10 Inspired DIY Fall Centerpiece Ideas To Welcome The Holiday Season

You stepped up to the challenge and will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. While the day is about being grateful for loved ones coming together over a delicious meal, a well-set table only enhances the ambiance surrounding this special occasion. We don’t bring up the topic to cause any additional stress. Our intention is quite the opposite, because the Thanksgiving table decor ideas that we are about to show are not only beautiful, but they are also easy to recreate at home with many designs using items that you already have. From autumnal floral arrangements to festive, candlelit garlands to clean + modern tabletops, here are ten inspired fall centerpieces to welcome the holiday season.

An Elegant Tablescape with Colored Candles
It’s no secret that we love colored taper candles – they are a simple and affordable way to elevate the tablescape for any type of event. Available in all shades that you can imagine, they also come in a range of heights and widths. To create an elegant and inviting atmosphere for Thanksgiving dinner, set the table with a row of glowing tapered candles inspired by the season’s harvest. Pull the scene together with a textured fabric runner, natural accents such as seeded eucalyptus, mini pumpkins, dried corn ears, or pine cones along with a simple floral centerpiece.

Natural Pumpkin + Gourd Table Decor
Decorative pumpkins and gourds can be found at just about any grocery store or farmer’s market this time of the year. Along with squashes, they are a great choice for anyone who wants to bring a sense of natural charm to their Thanksgiving spread. After choosing a color scheme (we love the mint, olive, buttery orange, and white palette below), arrange the organic elements at the center of the table adding accents such as dried leaves, plants, and grasses. Though not necessary, gilded extras such as chargers and flatware in combination with mercury glass votives add a hint of shimmer to the setting.

A Festive Cinnamon + Spice Floral Centerpiece
The flower section at your local Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and corner bodega now offer options in hues of gold, rust, cranberry, and sage. Channel the season’s beauty by decorating the table with a centerpiece that mixes florals and natural accents in a cinnamon and spice palette – chrysanthemums, autumn berry bush, and berry branches are excellent choices and look wonderful in an antique brass vase. For a modern aesthetic, set the arrangement in a white ceramic or black vessel.

A Pampas Grass + Bright Floral Centerpiece
We love surprise, so it’s no wonder that this centerpiece featuring bright florals, rich greenery, and dried elements has caught our full attention. Thinking outside of traditional fall colors and trimmings, pampas grass, cotton stems, and rice grass are mixed with classic roses and hydrangeas to create a gorgeous (and unexpected!) arrangement that will have guests talking long after pie is served.

Forged Fall Table Decor Inspired By The Great Outdoors
You are just a backyard away from creating this forged fall tablescape. On Thanksgiving morning, gather branches with colorful foliage along with any other trimmings from outside that you want to incorporate into the decorative scheme – the branches can be placed in any type of vessel on hand – bottles, vases, jars, and pitchers are ideal holders. To create a sense of harmony throughout the tabletop, arrange serving bowls filled with apples, twigs, and berries at the center, styling the elements in a way that feels organic and flowing.

A Warm + Intimate Tablescape
Inspired by autumn’s warm romance, this tablescape is a great choice if you are hosting a small gathering or are celebrating the first Thanksgiving with your partner. Focusing on a moody palette, it pairs a blue/grey linen with charcoal dinnerware and Sierra brown taper candles in brass holders. Pull the seen together with a small arrangement composed of seasonal blooms in shades of rust, crimson, burgundy, gold, and ivory.

A Modern + Minimal Take on Autumn Table Decor
Setting aside tradition, this minimal tablescape hits all the marks for a modern Thanksgiving celebration. To create the look at home, you’ll need a few small bowls or trinket dishes and frogs. A florist best kept secret to styling artistic arrangements, frogs are tools that when placed at the bottom of vessels, hold flowers and natural elements in position. This aesthetic looks lovely with a neutral palette – consider florals in shades of buttery yellow, ivory, and sand complemented by burgundy. Finish the scene with taper candles set in simple ceramic holders.

Set A ‘Plantiful’ Thanksgiving Dinner Table
Your friends and family call you the ‘plant whisperer,’ so they will not be completely shocked that you decided to shine a spotlight on your green thumb at Thanksgiving dinner. Simply gather your small house plants and arrange them on a runner in the middle of the table – add pumpkins or gourds for festive fall flair. For a pop of color, finish the setting with bright napkins and colored glassware.

A Styled + Inviting Tablescape
Are you looking to flex your floral design and styling muscle this Thanksgiving? Then this is the holiday tablescape for you. Start by choosing a scheme for your linens (tablecloth, runner, and napkins) – keep in mind that these colors will also inform the floral palette. To make a centerpiece that feels natural yet polished, mix seasonal blooms with their stems cut at different lengths, layering the colors so they are spaced out.  For additional texture and dimension, incorporate dried elements such as thistle, rice grass, and even forged branches, leaving some pieces extending up, out, and downward from the formation.

The 10-Minute Candle + Greenery Garland Table Runner 
This quick and easy tablescape will get you through the holiday season whether you’re hosting a formal sit-down dinner or cocktail party with small plates. Start by gathering trimmings of seasonal greenery – cedar, seeded or berry eucalyptus, evergreen, plumosus, and marigold leaves are great choices and can be picked up at your local nursery or farmer’s market. Arrange the greenery into a garland at the center of the table and incorporate votives and pillar candles into the display. For added height, set some candles on pedestals of varying levels – this will also create a sense of movement across the table.

While each of these Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas is aesthetically different from the next, what they have in common is the fact that they are all easy to make at home. Here are some additional thoughts to make your guests feel extra welcome at the dinner table – mark place settings with handwritten name tags, put a miniature pine cone, pumpkin, or single flower on each plate, affix a greenery sprig to napkin holders, and lastly, give out printed or handwritten menus.