Thanksgiving Table Decorations in Terracotta and Green
Updated October 27, 2026
These Thanksgiving table decorations come together in four simple layers: a velvet runner, faux greenery, candles, and brass bowl centerpieces. Once you have everything out, the whole table takes about 30 minutes to set. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and there’s nothing I love more than setting a festive Thanksgiving table! I’m going to show you step by step how I put this one together, with links to everything I used so you can easily recreate the look.
How do you set up Thanksgiving table decorations?
Start with a table runner down the center, then layer faux greenery on top. Add candles at a few different heights, then a few small centerpieces, like brass bowls of faux mums. Stick to two or three main colors plus neutrals. My table is terracotta and green with gold accents, and it takes about 30 minutes once everything’s out.
Table of Contents
- How do you set up Thanksgiving table decorations?
- Watch the Terracotta and Green Table Come Together
- Thanksgiving Table Decorations at a Glance
- Everything I Used for This Terracotta and Green Table
- Step 1: Start With a Velvet Runner and Faux Greenery
- Step 2: Add Candles for the Thanksgiving Table
- Step 3: Add Brass Bowl Centerpieces With Faux Mums
- Step 4: Finish the Thanksgiving Dinner Table Setup
- How Much Do These Thanksgiving Table Decorations Cost?
- More Holiday Table Decor Ideas
- 📌 Save These Thanksgiving Table Decorations for Later
- Thanksgiving Table Decorations FAQs
- The Bottom Line on Thanksgiving Table Decorations
Watch the Terracotta and Green Table Come Together
Here’s my whole Thanksgiving table coming together: runner, garlands, candles, centerpieces, and place settings.
Thanksgiving Table Decorations at a Glance
- Colors: terracotta and green, with brass and gold accents
- Layers: runner, faux greenery, candles, centerpieces, place settings
- Centerpiece pieces: about $265 for one of each
- Place settings: about $150 more, plus the plates
- Time: about 30 minutes once everything’s out
- Candles: all flameless and battery operated
Everything I Used for This Terracotta and Green Table
- Terracotta velvet table runner
- Faux eucalyptus garland
- Faux pine garland
- Glass tumbler candles
- Brass candlesticks
- Taper candles
- Brass bowls
- Faux mums
- Woven placemats
- Scalloped plates
- Gold flatware
- Green goblets
- Terracotta napkins
- Napkin rings
You can find more of my favorite home finds on my Amazon storefront.
Step 1: Start With a Velvet Runner and Faux Greenery
Thanksgiving table decorations that feel abundant and inviting start with a centerpiece that runs the length of the table. I chose a rich velvet terracotta table runner to set the perfect autumn mood. To bring in texture and color, I layered two types of greenery: a faux eucalyptus garland and a faux pine garland. Skip the velvet if you like; a eucalyptus table runner works on its own, too.
For Thanksgiving table decor that looks pulled together, stick to two or three main colors and let neutrals fill in the rest. For this table, I kept it simple but striking with a green and terracotta color scheme. Terracotta is a soft, earthy orange, so terracotta Thanksgiving table decor gives you all the warmth of orange without shouting.
If you have easy access to real greenery, absolutely go for it! Unfortunately, I don’t, so I’ve been slowly building my collection of faux garlands over the years, adding a new one each season. Honestly? They’re worth every penny. These garlands are timeless and incredibly versatile. Beyond my Christmas tablescape, I’ve used them on my windows, as Christmas garland on the staircase, on my Christmas fireplace mantel, and more. Talk about a good investment!
Step 2: Add Candles for the Thanksgiving Table
Candles are non-negotiable for my Thanksgiving table decorations. Their warm, flickering glow creates such a cozy, elegant, and slightly magical atmosphere.
To add height and dimension, I mixed glass tumblers with taller taper candles in brass candlesticks. Thanksgiving candlesticks at two or three heights look intentional, even when every candle is the same color.
Here’s my secret: they’re all flameless, battery operated candles. No matches, no wax drips, no worries. Just flip a switch and enjoy the glow. If you prefer traditional candles, opt for unscented, smokeless ones to keep the air clean and fresh during your meal.
Step 3: Add Brass Bowl Centerpieces With Faux Mums
I could’ve stopped at the runner, greenery, and candles. My Thanksgiving table decorations would’ve been lovely! But I wanted to add one more touch: centerpieces.
Staying with my terracotta and green theme, I filled brass bowls with a mix of faux mums and eucalyptus. It’s such a simple addition, but it brings another layer of texture and interest to the table. I placed three of these arrangements along my long dining table. They turned out to be the perfect finishing touch! If you’re hunting for Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas, this one is about as easy as it gets: bowl, flowers, done.
Step 4: Finish the Thanksgiving Dinner Table Setup
Although we serve our Thanksgiving feast buffet style in the kitchen, I still love setting out thoughtful, coordinated place settings to tie in with the rest of my Thanksgiving table decorations.
Here’s my setup:
- Woven placemats: These neutral, versatile staples work with any holiday or color scheme. They were part of my burgundy Thanksgiving tablescape and even my Valentine’s Day table!
- Layered plates: I stacked a dinner plate and dessert plate on each placemat.
- Terracotta napkins with gold accents: A terracotta napkin threaded through a gold napkin ring added a chic, cohesive touch.
- Gold flatware with green goblets: These added just the right amount of sparkle and tied in perfectly with the rest of the table.
