the secondhand table

a tour of thrifted tablescapes      

Today’s the day of our fun Thanksgiving table blog hop! Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m so excited to share my “Secondhand Table” with all of you. Best of all, I have four friends who have also styled beautiful fall tables by using only thrifted, heirloom and foraged items. 

If you're already coming from The Tiny White House, you’ve already begun our Secondhand Blog Hop, so “Welcome”!  

The inspiration for my table, besides being budget-friendly was that I wanted to go with a light and bright table this year. 

The foundation of this tablescape is this embossed throw that I've used as a tablecloth. I found it last week at one of my favorite thrift stores, and it’s got just the right kind of fun fringe on it too. 

To keep things neutral, I’m using these large white ceramic chargers as dishes. I find that they hold just the right amount of food for a large meal like Thanksgiving. 

Layered on top is a variety of brown transferware salad plates that I collect all year long. Some of my favorites have a lovely Tom turkey on them.  

I think it's fun to mix and match certain elements, and at this table, I do that with the salad plates, napkin rings and the vintage glassware.

The reality is you may not find the number of setting you need while thrifting, but keep in mind that grouping similar elements is perfectly acceptable. 

As you can see, each plate has a personality of its own. Having everyone’s place settings exactly the same is a little boring to me, so let's mix it up!  

Case in point with the brass leaf napkin rings and the soft yellow glasses. I fell in love with both of these guys, but there were only four available of each. 

I just used similar colored yellow goblets and similar scaled metal napkin rings for the head of the table, to make up for the extra two place settings. 

Since this is an intimate table for six, that strategy works well. For a larger group of guests, alternating different elements around the table is a fun idea. 

To unify the look of the table, I used vintage bamboo handled flatware at every setting which adds a nice natural texture that’s perfect for fall. 

At the center of the table, the focal point is a white pedestal topped with leftover Halloween Baby Boo pumpkins. I've softened the look with a few smaller-scaled fall leaves from the garden. I love Nandina for in between these little white pumpkins.

An informal table runner is created by using foraged leaves from my Sycamore tree and my neighbor's Maple tree. Here in California, these Maple type trees are actually called Liquidambers. Isn't that a cool name?

Some of my fondest memories of fall in upstate New York is walking to and from school as a little girl and wading through the crunchy fall leaves. There's nothing quite like the smell of fall in New England!

I wanted to bring a little bit of those memories to this table, so that's why the leaves are an important part of this tablescape. They do add just the right amount of color too.

Brass candlesticks are some of my favorite flea market finds. I’ve been collecting them for several years now, and oftentimes I can find them for a dollar or two. 

They add just the right amount of autumn glitz to the table, and of course when they're lit, the candlelight brings the table to life.

Don’t hesitate to ask a friend to borrow something, whether it’s a few extra plates or some branches from their yard. Using everyday tableware is also a great idea, and then you can “fall-ify” your table with smaller elements. 

Once the candles are blown out after a big meal, comes my favorite part of the day, playing games and having some pie! What’s your favorite kind of pie? 

I do love pumpkin, but apple is a close second! 

The next stop on our blog hop is Annie from Most Lovely Things. I just know that she’s set a gorgeous table! Tell her "Hello" from me...

Look for this graphic tomorrow 

as well as the hashtag #thesecondhandtable on instagram. 😀   

You can check out the other four secondhand tablescapes here: 

Cherry Street Blossoms, Adored House, 

Most Lovely Things, and The Tiny White House. 

ciao! fabiana 

  

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