Modern, Rustic Thanksgiving Table Settings: 10+ Great Ideas!

That most beloved of holidays, Thanksgiving, is just days away! Is your head spinning with ideas on how to decorate your table this year…or are you totally stumped? Will you go modern? Or will you go rustic? Why not a combination of both!

Take some tips from these absolutely gorgeous modern + rustic Thanksgiving table settings we found. We’ve pointed out what’s traditional and what’s trendy in each scene to help you see what works. Happy decorating!

Think Modern and Rustic! Ideas You Can Use

Thanksgiving table decorations using corn husks, wheat, and fruits

1 – Traditional: Indian corn centerpiece, fall-print napkins / Trendy: elegant stemware, all-white votives and pillar candles. Design by Pottery Barn Design Studio

2 – Traditional: cane-bottomed cottage chairs, woven chargers / Trendy: striped placemats, leopard-print accents. Design from the The Quirky Sophisticate [design by Ashley Russell / image by Shanna Michelle Photography]

3 – Traditional: woodsy centerpiece, apple place cards / Trendy: ‘industrial’ flatware, striped runner. Image from: http://moonlightrainbow.tumblr.com/page/2, but source is unknown.

4 – Traditional: vintage china, Waterford crystal ware, mini pumpkins and gourds / Trendy: bookpage placemats, French script ribbon-runner. Town and Country Living [design by Jennifer]

5 – Traditional: sheaf of wheat centerpiece, pear accents / Trendy: modern table-and-bench setup, wooden centerpiece base, taper candles in bottles. Created by For the Love [design by Sarah Larsen / image from Uppercase Living]

Thanksgiving table settings and decorations

6 – Traditional: vintage books as centerpieces, orange florals / Trendy: turquoise plates and matching vintage bottle vases. Celebrations at Home [design by Chris Nease / found via House of Turquoise]

7 – Traditional: antique porcelain china, vintage flatware  / Trendy: lattice-pattern table cloth, cobalt blue goblets, gold-painted pheasants and mini pumpkins. Simplified Bee [design by Eddie Ross / image from Lonny]

8 – Traditional: vine cornucopia cutlery holders, pheasant feathers / Trendy: square metallic chargers, cable knit throw as table cover, burlap strips as table runners. Home Stories A to Z [design by Beth]

9 – Traditional: autumn leaf napkin accents, gourds and berry accents / Trendy: wood slab as candlescape base, layered modern and traditional china. Anyone Can Decorate / Tumblr

10 – Traditional made Trendy: Minimal table decorations, 12-seater square table of inlaid wood, grey-and-neutrals palette, giant skillet as centerpiece, towering antique candelabra. Image from JJ Locations [found via Nicety / Live Journal].

Aren’t these styling ideas amazing? Such creative blends of modern elements with well-loved holiday icons!

How do YOU plan to pull together your own modern-rustic table this Thanksgiving? Hope you have found your inspiration!

Update for 2023: More Rustic? Or More Modern?

Either way, we just had to give you more inspiration. Thanksgiving is the ideal occasion to play around with that mix of warm, woodsy charm and some trendy touches. So, take a look at these fabulous fall tablescapes, and you make the choice.

Thanksgiving table settings styling ideas

Winning Elements to Work With

So many reasons to oooh and ahhh over these featured tablescapes! But we noticed two basics that make an instant style statement in most or all: a gorgeously grained wooden table, and a “living runner.

If you’ve got a table like that, now is your chance to show it off! And in place of a traditional fabric runner, line the center of the table with autumn produce (1, 6), fall flowers (3, 4), berry sprigs (2, 7), or woodland accents such as wood slices, pine cones, and eucalyptus (5). Captures the occasion and the season perfectly!

Modern Touches to Mix In

Now, how do you add something trendy to the traditional? We spotted some creative decorating spins in these tablescapes!

Unusual color choice – Amidst the common autumn hues, why not a hint of gray in the table linens (1) or a pop of deep red in the fresh floral arrangements (4)? Or a truly surprising pastel tablescape in blush pink and gold (6)?

Metallics – Add the gleam of metal to your table via copper mugs (1), gold cutlery (2), or sleek single candlesticks (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) holding taper candles.

So will your Thanksgiving tablescape be more rustic or more modern? Why not both!

Sources: 1 – Sanctuary Home Decor / 2 – SBK Living / 3 – Azure Farm Life / 4 – Life by Leanna / 5 – Joyfully Growing / 6 – The Pink Dream / 7 – Blesser House

10 Comments

  1. The table in the 1st picture is amazing! Please, please tell me where it is from? Thank you!

  2. I AM IN LOVE WITH THAT LARGE SQUARE DINING TABLE IN PICTURE 10. CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE IT IS FROM?

  3. So many ideas here.

    • Thrilled that you’ve stopped by, Sandra! We’re big fans of all the deliciousness on The Sweet Sensations. 🙂

      • Hi Amy – I was wondering if you had any information about the square table pictured in the 1st photo? I am dying to know where it came from.

        Thanks,
        Megan

        • Hello Ladies! Thank you for your inquiry. It’s taken a bit of research to check the source of this table. It appears to have originated from Wayfair.com. However, the table doesn’t appear to be available on their site when using this link: http://foter.com/explore/8-seat-square-dining-table. Hope this helps!

  4. I’m really loving all these tables! So inspiring . . . .

    • Thanks, Amy! Your winter’s tale post is stunning!

  5. Love table #1. That’s my favorite look!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*