I grew up with a gourmet chef for a mom-- so Thanksgiving was a pretty serious day. It wasn't just about a delicious meal amongst family and friends, it was also about presentation, articulation, and the overall beauty of the affair. The only day that possibly rivaled Thanksgiving's dinner party status was Christmas' Eve. But I digress.
It didn't matter if it was a rich or lean year: every year, the table was set with linens, china, silver, placecards, fresh flowers (if fresh flowers were too expensive-- fresh foilage from outside, leaves, berries, pumpkins and gourds). I remember one year-- I think I was about eleven or twelve-- the table was set in shades of aqua and orange, our names were written on placecards with gold metallic ink, my water glass was a blue art-deco glass goblet with a fresh wedge of lemon in it. Everything looked perfect, and I took that with me. It created an impression upon me, and influenced my passion for design and artful presentation.
Since last week I blogged about my ideas for my Thanksgiving menu & wine pairings, I thought I'd focus a bit more on my table design. So, here's some fun inspirational ideas for how to spice up your Thanksgiving table from around the web:
I really think this idea is cute and one you can easily do yourself that I found on Country Living:
Simply buy 3X6 pillar candles (unscented for on the dining room tables) and brown paper from Michaels-- Vellum works great. Then get either pre-made dyecuts or if you're feeling crafty, cut them yourself. Or, you could trace & paint the letters yourself (I think that would look really cute!) Pin or glue the paper onto the back of the candle and voila-- you've made a statement with your holiday table
Feeling Crafty? Martha knows you want to impress your guests with orgami-inspired napkin folds, like this adorable Turkey Napkin:
The easiest way to take your Thanksgiving from a get together to a party: placecards. As a kid, this always made me feel fancy, and your guests will feel special, too. You don't have do do calligrapy: print out a card on your computer in a pretty script font, cut it out to a shape that's cute, then attach to a pear, pumpkin, or other fun fall shape:
Something that makes your party look really fancy is taking something ordinary and making it a bit more extraordinary-- like these pumpkins spray-painted in gold. Paired with pretty blue linens, this creates a really unique and enigmatic design statement on your table):
Source: Martha Stewart
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
