After this extreme heat wave in Newport Beach, California, I am more excited than usual for fall to arrive! Not only does fall bring cooler weather, beautiful autumn leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes, but it also is the perfect excuse to get out my favorite fall decor (and shop for some new items). What’s the first place I start my little seasonal home makeover? My dining room table.
A beautiful fall tablescape can really transform the look and feel of your home. It’s especially fun to decorate your table for big events like Halloween or Thanksgiving, or even an intimate dinner party. We’ve put together 8 easy steps to help you design the perfect fall tablescape. While these tips may be tailored for fall, these 8 easy steps can help you design a beautiful tablescape for any occasion or season!
1. Determine your color palette
The first step in designing your fall tablescape is to choose your color palette. You can opt for a theme like traditional fall colors (orange, neutrals, maroon, navy, ivory, gold) or nature-themed colors (variations of greens, browns, rusty orange)...
…or you can choose a more bold and moody option like deep, darker shades of purple, green, black, and orange.
Alternatively, you can pick a modern and simplified color palette—think black and white with a pop of color, or an all-white and gold table.
Whichever design style you decide to go with, make sure to choose colors that complement each other. We’ve included a design color wheel to help remind you of what colors go well together.
2. Choose your main focal point
While beautiful centerpieces are guaranteed to steal the show at your next event, you don’t always have to make a big centerpiece the main focal point of your fall tablescape. In fact, something more simple like a patterned napkin, seasonal pumpkin, or single-stem flowers could do the trick. The best way to decide is to think about the vibe you want to create. Is it a soothing, simplified, modern look that you’re going for? Or an all-out “more is more” show stopping display? We love looks on all ends of the spectrum, so choose what speaks to you. Here are a few designs to help inspire you!
3. Go for a layered look
How do you create that high-class designer fall tablescape? Layers! Start with a tablecloth, and then continue to add more layers—table runners, placemats, and a variety of dinnerware. Then add napkins, place cards, gifts for guests, and get creative with other decor items like cutting boards, themed tchotchkes or twinkle lights for a unique touch.
We’re swooning over this Thanksgiving tablescape by Denby Pottery. Notice how a pop of blue is layered with neutral colors. And then they topped the layered dinnerware with a mini cutting board and miniature pumpkin for each place setting—adorable!
We also love this totally eclectic table design that layers…well, everything! Check out Leaf Home Blooms fall collection of fabric pieces, candles, dinnerware, glassware, and much more. We love how they added layers and varying heights with a cake pedestal.
4. Mix and match
We use this tip in almost every design blog we write—and that’s because it works. To avoid looking matchy-matchy or worse, outdated, try mixing and matching types of dinnerware, flatware, fabrics, patterns and materials. It’s easy to create balance in a tablescape because of the repetition of items so mix up those materials with wood, copper, glass, and various textures, sizes, heights, etc. We love the way these two fall tablescapes came out!
5. Bring in a little nature
During fall, pumpkins are everywhere! While we absolutely love decorating with all different varieties, colors and sizes of pumpkins during fall, there are a ton of other ways you can bring a little nature into your fall tablescape. Decorate with traditional flower centerpieces or consider lengthier pieces of garland, eucalyptus, or even a mixture of plants, flowers and pinecones for long tables.
For something more out-of-the box, try decorating with fall fruits!
Depending on the mood of the occasion, we recommend adding sprigs, leaves and/or other fresh or dried plants on top of plates instead of decorating with huge centerpieces.
6. Use items of varying heights
Tip number six is one of our favorite decorating tips—and it’s especially helpful when decorating your table or other smaller spaces. Choosing decor items with varying heights helps move your eye, adds interest, and most importantly, makes your table look and feel less busy. In other words, you can fit more on your table without compromising your design style.
Picking candles and glassware with varying heights is not your only option. In fact, one of our favorite ways of adding height variety is through floral arrangements! An airy arrangement can add the verticality you’re looking for without blocking the view of the person across the table.
7. Choose your glassware
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to remember to always set out a water goblet and a wine glass for your guests. If you are planning a dinner party, you may even want to consider a third glass or cup for cocktails, mocktails or coffee. The glassware can really add a little glamor to the table. Personally, we love pairing glassware with copper cups in the fall (moscow mule anyone?) and mixing and matching the style of glassware itself.
8. Incorporate candles
Nothing creates that fall feeling as much as a cinnamon-scented or pumpkin-scented candle—at least for me! And candles on a fall tablescape can completely change the mood of the room. Decorative candles create ambiance and warmth, relieve stress, and signify a celebration or romance. Bonus: candles also help add layers, depth and varying heights to your table!
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