How To Create a Simple Thanksgiving Tablescape
Our "thrown together" centerpiece for our outdoor, Louisana Thanksgiving dinner.
Let me start by saying, my family of origin is a bit extra. How extra? Well, there are eleven of us. Yes, you read that right—two parents, nine kids, and no, it’s not a Brady Bunch situation. No twins or triplets either, just nine kids, one after the other.
Oh, and it doesn’t stop there. I’m an interior designer. My mom? She’s a landscape designer. And my sister Alia—she’s a party planner and blogger extraordinaire (shout out to Party Like a Cherry). So, when you put us all together, the creative sparks fly, and well... ideas happen. Big ideas.
Cue Thanksgiving.
My parents live just outside New Orleans, in the sweetest little town called Abita Springs. Thanksgiving in Louisiana can mean a breezy 68 degrees, which for us, originally from the Northeast, feels more like an outdoor picnic day than cozy, sweater-weather holiday vibes.
So, last year, as the turkey settled into its brine and the sweet potatoes started roasting, someone suggested, "Why not just lean into this non-winter weather and have Thanksgiving dinner outside?"
You can probably guess what happened next—our eyes lit up, and our husbands’ eyes rolled. They know exactly what follows a crazy idea like this: lots of work for them. But listen, it’s Thanksgiving, and as most of us know, men tend to escape the heavy lifting anyway, so a little extra table-moving felt like payback.
With our newly hatched plan, the guys were tasked with moving the dining tables from the main house and the guesthouse down to the barn’s breezeway.
Let me pause for a moment and tell you about this barn. Originally it was a real, honest-to-goodness barn for horses. Now it’s a dreamy guesthouse with a bunk loft for grandkids, an extra kitchen, and—blessings upon us—a second dishwasher. (You can’t even begin to imagine the dish pileup during our family reunions.)
The barn has a long, charming brick breezeway that runs straight through the middle and down to the pond in the backyard. It’s covered, on solid ground, and had ‘perfect Thanksgiving dinner spot’ written all over it. We hung string lights (another task for the menfolk) and instantly transformed it into a magical dining space.
Now, about that tablescape. Abita Springs isn’t exactly a buzzing metropolis. It’s a tiny town near other tiny towns, with a great snow cone stand, a fantastic brewery, and exactly one (tiny) grocery store. So there was no popping into Target to see what they had on offer. We had to make do with what we had on hand.
Here’s how we pulled off a simple, low-cost Thanksgiving tablescape (on a moment’s notice):
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Tip #1: Start with Pumpkins
Pumpkins are my favorite to include in a Thanksgiving centerpiece.
You know those funky, warty gourds and pumpkins you see at Trader Joe's? The ones shaped like bassoons and French horns? Buy them all! The key here is variety—different shapes and sizes, from a full-sized carving pumpkin to a mini squash that fits in your hand. (Pro tip: even the zucchini and butternut squash in your fridge drawers can join the tablescape party!)
Start by spacing out your larger pumpkins along the length of the table, then fill in with smaller ones to create an organic, layered base for tablescape.
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Tip #2: Add Some Greenery
Adding greenery is a great way to give your Thanksgiving centerpiece texture.
After the pumpkins, it's time to layer in some greenery. Against the solid, rustic shapes of the gourds, you want something light and airy—preferably green and fresh! Lucky for us, my mom’s a landscape designer, so we’re never short on plant options.
We grabbed branches from her kumquat tree, placed them in simple water pitchers, and even raided her potted plants to add a touch of softness to the whole setup. The contrast of vibrant greens against the warm tones of the pumpkins was chef’s kiss perfect.
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Tip #3: Use Baskets to Add Texture and Corral Smaller Items
Texture, texture, texture! That’s what baskets bring to the table. We sent the kids out to gather pinecones, and before you knew it, we had charming little baskets brimming with nature’s best décor. Acorns would work too! The baskets corral smaller items, add warmth, and help pull the whole look together.
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Tip #4: Mix Your Dishware
Feel free to mix your dishes like we did here.
I get it. Not all of us have service for, say, seventeen. No sweat! Feel free to mix two sets of dishes. For this setup, we alternated between two sets, giving the table a bit of playful personality. Luckily, my mom is a placement freak (we never, EVER put anything on the table growing up sans placemat), so we had lots to choose from. But if placemats aren’t your thing, no worries—go ahead and skip them! It’s all about making it work with what you’ve got and keeping things easy.
Ultimately, it isn’t about nailing the perfect tablescape or sticking to some grand holiday vision. Just roll with the punches and make things happen. Our mismatched dishes, improvised greenery, and random assortment of gourds? They all came together in an easy, effortless sort of way – which meant it was fun, rather than stressful..
Turns out, sometimes the best setups are the ones you don’t overthink. We didn’t need a trip to the store or a meticulously planned design; we just used what we had and let the space do the rest.