Entertaining

3 Easy, Small Space Thanksgiving Dinner Seating Tips from Camille Styles

Thanksgiving is all about celebrating with family and friends — but what’s the best way to squeeze all the people you love into a small space? Don’t stress — entertaining maven and style expert Camille Styles is here to save the day with her small space Thanksgiving dinner seating tips. 

Don’t forget to check out Camille’s new book, Camille Styles Entertaining, for even more of her clever tips and tricks. PLUS, stay tuned for our new exclusive feature with Camille launching next week!

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I love a super cozy vibe at Thanksgiving — everyone sitting shoulder-to-shoulder around a table overflowing with food. Here are 3 ideas for embracing the coziness at your Thanksgiving dinner without feeling cramped:

1. Rethink your furniture arrangement. So your 4-person kitchen table won’t fit all the friends and family you’d like to seat for the feast? Consider moving the dining table into the living room, and extending it with folding tables that you can line up end-to-end and cover with a pretty autumnal tablecloth. It’ll make the dining table the unexpected focal point of the room, plus open up all kinds of space you didn’t know you had. 

2. Ditch the table altogether. Just because it’s Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to embrace traditional seating arrangements. If your guest count exceeds the number that can be seated at a table in your space, consider setting up a buffet with all the food on the counter, a self-serve bar in the living room, and let people fill their plates and lounge on the couch, floor cushions, kitchen island – wherever they’d like to perch! This kind of party creates a really relaxed vibe where guests are truly invited to kick off their shoes and stay awhile.

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3. Don’t strive for perfection. Hosting Thanksgiving does not require Martha-like perfectionism. This is a holiday that’s about counting our blessings, so ditch the pressure, stress, and unrealistic expectations, and instead embrace an attitude that puts the focus back on having fun and creating great memories with the people you care about. Remember, your guests don’t want to be impressed – they want to be welcomed into a warm and inviting atmosphere to eat delicious food and savor great conversation!

See more of Camille’s amazing Thanksgiving tips and tricks, here. 

Photos by Buff Strickland

OH MY WORD! J Lady told me about this session. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? These are .amazing, but azimang isn’t a big enough word for what I feel. So touching, beautiful and DELICIOUS! I need you to give me a tutor session the next time I come back to Meridian. You are so talented!

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