thanksgiving tablescape, bar styling

have you started styling your tablescape for thanksgiving? i haven’t - we are doing thanksgiving a little differently this year and bringing it all to my mother-in-law’s home, which means no need to decorate this year.

but i’ve been styling our bar for thanksgiving for over 3 years and honestly love the challenge. styling a bar is different then a table because the area has to do double duty (be a fully, functioning kitchen, but also a special eatery).

each year i’ve learned new tricks, so i thought i’d share the three (3) simplest.

1. hide the sink

seeing the kitchen sink right in front of your place setting immediately kills the table-like mood you’ve worked so hard in creating, so hide it behind your decor. i like to use flower arrangements to create something of a “wall”, dividing our bar into 1/3 kitchen sink and 2/3 dining table. using flowers in bud vases of varying height and tucking in a few tall candles, i can create dimension without too much bulk. extra bonus, try to keep your dirty dishes to a minimum by doing them while the meal is cooking so that no one has to stare at those mid-meal too.

2. keep some snacks close

use small bites in your styling. stack cookies or appetizers on pretty cake stands or tiered trays to continue to division between the kitchen and table. these will add height, visual interest & keeps the nibbles close enough to grab.

3. only layout the essential dishes

bar countertop space is usually limited so no need for added clutter with extra dishes that probably won’t be used anyways. instead, think about the meal and only layout out the dishes needed for the meal. don’t have a soup or salad, then do you need to keep the bowl? having an appetizer pre-meal, make sure to lay out that small plate.

that’s it, three (3) of the easiest things to remember: hide the sink with decor, use food as decor & limit the dishes. done. how do you style your eat-in bar for a family gathering? i’d love to know. comment with your favorite tips!

i hope you have a lovely thanksgiving no matter how you’re celebrating it this year.