Modern Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas

Modern Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas With White, Gold, and Rust

My grandmother’s Thanksgiving centerpiece was a mix of yellow mums, purple statice, and orange carnations. I don’t think a customer has asked me for that combination since the mid-’90s, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I still love working with fall mums, especially when I can pair them with something a customer hasn’t seen before.

For this Thanksgiving table, I started with two small arrangements in geometric white and gold votive holders. Then I added a larger candle centerpiece for the middle of our long dining table. What makes this one of my favorite fall tablescapes is the mix of familiar and unexpected details. There are mums and miniature pumpkins, but there’s also pincushion protea and a little juniper.

Make Two Small Thanksgiving Arrangements in Votive Holders

I used white and gold votive candle holders as little vases. The geometric pattern gives the arrangements a modern feel, and the gold picks up the warmth of the orange and rust flowers.

I filled the cups with miniature calla lilies, pincushion protea, fall mums, seeded eucalyptus, juniper, and burgundy agonis. I especially like the agonis here. Its deep burgundy color adds depth in a small arrangement, where every stem is easy to see.

The two votive arrangements make a pretty centerpiece on their own for a smaller table. I could have stopped there, but if you know me, you know I usually want more flowers.

Add a Candle Centerpiece for a Long Dining Table

I designed a larger candle centerpiece for the middle of the table and placed a votive arrangement on either side. Repeating some of the same flowers in all three pieces gives the table a consistent look, and spacing the arrangements out lets guests enjoy the flowers from either end.

Pair Pincushion Protea With Fall Mums

Pincushion protea is one of my favorite flowers to introduce to customers at Dietz Floral Studio in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I try to bring in a small quantity most weeks, and people still ask me what it is. It’s a long-lasting cut flower, and its spiky shape is especially fun next to the rounder, softer blooms of fall mums.

Use Evergreens With Orange and Rust Flowers

We tend to reach for evergreens when we start making Christmas arrangements, but I love the way they look with orange and rust flowers at Thanksgiving. Juniper adds texture, and the greenery gives those warm fall colors a darker background. If you keep the evergreen base watered, you can refresh it with new flowers as you decorate for the next holiday.

Finish the Table With Mini Pumpkins and Seeded Eucalyptus

I laid a neutral runner down the table and tucked pieces of seeded eucalyptus between the arrangements. Then I added white ceramic pumpkins and real miniature pumpkins, a few of which I painted gold. The gold chargers at each place setting picked up the finish on the pumpkins and the votive holders.

If you’re serving dinner family style, set your largest platters and bowls on the table before you add the pumpkins and eucalyptus. I like to tuck those finishing touches into the gaps that are left. You’ll still get the white and gold accents down the length of the table, with room to set the gravy boat where people can reach it.