How to Set the Perfect Thanksgiving Table This Year

There is no better time of year to embrace a gorgeous table setting than Thanksgiving. With so much time spent sharing a meal, it’s one holiday where you want to get everything just right. However, this can often feel a little bit daunting. How should you lay the plates? What kinds of decorations are needed?

These questions and more often pop up last-minute, but with the help of two experts, we’ll guide you on how to set the perfect Thanksgiving table.

How to Set the Perfect Thanksgiving Table

This guide will take you along each step of creating a beautiful Thanksgiving tablescape—both functional and stylish bits included. We spoke with interior and hosting expert Tara Wegdam and home organization expert Tina Priestly on setting the perfect table. Here’s how they suggest going about it:

Materials You’ll Need

• Tablecloth
• Tables and chairs
• Plates and flatware
• Cloth napkins and napkin rings if desired
• Water glasses and wine glasses
• Serving platters
• Trivets or pot holders
• Placemats (depending on how you’re setting the table)
• Decorations such as taper candles and candlesticks, flowers or greenery, centerpieces, pumpkins, or paper goods

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Step #1: Set Your Vision & Think About Guest Numbers

While setting the table is a big hands-on effort, the best way to start is with a plan. Wegdam says that she usually as a small part of a vision in her mind that “might be a set of dishes, flower arrangement, or color scheme,” and works her way from there.

Once you have your ideas in place, she says to think about who is coming and how many guests in total you’ll have. This will indicate how much of each item you’ll need.

Lastly, take stock of the number of chairs you’ll need and which ones look nice together, something Wegdam says is often overlooked.

Step #2: Plan Out Food Placement

Before you start placing plates and fluffing up flowers, get a feel for how many serving dishes and trays you’ll have on the table. This can help you plan out where everything will go and if additional tables are needed.

You can hold space for these pots, pans, and trays by placing your trivets and hot pads as space holders.

Step #3: Ready the Table

Now that you have a vision and plan in place and are aware of where serving plates will go, Wegdam says to start be prepping the table. Put together or expand any tables that need it and bring out (and dust off) any extra tables you need.

Step #4: Lay the Tablecloth and Placemats

This is where you can start bringing in nice touches, like different textures and colors. Priestly says to start with spreading out your tablecloth, then add placemats on top, choosing colors like deep orange or red to match the autumnal and Thanksgiving theme.

“This contributes significantly to the comfortable atmosphere that we all enjoy,” she says.

Step #5: Add the Table Decor

Once your tablecloth and placemats are down, you can focus on the decor you’d like on your table. Consider taper candles, short flower arrangements, pumpkins, and leafy garlands. Table runners also make for a pretty (and protective) touch.

If you’re doing a centerpiece, Priestly suggests a height of 12 inches or less. ”

This allows everyone to see each other across the table without leaning,” she says.

By decorating before you set out glasses and plates, you can adjust and style table decor to your liking without accidentally knocking something over or having to reach through glasses to move a gourd or candlestick.

Step #6: Set Out Plates, Flatware, and Glasses

Now is the point where you can lay out all the necessary dishes, utensils, and glasses that will be needed during the meal. Priestly says to lay out your plates—she recommends white for a timeless look or a bold color to celebrate the season—then add a napkin on top of each.

Rather than using paper napkins, she suggests using cotton or fabric napkins to make your tablescape feel more special.

“If you have napkin rings, add those in, too—they can make the table look extra nice,” she says.

Next, Priestly says to follow this order: forks on the left, knives on the right (blades facing each plate), then spoons next to the knives. Above the knives you’ll place wine glasses if they’re being used and other glassware for water. This is another area she says where you can choose colorful options to make your table pop.

3 Additional Tips for a Perfect Thanksgiving Tablescape

• Make use of a side table: Priestly says that if there isn’t enough space on the table, it’s best to bring out a side table or buffet to hold the extra cookware and serving plates. Plus, this gives your guest more room. Wegdam adds that it’s worth “keeping the decorations to a minimum” on these extra surfaces.
• Keep the middle clear: While it may be tempting to create a voluminous display with decor and florals, Priestly says you’ll want to keep the very middle section clear of decoration so you have a place to set your main dishes down.
• Use decor to boost the theme: Don’t feel like you need to buy brand new plates and placemats to create a gorgeous tablescape. Rely on essentials that are timeless and use decor to set the theme of the holiday. This means you can use your foundational staples for many holidays and dinners to come.