Beautiful Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas
Thanksgiving is all about gathering loved ones for good conversation, counting your blessings, and a delicious shared meal around a beautifully set table - and sneaking into the kitchen to get the first crack at the leftover turkey and stuffing, let’s be honest.
We love the elegance and grace of a well-set table, whether it’s a classic, traditional setting laden with fine china and candles or a sleek, modern tablescape filled with colorful glassware.
Creating a stunning space is about more than aesthetics, however; it's setting the scene for the connections, shared laughter, and memories to be made.
To help you set the scene for a beautiful holiday, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of our favorite Thanksgiving table decor ideas, ranging from easy Thanksgiving tablescapes to modern, coastal Thanksgiving inspiration.
5 Beautiful Ideas for Thanksgiving at the Beach
Gilded Oyster Shell Thanksgiving Place Settings
Save them a seat! Welcome your loved ones to your Thanksgiving table with a customized, elegant oyster shell place card. Grit & Grace Studio’s handcrafted calligraphy place card doubles as an heirloom party favor: your guests can showcase this gilded oyster shell on their mantle, coffee table, or nightstand to remember, “The world is your oyster!” Our Oyster Shell Place Cards are available in various finishes, so you can pick the look that best complements your beach Thanksgiving decor. From $7
Elegant Beach Thanksgiving
Life’s a beach when you pair a sophisticated, neutral color palette with nautical elements like wicker, rattan, or driftwood. Look for dried mini oats or pampas grass and pale pink or cream roses, but do remember that sea oats are often a protected species and forgo foraging. For understated glamor, arrange customized Grit & Grace Studio Oyster Shell Place Cards in Natural over folded linen napkins.
credit: Arika Jordan Photography / Adorn Collective Workshops / Taylor Hackett-Johnson / Knot A Second Thought / Celebration Cottage
Nautical Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas
For smooth sailing this Thanksgiving, channel a non-traditional and refined yacht-inspired vibe. Opt for preppy striped table linens topped with rustic wooden trays in lieu of chargers, opulent pops of gold, and bright floral arrangements to truly capture the flavor of Thanksgiving at the beach. Serve the meal family-style for a cozy holiday feel.
photo credit: @rachelredphotography
Celebrate the pearls in your life with a gorgeous conversation piece: a gilded oyster garland running the length of your table. This handcrafted nautical decor is both elegant and versatile. Drape it along your mantle, let it grace your elegant Thanksgiving tablescape, or secure it to your banister for a refined, contemporary aesthetic this holiday season. From $96
Outdoor Lounge
What’s the best part of Thanksgiving at the beach? The sun and sand, of course! Savor the fall weather and relish your oceanside holiday with an outdoor lounge. Invite family members to put their feet up with plush blankets and oversized pillows, and leave a tray of appetizers for a delicious surprise as guests arrive.
credit: Arika Jordan Photography / Adorn Collective Workshops / Taylor Hackett-Johnson / Knot A Second Thought / Celebration Cottage
5 Fresh Ideas for Traditional Thanksgiving Place Settings
Estelle Colored Glass Wine Goblets
Savor fall colors by incorporating vibrant stemware to your tablescape. Estelle Colored Glass offers an impressive variety of colorful glassware, ranging from Amber Smoke and Fuschia to a rich yellow, so you’re sure to find a perfect match for your Thanksgiving table decor. Feeling extra festive? Pick up champagne coupes in a matching or complementary color. A vibrantly hued glass is even more fun to raise in a toast, trust us. Set of 6 $175.00
Customized Thanksgiving Menu
Break bread in style and give your friends a taste of what’s to come with a creative Thanksgiving menu. We love this sweet and sophisticated menu printed on a baguette bag and accented with a rosemary flourish from the stationary design mavens at Studio R Design. One of our favorite Thanksgiving table decor ideas, a customized pastry bag is an adorable way to wish your loved ones bon appétit!
