In the Kitchen

In the Kitchen: Fall Tablescape

By Lisa Marie Blair | Photos by Maddie Peschong

It’s easy to bring all the fall feels into your home by creating a warm and inviting tablescape. This is the focal point of your dining space and sets the mood for the rest of the room. There are so many options to create a simple, inexpensive, and cozy dining area for your loved ones to gather around.

A great place to start your tablescape is with your centerpiece. A centerpiece on your table is an easy way to decorate and captivate a room. Fall is all about getting back to nature, so let’s try to bring that to the table. Some great options can be one large vessel full of fall floral, a pile of mini pumpkins or a garland of greenery that runs down the center of the table. These organic elements will add eye-catching color and life to the table.

After your centerpiece is placed, you’ll want to add warmth and visual height to the table. An easy way to add both is by adding vintage brass candleholders with classic tall white candle sticks. In addition to candles, another way to add height is by incorporating wooden risers, a stack of books, a cake stand, or even a stack of plates to physically elevate your décor. To keep things interesting and unique, add some unexpected pieces like a honey jar, butter dish, or even a soup tureen into your tablescape. Now that you have the center of the table decorated, you can move to the edges and complete the individual place settings. Having lots of layers and textures will draw people to the table. You can add layers by using everyday white plates and bowls on top of a charger. Try to use a charger that contrasts with both the table and the plates as this can add dimension to the dining experience. Another way to add texture and material to the table is to include cloth napkins or even a flatware pouch to each table setting to hold the cutlery. Copper mugs, hobnail drinking glasses, or crystal wine glasses can add another décor element to the table while also being functional.

Last but not least add some tasty snacks to the table. Your guests will be hungry just looking at this welcoming tablescape, so you may want to have something handy for them to munch on while they wait for dinner. Thin and crunchy breadsticks displayed in a water goblet or fresh bread in a basket can tide them over.

May your gatherings around the table be memorable and leave you fulfilled mentally, physically, and spiritually. n