When the weather turns and autumn sets in, make your gatherings extra-special with a stylish seasonal tablescape. Follow my top tips to create a cosy and charming setting for any autumnal event.
Choose seasonal colours
Despite the darker evenings and grey days, autumn is one of the most colourful seasons. I love the shades that appear at this time of year: golden brown, fiery red, burnt orange, and rich amethyst are just a few of my favourites. When hosting an autumn gathering, I try to break down the barriers between indoors and out by reflecting these colours in my tablescape. Consider adding the intense amber of a preserved autumn beech or faux oak leaf stem, a mulberry-toned dried hydrangea, or a brown dried allium spray to your centrepiece, accompanied by rustic cream crockery and earth-toned textiles.
Add texture
In my opinion, the best autumn gatherings are those that feel cosy and comfortable like relaxed dinner parties with friends and families that go on for hours unexpectedly. To help set the mood for these informal autumn get togethers, I recommend adding texture to your tablescapes. Rustic materials and muted colours work especially well; woven rattan trays, stoneware serving sets, vintage-inspired brass candlesticks, and wooden chopping boards used as sharing platters all contribute to creating a timeless autumn tablescape. You might even want to provide thick woollen blankets that your guests can wrap themselves up in as you continue to chat into the night.
Consider candles
As the nights draw in, we start reaching for the light switch earlier and earlier, but when hosting an autumn gathering, I try to avoid harsh lighting for as long as possible. While bright overhead lights have their place, they can feel overly harsh when you want to create a relaxed, warm, and inviting atmosphere for your visitors. Instead, opt for candlelight.
Not only can candles help to set the mood, but they can also add a fresh visual dimension to your autumn tablescape. Personally, I avoid scented candles on my tables as I don’t want the aroma to detract from the food, but I love using candle holders to display tapered candles in a neutral shade and using pillar candles and tealights to add pockets of light around our dining room.
Embrace autumn theming
Autumn is synonymous with a range of events, from Halloween and Fireworks’ Night to harvest and Diwali. Depending on your interior décor and your family traditions, you might want to go all out with your autumn theming, but personally, I like to nod to the season in a playful way without sacrificing our overall home aesthetic. When creating your autumn tablescape, you could embrace these seasonal themes by adding small ceramic pumpkins, acorns, and gourds, concrete fruit ornaments, or foraged items such as dried seeds, berries, or pinecones.
Mix fresh and faux florals
To create a standout autumn centrepiece for your table, there are several different faux and fresh florals you can use to capture the essence of the season. Don’t be afraid to mix things up by adding grasses, branches, and berry stems to your arrangements rather than just focusing on florals. Blush eucalyptus, allium spray, and dried bunny tails offset more delicate stems such as dried limonium, talinum spray, and show-stopping dried hydrangeas. Choose similarly toned colours but a variety of different textures to add depth and intrigue.