I love hosting and do it multiple times a year, so I’ve invested in classic, versatile pieces that can be used again and again. They add so much charm to my Thanksgiving table. The best part? They’re versatile enough for my Christmas table, an elegant birthday dinner, or really any special occasion.
This Thanksgiving table turned out exactly how I hoped: cozy, classic, and so welcoming. I can’t wait for my guests to see it!
How about you? Do you go for a formal, sit-down Thanksgiving dinner, or is your gathering more laid-back? Either way, I’ve got tons of tips to make hosting easy and fun. From games to play to delicious recipes and a food prep timeline that keeps things stress free, you’ll find them all in my Friendsgiving ideas post.
How Much Do These Thanksgiving Table Decorations Cost?
The centerpiece pieces for this Thanksgiving table come to about $265 if you buy one of each: the runner, both garlands, the tumbler candles, the candlesticks, the taper candles, one brass bowl, and the mums. The faux pine garland is the biggest piece, at about $100 for 25 feet. The placemats, gold flatware, green goblets, napkins, and napkin rings add about $150 more. Most of them come in sets of six or more.
For comparison, a ready-made 12 inch fall arrangement from Balsam Hill is about $120 on sale, and that’s one arrangement with no runner, candles, or place settings. My garlands and candles come back out for other holidays, which is how I justify them!
More Holiday Table Decor Ideas
- My burgundy Thanksgiving tablescape: eucalyptus, layered candles, and fruit in deep fall colors
- Seasonal tablescape ideas: the layer by layer formula I use for every holiday table
- Christmas tablescape: the same idea dressed up for December
- Valentine’s Day table decor: the same woven placemats in a whole new color
📌 Save These Thanksgiving Table Decorations for Later
Pin this so you have every link for the runner, candles, and centerpieces when it’s time to set your table.
Thanksgiving Table Decorations FAQs
I decorate a Thanksgiving table in four layers. First comes a runner down the center, then faux greenery on top of it. Next I add candles at a few different heights. The last layer is a few small centerpieces, like brass bowls of faux mums. Pick two or three main colors and let neutrals fill in the rest, so everything looks like it belongs together. For this table, that’s terracotta and green with gold accents. Once everything’s out, it takes about 30 minutes.
The best candles for a Thanksgiving table are flameless ones in a mix of heights. On my table, short glass tumbler candles sit between tall taper candles in brass candlesticks. That adds height without blocking anyone’s view across the table. Mine are all battery operated, so there are no matches, no wax drips, and no worries. If you’d rather use real candles, pick unscented, smokeless ones so they don’t compete with the smell of dinner. Two or three candle heights is plenty.
The easiest colors for Thanksgiving table decorations are two or three warm main colors plus neutrals. My table is terracotta and green, with brass and gold accents and neutral woven placemats. Terracotta reads as a soft orange, so it feels like fall without looking like a pumpkin patch. Burgundy is another good choice; see my burgundy Thanksgiving tablescape. Pull your colors from things you already own, like your napkins or your dishes. The rest of the table falls into place.
My favorite Thanksgiving table centerpiece is a brass bowl filled with faux mums and a few sprigs of eucalyptus. I made three of them and spaced them down my long dining table, right on top of the runner and garland. They’re simple, they add texture, and they keep the terracotta and green theme going. Other easy ideas are a cluster of candles, a row of small pumpkins, or a bowl of fruit. Keep every centerpiece low so guests can see each other.
The cheapest Thanksgiving table decorations are pieces you’ll use all year. My faux eucalyptus garland has shown up on my Christmas tablescape and Easter table too. The woven placemats were on my Valentine’s Day table. Start with a runner and one garland, which together are about $45 on this table. Add candles the next year and centerpieces after that. If you can clip real greenery from your yard, it’s free, so use it!
To set a Thanksgiving table for dinner, start with a placemat at each seat, then stack a dinner plate and a dessert plate on top. Thread a cloth napkin through a napkin ring and set it on the plates. Put the flatware beside the plate and a goblet just above it. That’s my whole Thanksgiving dinner table setup: woven placemats, scalloped plates, terracotta napkins in gold rings, gold flatware, and green goblets. Every piece is linked in the list above.
Yes, place settings are worth it even if your Thanksgiving dinner is buffet style. We serve our Thanksgiving feast buffet style in the kitchen, and I still set every place at the table. It makes the meal feel intentional, and guests know right where to sit. Keep it simple: a plate, a cloth napkin, and flatware at each seat is plenty. Add a small personal touch, like a handwritten name card or a sprig of greenery, to make each guest feel special.
A good low centerpiece for a Thanksgiving table runs the length of the table instead of standing tall in the middle. Mine is a velvet runner layered with a faux eucalyptus garland and a faux pine garland. Candles and three small brass bowls of mums are tucked along it. Everything stays low except the slim taper candles, so nobody has to peek around a flower arrangement to talk. It also leaves room for serving dishes if you eat at the table.
The Bottom Line on Thanksgiving Table Decorations
This Thanksgiving table is four layers: a velvet terracotta runner, faux eucalyptus and pine garlands, flameless candles, and three brass bowl centerpieces. The centerpiece pieces are about $265 for one of each, and they come back out for my Christmas table too. If you tell a friend one thing, tell them to pick two or three colors and stick with them. Which colors are you using for your Thanksgiving table? Tell me in the comments!