Phoebe Lovejoy Russell: Elegant Thanksgiving Table Design

Photos courtesy of Phoebe Lovejoy Russell

The feast always takes center stage on Thanksgiving Day. We pull out our old family recipes, spend quality family time in the kitchen, and indulge perhaps a bit more than usual. Who can turn down one more piece of Pecan Pie, right?

What could be more important than food on Turkey Day?  Well, at Lovejoy Designsthere is one thing we seem to obsess over as much as not leaving the turkey in the oven too long… the table design.

In an early premonition that I was destined for a career in interior design, I spent childhood Thanksgivings attempting to curate the perfect table design.  While many kids made pilgrim hats to wear, I was dragging my parents to the florist, pouring through my mom’s linens and painting terra cotta pots with autumnal themed faux finishes.  I’m not sure my dad knew what to do with me.

My quest for table perfection hasn’t stopped, and this year I sought the help of Artefact Home | Gardenin Belmont, MA to put together an elegant setting.  If you haven’t been to Artefact, go… today. Owners Maureen and Sue Walsh have the most amazing eye for exquisite, unique items for the home and garden. We teamed up to create a table design that we hope will help you as you prepare your own table.

It starts with a garland design running down the center of the table. We mixed easy-to-find fruit with some rarer items.  The pears are from Shaw’s Supermarket while the seeded eucalyptus and variegated euonymus was purchased from a local florist.

Artefact carries a really nice line of dishware made by Maine-based ceramicist Alison Evans.  And brass is still hot right? It never leaves my list of beautiful finishes. Check out this handmade brass flatware.

Around the candles, we created mini arrangements to have a dual purpose. First, they serve as unique name cards for each place setting.   Then, when dinner is served, guests can scatter their candles throughout the garland to add warm light around the table.

So, dress up that table. Your house will shine and you will make your friends and family feel like the guests of honor that they are. From our table to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

All items are available for purchase at Artefact Home| Garden.

-Phoebe Lovejoy Russell

Phoebe Lovejoy Russell is the owner of Allston, Massachusetts-based Lovejoy Designs. She is also a 2013 recipient of New England Home‘s 5 Under 40 Awards. Find her at lovejoydesigns.net.