SET A THANKSGIVING TABLE TO REMEMBER
Warm earth tones, soft whites are hottest trends
There may be fewer chairs around your dining room table this Thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy an unforgettable meal. Still, the thought of preparing a turkey with all the fixings may leave you feeling anxious.
“A lot of us love hosting friends and family and Thanksgiving is definitely one of my favourite times to do this,” says designer Sarah Keenleyside, who appears on HGTV Canada's Family Home Overhaul. “That being said, it tends to be a day that is centered on an amazing meal and that can be stressful, especially if you are not an effortless chef in the kitchen.”
Keenleyside has learned to not let the stress of being the perfect host deter her from hosting.
“It truly is about the time you spend together, so focus on what you are good at and don't be afraid to ask for some help.”
About the week before your celebration, start tidying up the house so it will look its best by the time you're ready to welcome guests.
Consider making your celebration a potluck affair.
“As the host, I like to take care of the larger items like the turkey but delegating all the side dishes out to your guests lets them help out and takes a lot of the pressure off of you the host. If a potluck is too casual for you, then make sure you give yourself the time to prepare what you can ahead of time.”
The pros at Pfister offer some hacks to make things flow a little smoother in the kitchen:
Make use of small appliances like a slow cooker to free up valuable space on the stovetop.
Save time spent chopping vegetables for side dishes or stuffing by running them through a mandolin for thin slices or julienne, or use a food processor for chopping.
Sharpen your knives, if not for the vegetables, for the turkey. A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife, which is more likely to cause an accident.
Like any celebration, the table sets the tone.
“It's really no surprise that decorating the table for special holiday meals was my job growing up. I loved it,” says Keenleyside.
“My family never went over the top with centrepieces, so it was all about getting creative with what we had around the house. This is still how I like to approach table settings and Thanksgiving is perhaps the easiest of all celebrations to do this.”
Keenleyside always has simple white candles on hand because they work for every kind of event and you can mix and match vintage candlesticks down the centre of a table and place florals in small vases so they don't obstruct anyone's view.
“For a natural rustic vibe, I love to raid my garden at this time of year to catch those last seasonal blooms and coloured foliage. For a modern take on a Thanksgiving table, add a bunch of white miniature pumpkins clustered around the bases of your candles.”
Take your cue from the season's hottest trends.
“This fall, the trends are all about cosy interiors and this is being achieved with a return to the use of warm earth tones and soft whites,” says Keenleyside.
“The look is kept contemporary by layering spaces monochromatically and playing with texture. Materials like natural marble and stone are used as statement pieces like a coffee table and paired with softer, more cost-effective pieces like rattan side tables. I think more than ever we are aware of how our home environment affects us and we want it to feel as warm and calming as possible.”