By Christabelle… @CBellesCloset (*Pure Editorial, Non-Paid Post)

Thanksgiving is just a little over a week away and you are probably starting to think about food shopping, cooking, and decorating your table (or eating if you aren’t in charge of any of those things).  Though I will be with my DNA family for the holidays, I celebrated the big day with my “NYC Family” last week.  If you think you don’t have enough room in your apartment to host such a gala – think again. With some strategic placement of furniture (I used my couch as dining seats on one side) and a few fold out tables, I fit 12 people in my (NYC, one bedroom) apartment. Yes, you can do that too.

As you scramble to prep…here are some of the cute ideas you can steal from my Thanksgiving Dinner Table.

4 Easy Steps to Re-Creating my Holiday Table in a Small Space

1. Colorful Linens:  Dress your table the way you would dress yourself! Expressive, bright and cheery. Layer a generic white table cloth on your table (you can find an inexpensive one at Target) and a smaller pumpkin colored table cloth on top of it. Balance your linens with a pop of another color for napkins – I went with ombre green cloth from Ikea (available in-store only).  I tucked a fall leaf on top each napkin (from my local dollar store) and slipped them into the cutest ceramic novelty napkin holders from H&M (who knew they had an incredible home line?!)

2. Mix fun and traditional table accessories: I stole an antique candelabra from my parent’s house (yes, I think they might be looking for it as we speak) and adorned it with orange unscented candles from Ikea and popped a miniature pumpkin in the middle. I surrounded the candelabra with festive fall finds – I cut up a bouquet of Chrysanthemums in a mix of autumn shades and arranged them into small juice glasses.  I placed electronic tea lights into Japanese glass tea cups, strategically placed a few gourds and added the most adorable salt and pepper squirrel set (another great find at H&M Home Line) as a final touch.

3. A new spin on place cards:  Place cards have been a time strong tradition for dinner parties (and a MUST if you come to one of mine). This dinner party I picked up mini-pumpkins, painted their stems in clear glue, dipped them into green sparkles and then wrote guest’s initials with a black Sharpie. It was a charming adornment to the dinner plates and guests got to take the pumpkin home as a gift.
NOTE: do the sparkle trick the night before (some of mine were still wet when my dinner party started).

4. Unique and one-of-a-kind place settings: There is nothing like Etsy when you want to find one-of-a kind and interesting ideas for gifts and decor. I ordered the most ingenuous burlap place-mats from MegsBurlapBoutique and asked if she wouldn’t mind personalizing using my own sayings.  She was quick with a reply and was happy to oblige – $56 dollars and two weeks later, my  “YUM”, “NOM NOM NOM”, “GET IN MY BELLY” and “NAPKIN TO LAP” setting for 8 arrived and were the talk of dinner. Thanks Meg – you helped to put the final touches to my creative dinner design landscape.

As always, the key to a successful dinner party isn’t just the food and the decor – it is about the people and the love in the room. These are the lovely family-friends that joined my soiree. I am certainly thankful for everyone single one of them this Thanksgiving! Happy GOBBLE!