A table heaving with food is a gorgeous sight. But a centerpiece can enhance it. With Thanksgiving in mind, we asked three designers for some centerpiece inspiration, and they came up with three different concepts you can adapt to suit yourself. And if all else fails, buy flowers.
Michele Foley is CHOW’s editorial assistant.
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Sally Shim is a home accessories and stationery designer. All of her work is handmade, with special attention paid to colors, textures, and details.
Shim wanted to create something that would not distract guests from the food. So she kept the centerpiece minimal and the colors neutral, and carried the design through to the place cards, handmade runner, and table setting. She cut out individual linen leaves and glued them onto a twig branch, and crafted cozies for the glasses, which are filled with ginkgo nuts and acorns that her sons picked up while playing at a park.
Shim made the table runner by piecing together strips of linen and cotton prints in golden hues. It is backed with a single piece of gold cotton fabric.
To make the utensil holders, Shim used strips of linen and contrasting gold linen patches. To make name cards, she fused together two pieces of linen and cut a leaf shape out of them. She printed names onto transfer paper, ironed the names onto linen strips, and then secured the linen strips to the linen leaves with cotton thread.
Art buyer Victoria Smith, a.k.a. sfgirlbybay, offers tips for interior decorating and introduces emerging artists and trends on her popular blog.
Smith built around a recent vintage find, a retro pear canister. She chose items of similar color and material, and made sure to use varying heights so the centerpiece would have depth. She didn’t even leave her house to buy a single item when designing the piece.
Fruit from your local farmers’ market adds color and texture.
Don’t just pile stuff on—find a common element. And don’t squeeze everything together: Distance between the items will create depth.
San Francisco–based design gallery, florist, and retail space Rose and Radish puts a lot of effort into reinvention. Every three months, owner Cate Kellison redesigns the store to reflect a theme, which ties the artwork, flower design, and products together. Past themes include “tea time,” “urban,” and “round.”
Kellison’s centerpiece design is a woodland tablescape, complete with dainty deer and a branch-inspired candleholder. She used succulents instead of high-maintenance cut flowers. Guests can see each other over the low and compact plants.
Kellison suggests adding unexpected elements. (No one seems to expect deer figurines.) Keep the color consistent, and vary the texture.
Kellison placed the “center” piece at the end of the table, so it’s not a distraction and doesn’t obstruct guests’ ability to reach for the turkey.
