I don't do alot of holiday specific decorating. I do go all out (somewhat) for Christmas LOL. I'm not especially fond of placemats, use them only occasionally. I love chargers, and like to use those in place of placemats, or also with a tablecloth. I like vintage linens and use those at times. In our dining room I have an antique chest (possibly a small dresser - no mirror) with 5 drawers. That is where my table linens are stored, also some of my chargers, candles, odds and ends for the dining room.

An example is how I am decorating the table for Thanksgiving. I am using a burlap table runner (ordered from Etsy!) in the lighter creme color. My creme colored scalloped edge plates with chocolate brown chargers. I will use creme colored cloth napkins. Some old silver pieces and nice glassware (not crystal my table will be somewhat informal). My centerpiece is my new love - one of the pale blue pumpkins and smaller white, orange, orange/white striped pumpkins along with some bittersweet, glass acorn ornaments, I even have a few feathers I may add in or pinecones. I'll also use several small glass votives.

I can do alot with those creme plates. I also have a nice full set of a taupe or sand colored basketweave border dishes, along with my good china. I am a plate addict and buy sets of plates. I have a fondness for transferware, so many holidays my table will be done in transferware. I use my old Johnson Brothers Friendly Village at Christmas because in the dinner plates I have one of the winter scenes. I also have some green italian (I believe) holly plates. I love dishes and find that by buying just plates, I can change things up and not so expensively. It's rare I buy other pieces in the different patterns. I have a good amount of ruby red glass (started with pieces of my great grandmother's), crystal, old silver, etc. and lots of other old glassware. I use those as serving/accessory pieces.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

tina

That sounds beautiful Tina! You will have to post pictures of your thanksgiving table!

I never thought of using a chest instead of a sideboard. I love that idea. Thanks so much!

I highly recommend going to the Holiday forum on this site. They pretty much corner the market on table settings and seasonal decorating and they share a TON of great ideas.
I don't have a bunch of dishes so they fit in my kitchen cabinets, of which I have a ton. My seasonal stuff is stored in the attic but I use a lot of the same things throughout the year. Berry garlands are especially versatile.
Here are some of my table last Thanksgiving, a couple of Christmas, and fall decor this year.

You need to come on over and check out GW's Christmas & Holiday forum. We're about 75% table decs for everyday and holidays . . . and we decorate for pretty much everything from birthday tables, baby showers, Valentines Day to President's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and then go all out for Christmas. Many minor "holidays" are also cause for celebratory tables, too.

Just be careful, though, as we're a very enabling bunch ;^D In just two short years, I've gone from owning 2 everyday dinnerware patterns and one Christmas pattern to now, approximately 15!
As to where we store them, wherever we can find the room (LOL)! Some of the gals have turned a closet into a tablescape storage closet ( be still my heart!). A couple have DH's who've helped them create awesome storage down their basements. Here in this area of New Mexico, we don't have many basements or attics, so I've had to be creative about where to store my things. I store some in a shallow set of cabinets under the eating bar in my kitchen. BTW, the cab holding my cookbooks now holds more dishes, as I found a great (consignment) credenza for all of my many cookbooks since this pic was taken.
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. . . and in the built-in hutch in my dining room . . . and in two dish drawers in my kitchen . . . and last Fall I cleaned out a tall cab in my laundry room and it now holds many pieces I use for my tablescapes. The rest of the things I use just sit around as every decs until I need them for a tablescape . . and then I "shop my house" for something to use. For instance, this large brass deer (found at Goodwill) sits on our living room hearth most of the time. But, when I want to set an Indian table, he becomes my centerpiece:
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If you're just starting out ~ and we all were there at one point in our lives~ use your imagination and shop thrift stores, garage sales and secondhand stores for furniture bargains, not to mention dinnerware and tablescape items. We still do every chance we get! A dresser, tall or long, can work wonderfully in a dining room. I actually have one of each in my own dining room. The long one acts as a buffet and holds placemats, serving pieces and a good assortment of napkin rings. The tall one holds tablecloths, etc.
Here's a pic of my dining room.

