A Designer’s 5 Must-Know Thanksgiving Table Top Rules
It happened so fast. Summer flew by. Fall is flying by. And the snow started – literally came crashing down. Last week alone, we had 6 inches overnight and now we see a blanket of white. The predictable winter around here also means that the holidays are fast approaching. With the snow comes Thanksgiving, downtown Kalispell’s beautiful holiday décor and our yearly fall table top staging designs in our showroom. If in town, stop in to see what we come up with this year.
For your own Thanksgiving spread, follow these 5 Thanksgiving Table Top Rules from our designers to make it a feast your guests will remember.
Invest in the Linens
If there is ever a time to use them, the holidays would be the time. Alone, the cloth or linen napkins and an ironed table cloth/runner will go a long way and make even the simplest design seem elegant. Not sure how to specially fold the napkins? That’s okay, an uncomplicated fold on the left of the plate or a silverware pouch will be more appreciated than paper napkins ever will.
Stick to One Color Scheme
We love a traditional colorful Thanksgiving table top of rich fall hues – plum, orange and burgundy; but, sometimes a more controlled color palette creates an equally stunning setting. Try grays and whites with a hint of sage green. Or soft blues with natural tans and peach. It doesn’t have to be the jack-o-lantern orange of the past if you prefer something softer. Just remember to not stretch too far from the basic color rules – use 80% neutral color (from our suggestions above: the gray and white) and 20% of a bolder hue (the green).
Know the Place Setting Rules
There are thousands of guiding images online to help you determine where everything goes. The more dishes each place setting has, the more formal the meal. Regardless of how extravagant the evening is, remember the basic table setting rhyme your grandmother taught you “The knife, fork & spoon got into a fight. The knife & spoon were ‘right’ so the fork ‘left’.” Glasses and stemware should be placed to the right directly above the knives and spoons. Should you want to add a dessert or coffee setting, these lie horizontally above the dinner plate. Salad plates or bread plates rest on the left directly above the forks.
Vary the Table Décor Height
Whether you choose to keep your overall table top theme easy or wish to make it glamorous, create a dynamic and eye catching statement by using accents with different stature. If you are using pumpkins as your main centerpiece, choose some miniature, some medium and some that are larger. We recommend even taking this further and creating a “runner” of pumpkins for the whole table. For an elaborate theme, make use of a mix of lanterns, thick candlesticks (you can even put pumpkins on them), greenery, and fall gourds or fruit. With height, it is key to remember that you don’t want to build so high that your guests cannot see the other guests when seated. Keep it below eye level.
Expensive isn’t always Better
While we appreciate the luxury driven table top designs filled with silk linens and gold platters, that isn’t always the best blueprint to operate your Thanksgiving table under. Think practical. Think of what you have access to and what you already have. For those Montanans close to us, look to the Tamarack filled woods full of pine cones and greenery. A beautiful table top can be scavenged just the same as one that is bought.
