Happy Fall, friends! ‘Tis the season for entertaining. Whether you’re having a big or small gathering, it’s always fun to have your dining table festively decorated for your guests! I’m sharing this neutral colored tablescape in hopes that it gives you some inspiration for thanksgiving or any fall gathering that you’re hosting.
Supplies
Centerpiece
- Table runner
- Greenery – I used eucalyptus, real or faux will be fine
- Mini white pumpkins – I used faux ones, but real ones would be nice too!
- Mini glass jars
- Tea light candles
- Lighter
- Floral wire
- Wire cutter
Place settings
- Chargers – preferably ones that compliment your plates and cutlery well
- Large white dinner plates
- Matching salad plates
- Neutral toned cloth napkins
- Seeded eucalyptus – faux will work as well, but real is best for these
- Cutlery – I used gold
Centerpiece
First, you want to start off with the table runner, this will be the base! Go with a neutral solid color or one with a subtle pattern to avoid it looking too busy. If it’s wrinkled, throw it in the dryer quickly or steam it! Then place it centered on your table.
Next you will want to lay out your greenery right along the center. Faux or real eucalyptus will work just fine! Or you can use both and blend them together.
If using faux – You’ll want to get 5 or 6 strands depending on the length of your table. They can get pricey, but you will be able to reuse these whenever! Double up on the stems in the very center for extra fullness. Save one of the strands to cut up for the place settings.
If using real – Place them in water the very second you get home and keep them in there until you’re ready to set the table, preferably no longer than an hour before your guests arrive so that they stay looking fresh! Once you take them out of the water, pat them dry so they don’t wet your table or runner. You can leave the stems as is and place them in opposite directions on your table runner, or cut them up so they’re easier to manipulate to your liking! I cut the stems, and then wrapped pieces together with green floral wire. Don’t worry about any gaps, those can be filled in with pumpkins and the candles!
Once you’ve laid out your greenery, place your pumpkins on both sides of the stems filling in the gaps. I used faux pumpkins in varying sizes, all in white. You can use real or faux, different sizes or all the same – it’s all about your personal preference! You can also opt for larger size pumpkins for the very center.
Lastly, add your twinkle! Tea lights will complete your centerpiece giving it a cozy, festive vibe. I used small glass jars with real tea light candles inside. Any clear glass jar or tea light holder will be perfect! An alternative to real tea lights are faux ones, but to me, there’s nothing like the flicker from a real flame! If your guests are arriving soon, you can light your candles now! If it’s going to be a while, you may want to save that for the last step.
Place settings
Once you have your centerpiece complete, you can move onto the place settings. My gold charger plates compliment my cutlery well since they are both gold. You will want to choose chargers that go well with your plates and cutlery! Place your chargers down first, then place the large dinner plates on top, followed by the salad plates. White plates are best because they are very versatile and elegant, but you can use whatever plates you have.
Napkins! Solid neutral napkins will tie in the table runner, the pumpkins, and keep your setting looking clean and elegant. There are many different ways to fold cloth napkins, but I wanted to keep it simple for this one. Feel free to switch it up! I folded them neatly into rectangles to be placed directly on the salad plates.
A touch of greenery – Take the remainder of your real or faux eucalyptus and cut it into enough stems for the amount of place settings you have. Once you cut one, you can hold it against the other stems while you cut so they’ll be roughly the same length. Place them each in the center of the napkins. This small addition adds a dainty, whimsical touch to each guest’s place setting. If you prefer to add some pumpkins here instead, those will look great too!
Finally, place your cutlery on either side of the charger, on your table. You can keep it simple with a salad fork, dinner fork, and knife or add in a spoon as well. Place water glasses and wine glasses at each setting, or have guests serve themselves on a bar cart!
We’d love to see your festive fall tablescape. Tag us @mybobs or #mybobs on our social channels for a chance to be featured on our feed. Happy table decorating!
