Colorful Thanksgiving Table Décor (Budget Friendly)
Colorful Thanksgiving table décor that’s budget-friendly and ready for hosting a family dinner. With inexpensive flowers, mini pumpkins, and unique centerpiece vases filled with seasonal items, these ideas work for fall dinner parties and Friendsgiving, too.
Make your traditional Thanksgiving table decor pop with color and classic elements. The rich shades of fall found in nature all coordinate beautifully together on the table. The table setting is relaxed enough for a family meal, but beautiful enough for Friendsgiving.
The color palette was inspired by the fall produce in the small veggie dish. The tri-color carrots and tomatoes, baby squashes, and fresh figs offer shades of orange, golden-yellow, deep red, green, and purple. A unique and eclectic mix for an eye-catching tablescape!
How to Decorate a Thanksgiving Table on a Budget
Here are some of my favorite ways to create a beautiful table on smaller budget.
- Use everyday white dishes. You don’t have to invest in themed patterns for holidays. You can layer the white plates with colorful bowls or salad plates for more interest.
- Use inexpensive grocery items to create a centerpiece. Fill clear vases with dry beans or lentils like you see here. After the holiday, make soup!
- Add a simple bowl of seasonal fruit like apples, pears, oranges, or lemons and limes.
- Forage through the yard or forest for natures best decorations. Pinecones, acorns, branches with colorful leaves, dry grasses like Pampas grass, etc.
- Put together a few small vases of fresh flowers instead of one large arrangement. You’ll still get a colorful floral impact, but for less money.
- Follow my best tip for creating a flower arrangement on a budget. It’s an amazing party hack!
- Fill the table with food instead of decorations. Even before you sit down to eat you can have a party cheese board or a plate of appetizers on the table, and a pitcher of fall apple sangria.
Quick Tip
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, set the table a couple of days ahead so you’re one step closer to being ready for the holiday. It will also give you a chance to see if you’re missing anything you need to purchase.
Decorating with Fall Colors
I absolutely love the addition of purple in a Thanksgiving table. The key is to go for a deep or darker shade such as plum, rather than a soft pastel hue.
If you’re familiar with color theory you’ll know that purple and yellow are opposite one another on the color wheel. Complementary colors, as it’s known, are always going to look great together. Again, the key is to use a rich golden tone rather than a soft pastel or lemon yellow.
Continuing with the color wheel, orange and red are next to yellow so they go well together too. For the red tone, go with a rust shade or maroon rather than bright red.
Finally, green is the color of nature and I always see it as a neutral. Plus, it’s also next to yellow on the color grid so it’s a natural compliment.
If you have a farm table, keep it bare and use a burlap runner as a base. It adds rustic charm and a neutral base for the other colors. It also keeps the tablescape from being too formal.
Minimalist Place Settings
Layer colorful salad or dessert plates on top of everyday white dinner plates. Shop thrift stores for vintage depression glass, or new pieces that look old.
Add even more color with drink glasses. Purple goblets that are new but look vintage are paired with gold vintage stemware that can hold wine, iced tea, or fall cocktails.
Simple Place Cards
Place cards are super easy to create by printing out names and cutting into strips. Use a tiny hole punch at one end and thread a stem of wheat through it for a simple and chic plate decoration.
Easy DIY Centerpiece
The centerpiece is the focal point of the table, and it’s easy to create one that looks full and lush. These fall centerpiece ideas are colorful and full of natural elements.
Fill cylinder glass vases with dried lentils that are green, red, and tan. Red lentils are actually more orange in color so they’re ideal for this table. Top the vases with mini pumpkins.
Incorporate a few more vases that are filled with mini pinecones and acorns.
Place flowers in mini pitchers to add life and color. Tuck in greenery such as eucalyptus, to create a garland effect down the table.
Nestle in some mini pumpkins and baby corn to create a seasonal centerpiece. With everything placed close together, all the separate items look like one continuous runner.
Food can add to the table decoration when it’s color coordinated. These vegetables and hummus are great for noshing on while waiting for the main meal to finish cooking.
The combination of vintage plates and glasses, paired with classic white dishes gives Thanksgiving table décor a traditional look. And a DIY centerpiece full of flowers, pumpkins, baby corn, and more is colorful, festive, and simple to make.
More Thanksgiving Tablescapes
If you’re looking for more table setting ideas, here are some to give you inspiration.
Here’s an outdoor Thanksgiving tablescape with blue and white decoration and a gorgeous flower centerpiece. And this neutral Thanksgiving tablescape is beautiful with dried florals and rich fall tones.
This simple Thanksgiving tablescape is so easy to create but adds such an impact. And see how to transform the table with food so the presentation is just as nice as it was before you sat down to eat.
Here, an elegant Thanksgiving table incorporates warm brown tones, orange, rustic red, a lovely centerpiece, and interesting details. This black and white Thanksgiving table gets pops of color in a centerpiece of greenery and pomegranates.
Finally, a colorful kids table will keep the children engaged and happy with a fabulous setting of their own.
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Perfect organized table with a great theme is really a treat for eyes too the only thing which is left are guest to occupy there seat ASAP 🙂
This table setting looks particularly bright and cheery! So inviting to gather round!
This is such a beautiful tablescape. I believe that really sets the stage for a successful party.
Thank you, Danette! We agree. The table is the core of the celebration and where guests will be enjoying food, conversation and family.
love it!
Thank you, Susan! Glad you enjoyed!
so pretty and rustic!
Thank you Rebekah! It was really fun to bring together, especially using a French patterned linen and some brighter tones. Glad you enjoyed!
Thyme is one of my all time favorite herbs. I love seeing it used as a key element of decor!
We love to hear this, Carmen! Thyme is not only delicious, but it looks lovely atop a table. Thanks for stopping by!