Forget overcooking the turkey or arguing about who gets stuck at the kids’ table, the biggest stress for any Thanksgiving hostess is figuring out how to seat all your friends and family without your table looking like a garage sale. But fear not, Cheryl’s here with a 4-step plan to mix and match your place settings for the perfect Thanksgiving tablescape.


 

  • Keep colors consistent—even the most mismatched table can look fabulously eclectic so long as everything falls within the same general color scheme. Dig around until all your plates fall within a complementary autumnal palette, such as dark reds, oranges, plumbs and browns. And don’t be afraid to add bold splashes of color such as mustard yellows, chartreuse greens and even metallics like silver and gold.

    Thanksgiving Table Settings 1


  • Mix materials—unlike colors, feel free to use contrasting textures and materials, such as mixing wooden chargers with porcelain plates, or rustic woven placemats with more ornate servingware.

    Thanksgiving Table Settings 2


  • Fine china vs. Made in China—you also don’t have to worry about mixing stemware; that champagne flute from Target can look great next to a crystal goblet. In fact, many costly and cheap elements go great together when they have something in common such as color or shape. So go ahead and really mix it up!

    Thanksgiving Table Settings 3


  • Tie it all together—since Thanksgiving is all about gathering with friends and family, why mention a few significant items decorating the table in a your pre-meal announcement? That way you can acknowledging the cherished family member who gifted you the china, or make a joke about that wobbly plastic plate that you’ve had since your first apartment and just can’t make yourself throw out.

    Thanksgiving Table Settings 4