Thanksgiving Table Setting | Tradition with a Twist

Say good-bye to the stiff floral arrangements of olden days for this Thanksgiving table setting. To achieve this look, Matthew runs his centerpiece the length of the table. To lift the eye from the tabletop, he uses a long tin box, overturned. (A wooden trough or plank could also work.) On this base he places butternut gourds intertwined with bittersweet. Additional height comes from tall beeswax tapers. Matthew complemented his fall palette with roses, wooden candlesticks, and a compote of nuts. For a bit of whimsy, a persimmon sits atop a low candlestick, and names are handwritten on small gourds, serving as place cards.