Putting thought and energy into creating a beautiful Thanksgiving tablescape can elevate the experience with friends, family and food.
Marie DesOrmeaux Centanni is a specialist at doing just that.
Though Centanni has a real job as an advocacy consultant specializing in government, public and media relations, she has also turned her love for vintage dishes and setting a beautiful table into a business. What started as a running joke with her husband to explain the ever-expanding collection of dishes she couldn’t resist accumulating turned into something larger than she expected in the last year.
“It’s been a really fun growth of a hobby,” Centanni said. “I’ll post something about my children, I’ll post a picture of a puppy, but if I posted a picture of my Easter table on Facebook, it would get the most responses.”
She used to tell her husband that one day she would open an eccentric shop in Fairhope, Alabama, where she would put together fanciful combinations of vintage china (where she would live above the shop). She said she would call it “Dish Ran Away with the Spoon.”
Nevermind the Fairhope, Alabama, part of the equation, “one day” happened sooner than she anticipated with the start of an Instagram account by the name of the fictional shop she was planning.
Centanni sells her inventory of vintage china at markets, rents out plates for birthday parties and helps with place settings for bridal luncheons.
For Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or a fall table in general, Centanni recommends finding interesting items that will make a table feel full. If you don’t have themed china and platters, use autumn-themed items on hand and opt for holiday-inspired napkin rings, centerpieces or place cards.
Make table accents
For example, using mini pumpkins and writing your guests’ names on a ribbon tied to the stem is a fun, simple way to elevate the table.
To entertain the kids, Centanni says a pine cone decorating contest does the trick. Before the event, ask guests of all ages to decorate a pine cone — using leaves, feathers, construction paper or other decorative materials. Then, make place cards and use the pinecones as the place holders at each place setting.
Thomas Hebert, of Thomas Hebert Design, advises using color along with the hues most often associated with fall.
He recommends using fresh greenery, like magnolia leaves, cast-iron plant leaves, herbs or any scraps from tree cuttings to elevate the table. For example, use large magnolia leaves in place of a charger, and place a plate on top of the leaves. For napkin rings, stick basil or rosemary in as an accent — you’ll get the added scent as well.
Thomas Hebert, of Thomas Hebert Design, advises using color along with the hues most often associated with fall. He recommends using fresh greenery, like magnolia leaves, cast-iron plant leaves, herbs or any scraps from tree cuttings to elevate the table.
“Magnolias have that beautiful gold color on the back of the leaf as well. Adding those dark, rich colors, although they’re neutral colors, is what elevates that table,” Hebert said. “Don’t be afraid of colorful napkins. Don’t just settle for everyday napkins. Throw some color in there.”
Create a centerpiece
For the centerpiece, Hebert said that candles and greenery artfully placed down the table can accentuate various fall colors. Hebert’s Thanksgiving family tradition is to sign the same tablecloth and put it on year after year.
“The holidays are all about family, that’s what everybody gathers around the table for,” Hebert said. “It doesn’t have to be what you see in a magazine. It’s what you feel that you want. It’s an open canvas. Just have fun with it.”
Centanni recommends placing a series of items down the table for a centerpiece so that no one’s line of sight is broken. Clusters of pumpkins in different sizes, shapes and colors will be Centainni’s centerpiece for her Thanksgiving lunch of 25 people. As one can imagine, she goes all out for the holidays.
“That’s just something important to me — to sit down as a family at the table together. So I try to make that as memorable as possible,” Centanni said.
Etiquette makes it better
In making an event memorable, it’s also important to remember table etiquette. Layne Langley, a LSU AgCenter family and consumer sciences nutrition agent, said following proper etiquette helps make any social occasion more enjoyable.
Langley also advises that people use good posture at the table and refrain from chewing ice or picking your teeth with toothpicks.
F.O.R.K.S. saves the day
Setting a table properly can be difficult to remember. To help, Langley keeps a cheat sheet. The acronym F.O.R.K.S. reminds her to set the table in order from outside in.
F: fork first on the left side. The salad fork should go on the outside, followed by the dinner fork. O: is circular like a plate and soup bowl, which are in the center. R: move to the right of the plate. K: knife next. The dinner knife should be set to the inside, followed by the salad knife. S: spoon last.
Of course, one can edit this to what is or isn’t being served at the time.
“You want to make a favorable impression, but it’s also going to lead to a good experience,” Langley said. “You want everybody to feel comfortable and you want everybody to enjoy the meal because I’m sure the host has put a lot of effort into it.”
The bottom line to setting and decorating a table is to make it what you want, get creative and use your manners.
“I think if you love it, and it’s beautiful,” Centanni said, “it doesn’t matter if it’s fine (china) or flea market.”
