It can be tough to put together a beautifully decorated Thanksgiving table without spending a holiday fortune. Here are some easy, budget-friendly ways to transform your dining area just in time for the big feast.

Set the foundation with fabric. Layer table coverings, add place mats and table runners, and bring out the cloth napkins. Don't have enough tablecloths? Pick up white flat sheets from your discount store for a fraction of the cost of holiday tablecloths. Hem them with fabric glue or hem tape. When the table is set and brimming with delicious food and pretty tableware, no one will know the difference.

Get festive with place settings. You don't have to run to your nearest department store and buy the best china. Just use what you have and what you love. Set out your favorite plates, salad dishes and soup bowls. Don't like the mismatched look? Check out your dollar store for inexpensive place settings. Use all your best glassware. Bring out separate forks for the salad and the main dish. Fold pretty fabric napkins into festive shapes, or use mini grapevine wreaths or raffia as simple DIY napkin rings. Go to a craft shop and pick up some inexpensive, pretty card stock to create place cards. Here's a secret: The more generous you are with your table settings, no matter what the nature of the plates and cups and silverware, the more festive and lavish the room will appear!

Create a harvest-themed focal point. This holiday is about family, so keep centerpieces low to the table to encourage good conversation. Hollow out several large squash or small pumpkins and fill them with groups of pillar candles. Nestle a candle in a bowl full of nuts or grain. Or use small hollowed-out pumpkins as candleholders, and line them up along the length of the table for simple impact. Scatter silk leaves about the table. Experiment with what you have available, what is affordable in your area and what creates warmth in your heart. Try things several different ways, until you find a combination you like.

Add a little luxury. Invest in a large roll of fall-colored wired ribbon, and use it to embellish your dining area. Tie bows onto the backs of chairs, tie up the corners of the table coverings and use it to hold back curtains or to tie up flatware.

More Thanksgiving Ideas:

Complete the harvest theme. Pile pumpkins and squash in the corners of the room, and keep a basket of bright red apples in sight.

Remember, this is not about impressing others; it is about making a decorative statement that shows how much you care. Enjoy your family, enjoy being creative while saving lots of cash and enjoy the company of those you love most.

        About Our Expert
Kathy Wilson is a home and garden writer, author and consultant. Visit her sites, The Budget Decorator and The Garden Glove, for more home and garden ideas.