photo credit: Jennings King Photography
Dessert First
Life is sweet: welcome them with a treat! One of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner as an adult is that you don’t have to suffer through green beans before you get dessert, right?! Whether you dive in and eat your pumpkin pie right after the blessing or simply let your beautiful desserts enhance your table decor, we love the idea of a rich, autumnal color palette punctuated with delicious, tempting bites and personalized pies for an elegant Thanksgiving.
photo credit: Annie Patterson Photography
Modern Chargers
Treat yourself to a fun, modern set of chargers to elevate your Thanksgiving place settings. The additional color and texture will add a sophisticated note to your tablescape, and you can enjoy them for years to come. Play with textural elements like rattan, wood, or slate to really add some pizzazz to your everyday china. We love these gold chargers from Jeffrey Bannon with our Gilded Oyster Shell Place Cards for a glamorous coastal aesthetic.
Gilded Oyster Salt and Pepper Cellars
You’ll be ready to shell-ebrate as you gather your family around a Thanksgiving table decked with our Gilded Oyster Salt and Pepper Cellars. These heirloom dishes are lovingly painted and carefully paired as a matching set of salt cellars. Each set of oyster shells comes with two sustainable bamboo serving spoons, sized perfectly for serving salt, sugar cubes, or spices. $50
5 Stunning Thanksgiving Dinner Tables
Rich Jewel Tones & Fruit Accents
For a pear-fect, glam Thanksgiving table, try brilliant jewel tones punctuated with richly hued fruit, candles, and mercury glass. Apples, small bowls of berries, and pomegranates will add opulent, sophisticated autumn vibes to your tablescape - almost like you’ve stepped into a famous painting. The best part? This elegant Thanksgiving table decor idea is easy on your budget, and you can savor the fruits of your labor at a later date!
credit: Jenna Marie Weddings / Luke Wilson Events
Rustic Fall Flowers & Farm Table
Bloom where you’re planted this year, and keep your Thanksgiving table decor simple with colorful bouquets on a farm table. Let Mother Nature do the work for you by selecting playful oversized flowers in fall shades like orange, burgundy, yellow, and crimson and layering them in Mason jars or plain ceramic vases. Kick back and enjoy the evening without the work of washing and ironing linens.
photo credit: Reese Moore Photography for Chow Chow AVL
Country Classic
Elevate your Thanksgiving table decor plans by dining al fresco under Charleston’s iconic (and abundant) Spanish moss. Pair fine table linens with matching china, and wow your guests by flanking the table with grounded oversized floral arrangements in autumn hues. Of course, you’ll want to check the weather before setting the table!
credit: Pure Luxe Bride / Middleton Place Weddings / Ooh Events / La Tavola Linen / We Are Petaloso / The Happy Bloom
Elegant, Modern Coastal Thanksgiving
Squash your hostess anxiety with this stunning, elegant tablescape. When it comes to an easy Thanksgiving tablescape for your coastal Thanksgiving, Grit & Grace Studio has almost everything you need (just add pumpkins and candles!). Pair our Gilded Oyster Napkin Rings with an artfully arranged Decoupage Oyster Garland and simple white pumpkins. Let us customize each napkin ring with your loved ones’ names for a truly thoughtful Thanksgiving!
Candlelight Thanksgiving Table
Let love shine with a splendid array of taper candles. This easy Thanksgiving tablescape is romantic, refined, and bohemian, a sure show-stopper when paired with fine china, flowers, and good conversation. Mix and match the heights and colors of your candles for a truly inviting look.
We wish you a happy Thanksgiving, filled with loved ones, delicious food, and great conversation. When it comes to counting our blessings this holiday, we’ll count you twice. Your support is our anchor.
Further your gratitude practice with our Mala Mantra Necklace, our Decoupage Oyster Blessing Beads, or a Mantra Bracelet, or gather your tribe and let us host you and your loved ones for a transformational, creative morning focused on setting intentions with a Mala Workshop.
As a reminder, Grit & Grace Studio is here for all your holiday needs, from holiday decor to gift-giving. Let us personalize a handcrafted oyster gift with your loved one’s name or anniversary date, or let us add an elegant calligraphy note to one of our carefully curated gift baskets.
One Love & Blessings,