

Get the Look: Velvet Pears

This chic, nature-inspired table setting by Nass features her Woodcut collection of table linens that makes a festive foundation to your holiday scene. Bud vases and tortoise glassware adorn each setting while large silver candlesticks create an ambient glow across the table.

Get the Look: Tortoise Wineglasses

Hill House Home founder Nell Diamond says that she loves a thoughtful tablescape to elevate any occasion, but it feels extra special during the holiday season. Diamond likes to stick true to her brand year-round with feminine florals while bringing in festive pops to the scene, such as her favorite gold turkey place card holders from Pottery Barn.

"I always love to dress up my table in unique trinkets and accessories—my friend Alice is the tablescape queen, so I always check out her website to see what unique pieces she has each season," Diamond says. "I also love these hand painted plates from Laboratorio Paravicini and colorful glassware from Laguna B."

Get the Look: Botanical Napkins

This festive Turkey Day table designed by The Avenue feels like a celebration of all things fall, from the seasonal blooms and produce to the olive green checked table cloth and energizing floral-patterned tableware. This setting also feels appropriate for a Thanksgiving brunch the next morning.

Get the Look: Gingham Tablecloth

This second look from Misette is perfect for a more casual gathering without feeling haphazardly thrown together. Delightful touches from the napkin embroidery to the florals on each candle achieve an understatedly elegant vibe that's fit for the kids' and adults' tables.

"For fall gatherings, I love transitioning to warm amber tones in my décor while still keeping a sense of lightness with floral prints, natural textures like jute and linen, and colored glass." says Fritz.

Get the Look: Floral Candlesticks

"I wanted this table to feel a little bit woodsy to channel an old master still life," says Gray Walker. "The moody, autumnal hues feel cozy for outdoor dining in the South, which we are often are able to do around Thanksgiving. It fills my heart and soul creating beautiful tablescapes for my family to gather around."

Cabbageware, French bistro chairs, and lanterns on the table bring uniqueness to this otherwise traditional design. It's the perfect compromise for those who want to use their favorite festive colors and pieces without feeling overtly festive.

Get the Look: Cabbageware Dinnerware Sets

Southerners are fortunate enough to have the option of hosting Thanksgiving alfresco, and this table setting from a group of Alabama-based tastemakers features unexpected pops of color, fabulous texture, and artistic arrangements that will inspire you to keep your more traditional Thanksgiving decorations in storage this year.

Get the Look: Wavy Bowls