Christmas Centerpiece and Decor at a Glance

 

Natural Christmas Tree Projects

Simple Orange Pomanders

Make natural baubles by evenly scoring orange skins and slowly dehydrating the fruits.

Fruit and Flower Sprigs

For simple, stylish decorations, tie stems of rosehips to dried teazle heads with wire and finish with a loop.

Spiced Fruits

Attach single fruits and dried sliced chilies with colored wire to either end of a decorated orange slice. Even after they have been dried thoroughly, oranges retain enough of an aroma to fill a room with their citrus scent. Get step-by-step instructions for creating dried orange ornaments.

Frosted Christmas Lanterns

Thread a wire through a Chinese lantern and make a knot in the wire below the lantern. Wrap the remaining wire around a few wispy seed heads to give this decoration a frosted effect. Get step-by-step instructions for creating natural Chinese lantern ornaments.

Citrus Slices

Make a hole in the top of a dried orange slice, thread through a length of string, and secure in a knot.

Cinnamon Walnut Bundles

Secure several long cinnamon sticks in a bundle with an elastic band. Attach a walnut at either end of thin rope, wrap the rope around the sticks and glue on a star anise. Get step-by-step instructions for creating cinnamon spice bundle ornaments.


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Cranberry Hearts

Thread thin string through dried cranberries using a needle, secure in a heart shape and finish with a loop.

Snow Clouds

Tie extra quantites of wispy or fluffy seed heads to Chinese lanterns with thin wire and finish with a loop.

Thanksgiving Table Settings

Personalized Pumpkins

Small details can make a big impact on your Thanksgiving table. Try tying handmade place cards to mini pumpkins for a personal touch that will make guests feel special. Design by Holly Mathis.

Candleholder Conversion

Try using items you already own in a creative and unexpected way when designing your Thanksgiving tablescape. Rate My Space user Baubles found that candleholders also make great pedestals for mini pumpkins.




Investing in a versatile set of china makes setting your table for the holidays a cinch.

Dressed-Up Basics

You don't have to buy brand-new dinnerware to create a beautiful Thanksgiving table.

Rustic Elegance

Don't be afraid to mix textures and patterns when setting your Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving Glam

For a chic fall table, try combining traditional and trendy pieces.

Soaring Centerpiece

If your table setting is simple, spice it up with a dramatic focal point.

Thanksgiving Table Settings

Add a Touch of Glitz

For a sophisticated but not over-the-top look, balance the sparkle of metallics with natural elements, like fall branches or fresh fruit. Erinn's Tip: "Metallics add a great modern touch to a fall tablescape. Deep copper and bright bronze are a lovely additional to a traditional table. I prefer to bring in natural, textured elements like these seed-beaded placemats so the table doesn't get too glitzy."

Contrast Materials

A humble pinecone adds an organic touch to each place setting. Have fun with materials; contrast ceramic with glass, wood and gleaming metal. Forgo the old standby tablecloth and opt for glamorous, polished silver chargers and chocolate-brown linen napkins.

Bountiful Centerpiece

Set the stage for an unforgettable Thanksgiving feast with a centerpiece that exemplifies bounty. A ghost-white pumpkin, chunky pillar candles and metallic-painted gourds add sparkle.

Simple Sophistication

This place setting layers basic elements to achieve an extraordinary effect.A set of white plates is a great standard to have for your year-round table. You don't have to get something special out just for the season. It's all in the presentation — a crisp linen napkin folded into thirds and laid under a bronze glass plate topped with a miniature pear sets each guests' plate off with style for very little money, time or fuss.

 

Gleaming Glass Accents

Golds and ambers pair beautifully with the traditional browns and oranges of fall. Glass vases can be found very inexpensively in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes at your local housewares store. They're fantastic for adding a splash of luminescent color to the room. So go wild! Bring a bunch home, try them out and return what you don't use.