bringing it to the table

i'm starting to think about thanksgiving decor thanks to my expert hostess mother who's letting me do the flowers...my head is dancing with images of pumpkins and fruits and flowers...oh my!

in the last issue of real simple, they had a great story on different holiday tablescapes based on the dishes you already have. i thought it was so useful and savvy - just like the mag itself. here are the ideas they offered.

if you have white dishes, go mostly monochromatic but add a pop of an energizing color:

if you have blue and white dishes, mix two different patterns and throw in soft, nubby textural pieces for an unexpected twist, then add some gilded fruit for added glam. this whole look would work just as nicely with the more traditional spode-style blue and white set.

if you have gilded china, real simple suggests mixing it with dark and moody textiles and "undone" autumnal elements like loose squash and indian corn.

for earthy ceramics, they suggest layering organics to achieve a warmed-up scandinavian aesthetic.

and for a "vintage mishmash," just embrace it and go with the chaos, toning it down by having the backdrop be crisp white linens. they're all gorgeous, but this tablescape just makes my heart sing.

to me, that's what holiday decor is about...finding the exact combination of elements that embraces tradition but brings new excitement and joy to the table as well.

top image from martha stewart, all others from real simple