How to Decorate a House for Thanksgiving

Everyone knows that a beautifully decorated dinner table at Thanksgiving creates a warm and welcoming feeling for family and friends. But what about the rest of your house? Extend that thankful feeling into your whole home by taking the time to decorate every room in beautiful fall styles, colors and scents for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Things You'll Need

• Potpourri
• Scented candles
• Fall craft materials of your choice
• Pine cones
• Grapevine wreath
• Autumn leaves, real or fake
• Fall flowers such as mums or dahlias

Instructions

1. Decorate with scent. Even if you have not started the turkey yet, you can still create warm scents throughout your home by using potpourri and scented candles. Light a pumpkin-scented candle in each bedroom and bathroom. Simmer a pot of potpourri in your kitchen. The yummy smells will instantly evoke a feeling of Thanksgiving.

2. 

   Bring the outdoors in. Bring the colors of Autumn indoors by creating wreaths of grapevine and fall leaves. Hang one on the outside of each bedroom door, or above each bed. Tie an orange ribbon around a pine cone and hang several of them from curtain rods. Place colorful fall leaves in a bowl in the bathroom, or on a nightstand.

3. Use fall colors. Replace your bright bedspread with one that has muted shades of orange and gold, or dress up a white comforter with a thick, autumn throw. Add orange, yellow and red throw pillows to your beds and couches. Replace light summer drapes with darker jewel toned ones.

4. Dress up your kitchen. Consider purchasing a set of fall-colored or themed tableware. Accent the tableware with matching napkins, table runner and place mats. Add a Thanksgiving centerpiece and tall candles for true autumn ambiance. Have each family member write something they are thankful for and stick it on the fridge.

5. 

   Add flowers. Fall flowers are gorgeous and inexpensive. Place a large bouquet in the living room, and smaller ones in bathrooms and guest rooms. Use gourds for pumpkins as vases for a natural look.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider having your children help create fall decorations for you home. Create a garland of construction paper fall leaves that the children trace and cut out, or make some hand print turkeys to place on the wall.

• Do not leave lit candles unattended, and do not put any in a child's room.

Resources

• Fun Thanksgiving decorations kids can make!