When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of being grateful, but also of EATING. And in designing our tablescape, we also think of edible components that we can incorporate. But before your mind wanders to a cheesy cournacopia of fruit and nuts, we’re offering up a more chic and sophisticated approach. Check out our 5 Chic Edible Thanksgiving Centerpieces to give you a more stylish and modern approach to holiday decorating.
I love using seasonal edible components for a few reasons. First, is accessibility. These centerpieces are literal food that you can find at most any grocery store or farmer’s market. I routinely cruise the produce aisle looking for something to spark a creative idea.
Secondly is the sustainability of edible design elements. Again, this is food, so once you are finished with your soiree, you can literally incorporate the fruits, veggies and herbs from your centerpiece into a future meal. At this time of year, we put fresh herbs in just about everything from soups to cocktails. Our bunches of rosemary and thyme from our garden pull double duty as pretty decor and savory flavor bombs for our dinners.
When it comes to designing with seasonable edible ingredients, the key is simplicity, restraint and sophistication. We don’t need every color of the rainbow, every texture, every fruit, veggie and herb at once. We have chosen one or two key elements for each tablescape so the aesthetic stays clean and cohesive.
Rusty red fruits
First up is our rusty red category. We chose vibrant pomegranate, red grapes and plums to add a punch of color to our neutral setting. We were inspired by the colorful textural napkins and the dried and died eucalyptus we found at the grocery store. The fruits punch up the tablescape in the best way while still staying restrained and sophisticated.
Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are some of my favorite things to use for decorating the table and this is one of my favorite edible Thanksgiving centerpieces. There are so many possibilities in how to use them. Here, we potted sage, thyme and rosemary in lieu of floral. We used a sprig of rosemary for a fun little detail at each place setting. We took things a step further and created a wreath out of some of the gnarly branches of our rosemary tree. I love how it turned out!
Pumpkins and Persimmon
We couldn’t resist a few pumpkins which are so abundant this season. Add in a few persimmons, which look like tiny pumpkins themselves, and you have a party of orangey tones. We paired these with a few black elements for a more modern look. This also works well for Halloween!
Dried Corn
I fell in love with this dried corn at the supermarket and had to incorporate it into our tablescape. The pop of yellow inspired the tabletop components and the hint of purple kernels and our use of black mellows out the brighter tones. As always, we’re using lots of neutrals to offset the brighter colors in these edible Thanksgiving centerpieces.
Citrus and Wheat
I love when winter citrus comes into season, not only for eating but for decorating. Given the vibrance of these little oranges, we dialed down the rest of the design with neutral elements including dried wheat. This largely neutral color palette is given life with the hints of orange in the fruit, the taper candles and a few terra cotta vessels we incorporated. We even fashioned a little wreath out of our extra dried wheat. So fun!
Here are just a few examples of seasonal ingredients we picked for Thanksgiving. How might you incorporate edible elements into your centerpieces this year? If you’re in a creative rut but want to make your dinner table feel extra special this year, be sure to check out our HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS virtual design and styling package! Happy entertaining!