12 Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas to elevate your holiday tablescape

No table is quite complete without a Thanksgiving centerpiece to tie everything together. From large displays to more pared-back designs, there are so many ways to create a focal point for your dinner setting.

There are lots of Thanksgiving decor ideas to consider ahead of the holiday. From your porch to your dining room, creating cohesion is the best way to create an elevated decor style. And when it comes to your Thanksgiving table decor ideas, it's all about creating the atmosphere without impeding on function.

If you're unsure how to decorate this year, look no further. These Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas cover everything from fall-inspired designs to more elevated displays – and they're sure to inspire your table decor.

12 stylish Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas

Thanksgiving dinner is at the heart of the holiday festivities. It's the time to gather round and spend quality time with loved ones while enjoying a hearty feast. But the decor and atmosphere are just as important as the food, so give your guests a feast for the eyes with an eye-catching centerpiece.

1. Create a centerpiece that enhances the food

Your Thanksgiving table is just as much about the food as the decor. So introducing a centerpiece that works in harmony with the dishes included in your feast will elevate the atmosphere.

'When hosting Thanksgiving, shift the focus toward the food. Memories made are often around delicious meals. Create a centerpiece that enhances the main dishes through natural-colored trays, bowls, and serving utensils,' suggests Tiffany Matthews, of Motif Homes.

'Incorporate fresh Magnolia branches, Rosemary, and baby's breath, layering them around larger serve-ware for a natural look. Bonus tip: Do a dry run of the table setup before guests arrive, significantly decreasing the day-of stress.'

2. Add height with a statement vase

Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas are a great opportunity to add drama to your table. Many elements, such as Thanksgiving table setting ideas, tend to sit quite low on the table, so adding something with height creates a more visually interesting display.

You can keep things simple with a tall statement vase at the center of your table decor. When filled with seasonal foliage and flowers, you can create a striking centerpiece that doesn't take up too much of the table.

If you want to elevate it further, surround the vase with taper candles of varying heights, like in this dining room by Lulu and Georgia.

3. Create a foraged centerpiece

Tablescapes don't need to be elaborate or expensive to be beautiful. Instead of purchasing items to embellish your centerpiece, forage for them outside.

'Each year we use the little artifacts we unearthed on our morning walk – the clumps of moss, crooked sticks, acorns, bright leaves, and half-eaten nuts – to create a whimsical centerpiece sculpture,' says Capucine De Wulf Gooding, author of Together at the Table, and co-founder of tableware brand Juliska.

'We are careful to take only small amounts so we don’t leave much of a trace. When creating the centerpiece sculpture, we use various fern plants purchased from the local shop and build a little landscape around them with fresh moss – also available from florists if not found in your backyard.'

4. Layer pumpkins and a garland

Running your centerpiece down the entire table creates a fuller, more modern look than placing a single centerpiece in the middle. This is especially effective when you're decorating a long, rectangular table.

To achieve a style like the one above, start with a table runner, then add a garland of greenery on top. Add real or faux pumpkins, and layer in small votive candles and taller tapers.

If you opt for a larger centerpiece, you can keep the rest of your Thanksgiving table setting simple. Bring out your everyday dinnerware and classic wine glasses so the centerpiece can be the center of attention.

5. Take a collected approach

If your approach to Thanksgiving is more informal, eschew a single, large centerpiece in favor of a collection of smaller vases and decorative bottles. Fill each with a single type of flower or greenery to create a casual and graphic display that still feels special.

This is a great opportunity to create a display with your favorite vintage, thrifted, and inherited pieces – especially in a more unexpected way. To ensure everything still feels cohesive, finish off the look with both taper and pillar candles in unique candleholders or hurricanes.

6. Use a wreath to create a circular centerpiece

Don’t restrict your Thanksgiving wreath ideas to your front door – turning one sideways and placing it on your dinner table makes for a perfect festive centerpiece.

A wreath’s circular nature means every guest gets a good view of it (working particularly well at the heart of round tables), while the center can be filled with pine cones, candles, or pumpkins.

You can either go all out and decorate it with feathers and all sorts of fall decor, or keep it simple like this pine version – which can easily be jazzed up in time for Christmas.

7. Make a display from organic fall favorites

Need a little inspiration for your Thanksgiving table decor ideas? Simply look out the window. ‘Remember you can add gourds, small pumpkins, nuts and pheasant feathers on the table to create a runner for a centerpiece,’ says interior designer Cindy Rinfret. ‘This creates a fall cornucopia which is fabulous for fall dinners or holidays.’

