Fall Decorating with an Heirloom Appeal

We are approaching the Thanksgiving holiday. The baking is almost done. Decorations, including several heirloom keepsakes that we display each year as part of our holiday traditions, are all in place. Tomorrow, the family will arrive and once again, we will eat more than we need. And as always, at the end of the day when the house is quiet again, I will say, “It was worth it!” Holiday memories are some of the most treasured of all. The heirlooms will go back in the box, stored for another year.

One of our readers from Texas uses her collection of heirlooms for her fall decorating throughout her home. Charming and inviting, she combines the old with the new to create a beautiful setting for her Thanksgiving table.

Handmade heirlooms include placemats in the shape of an oak leaf and golden pears. Both are made of sateen cotton fabric. The leaf veins in the placemats are created by top-stitching with a brown cotton thread. Both the placemats and the fabric pears demonstrate excellent workmanship as well as a quality choice of fabric. The pears are on display year round.

A simple and elegant tablescape with handmade heirlooms combined with purchased items.

(If you are crafty and interested in making fabric pears, check out this site for a similar pattern. HugsAndStitches.com)

Completing the tablescape with purchased cotton napkins in a beautiful gold design that compliments the color of the placemats. Also, added for texture and interest, metal and glass leaves purchased from Hobby Lobby are placed in the center of the table alongside additional plastic leaves found at a local Big Lots.

There is also a turkey that has been around for many years, and it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without him! The fabric turkey is colorful and adds a bit of whimsy to the decorating scheme.

Using the fabric turkey in the formal dining room, she continues the theme of Heirloom Decorating, creating a simply elegant tablescape design. The colorful turkey pulls all the colors of the tablescape together, and the height of the turkey as a centerpiece is the perfect choice to allow conversation between guests across the table without blocking their view. Too often, the height of the centerpiece is an overlooked detail. When designing a tablescape, it is a good idea to sit at the table prior to your dinner to check the view.

The gold satin table runner coordinates with the colors in the fabric turkey and the warm, rich colors of the tablecloth. This is a perfect example of how to combine formal and casual fabrics that work beautifully together. The result is a relaxing atmosphere for guests.

The neutral color of the walls of this dining room lends to numerous choices for tablescaping and decorating. Rich hardwood floors, open space, and full-length windows is a perfect setting for any holiday dinner!

A beautiful dining room setting with neutral walls, open windows, and rich-toned hardwood floors.

Interested in the oak leaf placemats?

We found a site that not only offers the Leaf Placemats, but you will find a wide selection of table linens at reasonable prices. They also have told me their merchandise is “Made in America.” I haven’t purchased from this company, but will be receiving some items to review. I will let you know the results. Visit YourTablecloth.com

The Hull Pottery Dish | A Favorite of my Vintage Thanksgiving Collection

Each year during the fall season, I bring out several serving dishes that belonged to my mom. One of my favorites is the Hull Pottery brown drip glaze divided leaf dish. I use it to display the hickory nuts we gather each year in the woods behind our house.

I also use a vintage Squirrel Nut Dish that usually holds assorted nuts. However, my granddaughter decided this year it would be perfect for the Holiday Acorns we made using a Pinterest inspired idea we found.

Putting the Final Touches on the Tablescape

Today I am putting the final touches on our Thanksgiving Tablescape, including the napkins. Over the last few days, I have experimented with napkins folded to look like turkeys, incorporating pine cones in the design. Next, napkins were folded to look like a cornucopia. Then, I tried Chinese lanterns. But finally, I have decided to fold our napkins in the shape of a leaf.

Now, to decide whether to use the green or white napkins. I like either one, but perhaps leaning toward the green. (Update: My oldest granddaughter likes the green, so decision made!) Your thoughts?

The napkins for our Thanksgiving table are folded in the shape of a leaf. The wooden buttons were cut from an oak limb and the leaves were dried and the name of each guest is written using a Sharpie silver pen.

A leaf shaped serving bowl that has been in our family for as long as I can remember!

The nut bowl is another keepsake that I remember as a child.

Logs were cut and used to display fresh apples on the dining room buffet.