Decorating Tips For A Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner

Although Thanksgiving is observed in October by Canadians, it is only after the excitement of Halloween that most Americans start to think about their own preparations for the holiday. Hosting a Thanksgiving dinner is quite a feat and expectations from guests can be high so, to impress your family and friends, update your home’s décor and give your Thanksgiving celebrations a twist. By using traditional elements in a modern way you can set a tone that will make your event a success. Even if you only make a couple of changes to your normal decorations, you will find that the spirit of Thanksgiving is evoked, making for a relaxed and informal family event.

Make A Feature Of Your Fireplace.

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Don’t just focus on your dining room’s décor. Of course, there is no need to make wholesale changes to your home’s interior design for a one day event. Nevertheless, by picking a single element of your home and redecorating it you can create a stunning effect. Use a focal point in the house, like a fireplace, since everyone will see it. Add some design touches that indicate Thanksgiving and make reference to the time of year. Attach some grape vine and golden leaves to your fireplace’s mantel. If you don’t plan on lighting a fire, mount a fall wreath in the hearth to get a Thanksgiving look.

Dining Table Candles.

Table decor for thanksgiving2
Table decor for thanksgiving2

Lit candles on your dining table create a sense of warmth and glow. These can work especially well if your Thanksgiving meal is planned for a little later in the day. Set your candles along the length of the table and use a runner to protect your table cloth. If you don’t want to go to the expense of candlesticks, a good idea is to use mason jars to mount your candles in, forming little Thanksgiving lanterns. Choose lightly scented candles to add to the atmosphere, but nothing that is too overpowering and that will detract from your cooking. Cinnamon, vanilla and cranberry scents are all fine choices for the time of year.

Center Pieces.

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Use something from nature to form a new center piece for your dining room table. Taking inspiration from the natural environment in fall is a great way of conjuring a Thanksgiving feeling. Use some prettily shaped twigs from the garden and reinvent them by dipping them into paint. Hazel wood makes an ideal material for a home craft project like this. Or, how about making your center piece from pine kernels stacked on top of one another in a fruit bowl?

Fall Flower Arrangements.

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If you are not using one as a center piece for your dining table a great Thanksgiving tip is to have a fall inspired flower arrangement elsewhere in your dining room. Use colorful branches from a shrub that has turned to gold or yellow and mount them against other leaves that are deeper red in hue. Acer leaves are particularly good for the more vibrant shades you will want to use. Mount your display in a plain vase for the most striking effect.

Go Nuts.

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Nuts were traditionally foraged for and stored in fall, so using them as an edible design element in your home for Thanksgiving makes a lot of sense. Acorns, stacked into a transparent, have a deliciously warm color. But, of course, you cannot eat them. Try getting a similar effect by using edible nut like almonds, brazil nuts or hazel nuts. By mixing your nuts in layers you can get really colorful visual effects.

Dining Color Schemes.

Table decor for thanksgiving2
Table decor for thanksgiving2

Keep your dining room’s color scheme simple. Use whites and light browns but don’t overdo the use of other colors. Plums and reds work well together. Use placemats that match the color of cranberries or plates and glasses that match your candles and enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner in style.

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