Celebrate nature’s transition through the seasons with organic items that only appear in these special fall months. A pumpkin planter might be too bulky, but in this example, a simple but effective centerpiece has been created through arranging miniature pumpkins, pine cones and berries on a serving plate.

‘You can also buy fall leaves at your party or gourmet store and place them as a runner down the center of your table,’ adds Rinfret.

8. Display seasonal florals in warm colors

While florals may initially strike you as more of a spring or summer centerpiece, plenty of cut-flower favorites come into their own in the colder months.

‘Seasonal winter flowers like honeysuckle or roses make the perfect impact and bring a burst of nature in from the outdoors,’ says Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet In Bed. Fall florals also include rudbeckias, chrysanthemums, and dahlias, which are used in this display on a tablescape by Joanna Buchanan.

Choose flowers to tie in with your favorite fall color schemes, and use oranges, reds, and yellows to bring warmth to your Thanksgiving table.

9. Decorate with seasonal foliage

Fall decor ideas should always make at least a nod to the outdoors, but why not make that connection stronger by quite literally bringing the outside in?

‘I love going to the flower mart to start a long, low, meandering foliage centerpiece and then taking a long hike in the woods with my children to fill in local bits,’ says interior designer Lindsay Anyon Brier.

Make your Thanksgiving centerpiece feel personal by (responsibly) foraging for natural items to include in it from your local surroundings. In this display, pine cones, wheat flowers, and pumpkins tell us a little something about the local flora – and it’s an excellent excuse to take a fall walk with family and friends.

10. Add elegance with hints of metallic

Of course, a Thanksgiving meal isn’t just any old dinner party – it’s a special occasion that deserves an aesthetic to match. As such, adding a touch of glamor is always welcomed.

‘Try to focus on a few key items to ensure that your table is welcoming, elegant, and a little bit opulent,’ says interior designer Benji Lewis. ‘I like splashes of gold, paired with chic colors such as blue and ivory.’

A glimmer of warming gold will always make a table feel just that extra bit magical. On this table, a golden fabric runner acts as the subtle centerpiece, which is bestowed with brass candlesticks and white and gold ceramic vases. The gold theme is also mirrored in the place settings with gold-rimmed plates and a shimmering bird-shaped napkin ring.

11. Keep your centerpiece below eye level

A Thanksgiving dinner should be about sharing conversation with loved ones – so, make sure you can actually see them. ‘Over-sized centrepieces that block access to speaking to one another across the table for example can be a nuisance,’ says Lewis. ‘You need easily to be able to see and enjoy one another’s company.’

It’s a practical note, but one that can easily be forgotten in pursuit of a spectacular table display. Keeping it low can be just as rewarding among a simpler scheme – in this example, a meandering trail of eucalyptus is elegant, just enough to feel special and well below eye level.

12. Create a warming atmosphere with candles

If there was ever a time to get out your best candles, it has to be for Thanksgiving. Creating a cozy atmosphere to share with family and friends is arguably the best bit of the holiday, so you can’t really go wrong with putting candlelight at the heart of your dining table.

This centerpiece is given both height and elegance by the addition of three tall candles rising from a bowl of moss, berries and pine cone decorations, while foliage trickles out across the rest of the table.

What is the traditional Thanksgiving centerpiece?

For many, the essence of Thanksgiving can be summed up by a traditional cornucopia, or ‘horn of plenty’ centerpiece. These cone-shaped baskets have their origins in Greek mythology as a symbol of abundance, and have long been associated with celebrating the culinary bounty brought by fall harvests.

If you can’t get hold of a cornucopia basket or you’re not keen on the look, think about how you can make food the focus of your table display. Create a ceremonial space for your turkey at the table’s heart, or fill bowls with harvest fruit and veg for a rustic approach.

How do you make a floral Thanksgiving centerpiece?

Florals never cease to add wonder to a centerpiece, but to make them feel appropriate for Thanksgiving, think about including in-season flowers only. Blooms like dahlias, marigolds and rudbeckias are stunning options, and can be blended with evergreen foliage like grasses, ivy and eucalyptus for a fall theme.

‘If you’re particular about the placement of your stems, why not try making a quick and easy grid to sit on the top of your vase using clear florist tape,’ suggests Carmel Donohue of Poppy Belle Florals. ‘Alternatively, inside the vase, use a ball of chicken wire. This simple mechanic will allow you to carefully position your floral stems and keep them in place. Make sure you disguise the grid with your preferred foliage, blooms or dried moss.’

Whether you opt for a full display or a pared-back design, there are plenty of Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas here to inspire your decor. Remember your table has to be functional too, so ensure whichever centerpiece design you choose doesn't impede on guests' dining space.