I have a very large walk up attic so that is where I store my seasonal stuff. All in labeled totes in areas with like items. All the Christmas goes in one area, all the Halloween in another. Makes it easier to find stuff when you need it.
Dishes and candles I keep in the downstairs. I have a closet with a tote that I keep candles in. They get wrapped with white tissue paper so the colors don't bleed.
Linens go in a a old armorie in the dining room.
Wreaths get stores in a oversized trashcan I picked up years ago. I lay cardboard between the wreaths to keep them from tangling.
Oversized items that don't fit in totes get put on a shelf in the attic. I keep them covered in see thru plastic bags to keep the dust off.
Season decorating isn't rocket science it's planning and using what you have or what you can afford.
Much of what I use to decorate with comes from second hand shops, garage sales, flea markets, auctions and sales at large retail stores.
Generally I keep a running list of things I either need or would love to have. When and if I see them on sale I pick them up.
I also try and keep a good supply of things like sea shells, pine cones, colored stones, and silk flowers on hand. All good for doing decorating.
A good book on napkin folding and flora arrangements can get your creative juices going.
Good shelving and a good system for storage and finding your treasures is very helpful too.

“This is my husband and my first house and other than purchasing a few pumpkins, I haven't done much.”
A few years ago that was me and I was bananas buying fall and Christmas stuff. I had waaaay too much stuff out, ha. The past two years I only got out a fraction of it and it looks much better. I do put out more for Christmas.

We have a large walk up attic that I put everything in those plastic storage bins and label the outside.

I recommend the Holiday forum also. They’re helped me tweak my seasonal buffet more than once. : ) Nice group of people like here.

Here’s a few of mine.
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It's *really* easy to get carried away because there's so much adorable stuff out there, and it can be so inexpensive after the holidays. Use caution, especially, about bulky stuff that can only be used for a short time. I'd rather buy Christmas table linens, for instance, than Christmas crockery. Get plain white dishes, or even plain red--you can alter the linens and centerpiece but use the same dishes for Christmas, Valentine's Day, 4th of July...you get the idea. Why buy a big platter with an embossed turkey? Just buy a nice plain platter you can use any time.

I keep my over-abundance of Christmas stuff in plastic bins in the basement, and other seasonal items (silk flowers, different accessories) in a big armoire in my living room. I really do enjoy changing things out for the seasons, but don't let the marketers convince you that you need a Christmas bedspread or bathroom rug if you don't have the space to store them. You can add holiday cheer with fewer or simpler touches.

I agree that the holiday forum here is wonderful and I read it a lot, but some of the posters have more space, energy, and creativity than the rest of us! You don't HAVE to have eight Christmas trees to be festive, especially when you're just starting out with a new home and probably have a limited budget and space.

Have fun with it!

Ok I just realized I worded that wrong and it sounds stupid. I meant to say "don't be like me and go crazy buying too much stuff".

Sorry about the huge pic. They're all resized so I don't understand why that one is huge.

Such pretty tables, everyone!

I am lucky enough to have plenty of storage in my house, including a basement. I do have a sideboard, but it does not hold much because it is open and has 5 small drawers.

You can scour CL, garage sales, auction houses, or your local paper for a chest. There are good buys out there, if you are willing to put a little elbow grease into the piece. I recommend a chest with doors, and perhaps a drawer or two.

Well, my table cannot hold a candle to the tables above, but this is what I have done for Fall/Thanksgiving.

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Should I add placemats? I have some rectangular burgundy mats with a leaf motif. I liked the look, but my daughter didn't. She hates all things flowery looking. lol She does not like the dishes, either. They were my mother-in-laws, so I bring them out at Thanksgiving to please my husband.

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Alex, I LOVE your Autumn table and dishes! Beautiful!

Shee: The final new Autumn arrangement on your buffet turned out wonderfully and your Christmas one from last year did, too . . . big congrats!!!

NHB: I really like the way the red napkins and candle-holders pick up the red in your artwork and in the chair stripes. If you don't want to go with the placemats, how about a tablecloth and use the runner over it? BTW, you're dishes are very pretty!
Lynn

Thank you! The color is also in my rug.

LOL Have you ever tried to buy a tablecloth for a 10' table? Actually, I am not a fan of tablecloths. I'd rather use the placemats (very much like yours,) but just going by what my DD said. At this point, I do not want to dress the entire table with crystal and sterling. We are not eating at my home for Thanksgiving. Perhaps if I did have it set like yours, my daughter would like the mats better.

Thanks Lynn! That transferware pattern is my obsession :)

NHB: I've seen runners used in place of mats often. You would need three across the width to go under your plates then two to span the length that overlap under your centerpiece. With everything on the table you don't notice the basketweave thing going on. But, I like what you have done so it certainly isn't necessary.

Where's the OP?