Thankful for this Table
thank·ful
/ˈTHaNGkfəl/
adjective
:expressing gratitude and relief
:conscious of benefit received
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for another year in our quaint little urban home nestled in North East Minneapolis. More than that, I am thankful for all the beautiful furnishings that are inside of it. I've been blessed and possibly spoiled by the great talent in my family; my husband a carpenter, his dad a carpenter and his fathers father a carpenter. How lucky am I to have beautiful hand crafted, one of a kind furniture! So this Thanksgiving I am thankful for my table. This table was made by and gifted to us by Max's Grandpa. Its size is hilarious in our tiny house but I love it. Much too large for only two people but in time, we will fill it with our beautiful family. Its bulky dark oak wood is displayed as a work of art in our home and I hope to have many memories created around it in the future. For now, it is my beautiful blank canvas perfect for me to create, design and photograph my tablescape and home decor on.
My table center piece was created by more talent in my family, my mother, a floral designer and crafty DIYer herself, made this beautiful boxed arrangement for my tablescape. Now I know what you're going to say- I don't have a mother or friend or even an acquaintance who can do this for me! But rest assured you must have a flower shop near by? Swipe through some Insta inspiration or floral Pinterest boards to find ideas that would fit your Thanksgiving style and budget. The arrangement above is 15" long and 3" wide and runs about $90. Now this arrangement has A LOT going on and is on the larger size for scale. If that blows your budget you can always size down. If you'd like to pull inspiration from my mothers center piece above you can tell your local florist it includes: sunflowers, mums, yarrow, rose hips, succulent cuttings, solidago, wheat, and white mini pumpkins. It is arranged in a wooden box with a plastic liner and floral foam. As an insider, I will give you a helpful and realistic hint: this arrangement could most likely be made in 3 different sizes: a small size for $45, large for $65, extra large for $90 and quite possibly anywhere in-between. Its best to give a florist your top number- you wont be disappointed. If you're local you can order this exact arrangment directly through Forest Lake Floral where my mom and I work!
Table setting is brought to you by Target, Michael's, Save On Crafts and a few borrowed items ;) because who doesn't borrow a few items from mom at holidays? I collect as much dishware as possible from friends and family. Another great place to get inexpensive table ware is the Thrift Store! They almost always have white, which goes with anything. Have you noticed the white trend? Everywhere you turn houses are going white, decor is going white, white on white on white. This frustrates me for one reason, I can't disagree, it looks pretty!? Do you know why our eyes are so drawn to white? Because white space is visually appealing. It provides visual breathing room for the eye. You'll find anywhere that white space is an important element of design for good reason. White is clean, neat and relaxed. If you have too many busy things you can always tone it down with white objects. Color is beautiful- but there is something to be said about white highlighting an element. Would you have noticed my wood table had it not been contrasted with the stark white plates? Sometimes color is seen better when there is no color at all. Okay end of white trending rant. But really, my white plates and silverware are from Target and the smaller gold lined plates are from Michael's and they are plastic, shhhh :)
I made the napkins with cut pieces of fabric that matched my table runner. My table runner came from Save On Crafts. (Yes you really Save on Crafts here!...) It was quick and easy and although they are not functional napkins they make a beautiful touch on the plates- until you begin eating and I proceed to clearing them away saying, "Please don't actually use these...!"
Below are two pieces I borrowed from my Mom. The big white farmhouse soup tureen was my Grandma's. She used it at every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. The second piece was a wedding gift of my moms- I love the asparagus on it and the gold trim to go with my gold accents. Borrowing pieces from family or friends always strikes up a good conversation or story someone might not have heard before...
Remember to a keep a budget in mind while planning your table. I swooped into Michael's after Halloween and scored a huge deal on the little plates with gold edging. While everyone is like bye bye Fall hello Christmas, I'm like hello deals! I got the little white and gold plates on clearance 70% off.
Darling little gourds and pumpkins are an inexpensive way to add to your Thanksgiving tablescape and decor. Most likely they are on sale right before Thanksgiving. Even apples, cranberries, pomegranates and other beautiful food items can be art and decor for your table. Stroll the produce aisle for a range of colors, shapes and textures to enhance your tablescape.
Hopefully you saved those dead plant materials from your garden after fall clean up. Its the best time to harvest and dry plant materials like Miscanthus Plumes, Bittersweet and Straw flower. I am also a collector of glass bottles and vases, because I know I can always use them! These glass jugs came from an antique store many years ago and I knew I kept them for a reason.
last tips:
- Set your table the night before, so you can focus on just food the next day.
- Keep it minimal- when your tablescape is simple the meal gets the attention.
- Keep your dishware a single tone- and remember white space and neutral colors. When elements aren't competing for attention, details stand out.
"Many of the best moments of the holidays happen around the table. Whether simple, formal, or somewhere in between, the look and feel can draw guests in and make them feel at home." Gaines, Joanna . “Tablescapes.” The Magnolia Journal- A Season of Wonder .
I am also so thankful for all my family and friends who are so supportive and encouraging to me in all I do... I am thankful always. <3
- From my table to yours,
Amy Hinrichs
PS: Bonus DIY if you scroll down! :)
DIY Cat Teepee
I made this Cat Teepee with 4 wooden dowels, jute twine and white burlap fabric. Inspired by an expensive taste and a cheap budget. If you wanted to buy one of these on Etsy, they run close to $80! I made mine for under $10 and my cat loves it just the same :)