How To Set A Fall Harvest Table
I decided to create this harvest table, knowing that I had guests coming and wanted to do something different. I chose to work with elements and colors that come from nature. There are just so many different things that you can decorate your table with for fall. All you need to do is go to your local nursery and find what you love or go outside in your yard to find different things you can decorate with.
I love to design my tablescape based on who will be joining me for dinner. I always address the needs of my guests first and then style around that. If I have family coming over, I always include some of my most prized heirlooms since gathering at a table has always been a long-standing tradition of connecting and sharing memories. I include those things that have been passed down to me that have memories of days gone by, as well as other items that I purchased recently that I also enjoy using.
If I am entertaining friends, I often will put items on my table that encourage an intimate setting, such as flowers and candles. I love having an elegant dinner with a casual feel to it. I believe it encourages others to feel welcome and brings warmth to my table.
Pick a theme
Before setting my table, I will generally pick a theme that I can design around. For me, it is just easier than putting things on my table randomly. My theme for this table is Fall Harvest Season. Harvest to me means pumpkins, wheat, and colors of autumn like orange, yellow, and different hues of brown. This gives me a starting point where I can determine the colors and textures that I want to use for the table. Then, I go shopping for things that I want to bring home for my table!
Helpful Hint
Always design your table from the outside in. This means that you should put your plates, flatware, napkins, and glasses down first before designing the centerpiece. The reason? You will be surprised how much room all the plates take up on a table once they are all placed at each seating. After they are all arranged, you have a better idea as to how much room you have left over for your final centerpiece design.
First things first
I chose a solid white tablecloth and then placed a burlap runner that I found at my local craft shop in the middle of the table to give it a casual harvest table. It adds texture and starts to bring in the overall colors of the design.
Layering your PLACE SETTINGS
Adding layers to your table brings depth and interest to your design. Adding a charger, plate, accent plate, and napkin is a great way to do this. A charger can be a larger plate or placemat. I’ve added a gold charger, a white dinner plate, an accent salad plate, and my napkin to the side of the setting.
If you look at the overall tablescape, I already have a tablecloth, runner, charger, dinner plate, and then finally, a salad plate. That is five layers.
Use Old with new
As stated, I adore using my heirlooms. I have little-footed bowls that have been painted by hand by my great-great-grandmother and linens that were handed down from my mother. I use them all! I know people like to put them away for safekeeping, but they should be used when appropriate if you are careful. What better way to share your stories about each item with your family and friends? I assure you it will bring conversation, fond memories, and laughter to your table.
Along with heirlooms, I also like to bring in current table decor that I have grown to love. As time passes, so do your tastes in design. I love to pair traditional, modern designs with antiques. The juxtaposition of the two brings a welcoming feel.
Select a centerpiece for the table
Instead of flowers, I chose to use a variety of pumpkins I gathered at my local nursery. I also went outside to get some pine cones and twigs I could use from my yard.
I adore my Hot Skwash velvet pumpkins. I have a variety of colors but chose to use the beige and cream-colored ones for this centerpiece. It adds to the textures of my table and is just pretty to look at.
In keeping with the light to dark brown hues, I chose to paint my larger pumpkins with cream-colored milk paint. It is effortless to do, and I did a fun project with my daughter while she was visiting me from Washington, DC. It got her in the spirit of the holidays as well.
I leaned one of the large pumpkins on the back side of a round white pedestal bowl I have and placed the other smaller items around it.
Big Tip:
It is often difficult to fill a round bowl like I have in these photos with items that are also round or square. Often, you will have big gaps where you can see the bottom of the bowl, and it doesn’t present a finished look. You will need filler beneath the pumpkin to both stabilize the pumpkins and to be sure the bottom doesn’t show and look unfinished. I use moss or other types of greenery for this purpose. It is both very effective in stabilizing your design and pretty in your arrangement. You can also put it in and around your pumpkins for more color if you like.
Big Tip:
The center of your table should be filled without vast blank spaces. Put votives and other pretty little things here and there to fill the area and create a warm atmosphere. I also flanked the footed vase with stalks of wheat that I found at my local craft store. I placed them on the table since they were very stable on their own. After that, I placed additional votives and other little pumpkins around.
Choosing a color theme
Pick a color theme, go with it throughout your table, and add pops of color if you like.
Here I used wheat colors with cream, white, beige, brown and orange.
“May your home be a place where friends meet, family gathers, and love grows. ”
All the details
The pops of color in this table come first from the salad pumpkin plate. I then added the colors I found in the plates to the centerpiece. I added mums, pinecones, and other little flowers to the middle.
The pumpkin I added to the centerpiece is very similar to the ones you see on my plates. The green pumpkin adds color and continues to bring the theme to the entire tablescape.
Designing a harvest table is easy if you stick with the theme and add pops of color to your tablescape. Don’t be afraid to add layers for visual interest. The colors of nature go well when designing a harvest table, so go outside and find what interests you and add them to your table. Bring in some elegance by adding vintage and antique heirlooms with modern details.
“May your home be a place where friends meet, family gathers, and love grows. ”
As with everything I post on my blogs, please feel free to comment, or if you have any questions, please email me through my contact page. I welcome it anytime!
Design with your heart™️
Happy decorating, my friends!
Mary
