Set your table for glorious autumn with the season’s iconic fruit—pumpkins. Let the star of outdoor displays enjoy prominence inside with these easy, inexpensive tabletop vignettes. Then enjoy a bountiful spread that promises to warm spirits from within.
Perfectly Plated
Treat visitors to some festive flourish by placing mini arrangements in hollowed-out pumpkins at each setting. Bits of grapevine or twine lend a “nested” feel to the look. These adorable gourds also make lovely vases for single red blooms.
Miniature white pumpkins provide a welcome balance for a tablescape filled with fall color. Personalize each setting with a handwritten place card elegantly tied to the stem with yarn or baker’s twine.
Elevated Elegance
Create a simple sideboard by balancing an old door or panel across a pair of wine barrels, then give tiny white ‘Baby Boo’ pumpkins prominence in the display by placing them on pillar candleholders. Continue the understated elegance of the setting by adding autumnal accents of mums and Gerbera daisies tucked in a vase.
Mix & Match
A collection of gourds and pinecones in various candleholders make a simple yet pretty tabletop display. The neutral palette of this seasonal presentation gives autumn’s characteristic orange accents the spotlight. Natural décor gleaned from the outdoors pairs perfectly with refined materials like silver, glass, and lace to create a rustic display for fall’s fancier occasions.
Create a visually splendid scene with a palette that echoes emblazoned leaves against a deep-blue sky. Fine china in a seasonal motif brings sophistication to the setting, while woven chargers and stoneware pieces keep the overall mood casual. Miniature pumpkins—some pure white, some striped in the fruit’s signature hue—placed at each seat offer an endearing personal touch.
Center of Attention
The array of pumpkin varieties available this time of year seems endless—plump, petite, pretty, plain. And what to do with the good-looking gourds that don’t belong out on the ground? Try this presentation that starts with a pedestal bowl or a rimmed cake plate. Set your prized pumpkin in the center, and fill the base with natural elements straight from your yard, such as changing leaves and dried seedpods. Use the display as a lovely dining-table centerpiece or to dress up other entertaining areas.
Check out our Autumn in the South special issue for more fall decorating and entertaining ideas, and don’t miss our October issue brimming with pumpkin-styling inspiration.
