The Five Best Table Setting Tips for Fall
Fall tables are my favorite. Today, I am sharing five of my best table-setting tips. Are you ready for some great tips?
I love fall colors such as burnt oranges, golden yellows, and deep ruby reds. Mix them with the season’s natural elements, like leaves, pine cones, and acorns, and you have the perfect backdrop for a gorgeous farmhouse table setting and cozy dinners with family and friends.
Five Table-Setting Tips
Setting a table can be intimidating, and I often get messages from all of you asking for table-setting tips. Since fall is here and I am styling a lot of fall tables, I thought it might be fun to share five of my favorite farmhouse table-setting tips with you.
It’s not hard to set a table, especially when you are like me and don’t follow many rules. Don’t laugh, but my dining room table is often set for dinner. My husband always asks, “Is that for your blog, or are we having another party?”
Unfortunately for him, it’s often set for an upcoming blog post!
Here are my five farmhouse table styling tips.
#1 Mix it Up
When I first started styling tables, I often mixed glassware, silver, plates, chargers, and placemats. I didn’t do this because I was clever – rather, I did it because I didn’t own enough matching pieces!
Over the years, I have collected a lot (and I mean a lot!) of china, silver, and glassware. Now, when I set a table, I constantly mix it up and don’t even look to see if I have enough matching pieces. That’s because I don’t want it to match.
Mixing it up is not only a great idea, but it also creates a more inviting table for your guests. It’s unexpected and not perfect, but it’s a table your guests are curious about.
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Mixing plates, placemats, glassware, and silverware makes for a fun table. It is different. I love my tables that way.
If you look at the table pictured above, nothing matches! Well, the napkins and glasses match. But nothing else does! The chargers, placemats, silver, and china are all different.
#2 Set a Fun Table
I love adding a “fun element” to my tables.
Can you tell how much fun I had creating the fall table pictured below?
One year, I used these fantastic wood cutouts for Thanksgiving.
We had many teenagers at our table, which was the end result! But the fun they enjoyed during dinner was well worth it. (I have lots of glue guns!)
#3 Don’t Just Use the Dining Room
One of my favorite table-setting tips is to get out of the dining room! Getting into a rut and always entertaining in the dining room is easy. So why not move your table to another room? Or even outside?
I always try to push myself and think of new places to host a dinner. I have served dinner on the beach (in the sand) many times, all over our backyard and at the park. The more creative you are, the more fun your guests will have! Fall is such a great time to host outdoors.
If you are curious, I found these metal trays at a flea market. I also love cloth napkins that have words on them!
Sometimes serving dinner in the living room can be fun and different!
#4 Fit Everyone at the Table
Nothing is more frustrating at a dinner party than splitting up your group into more than one table. We hosted fifty at my son’s rehearsal dinner, and I wanted everyone to be at the same table! This was simply amazing!
Of course, I realize that sometimes it is not possible to seat everyone at the same table. But I always try as hard as I can. A few years ago, we had twenty-two at our home for Thanksgiving, and I was determined to fit them all at one table in our dining room.
Somehow, it worked, and it was so much fun! If I end up hosting everyone again this year, I will have to figure out how to sit everyone together. I might set the table in the living room, but I don’t know. I will figure it out and share it with you for sure.
#5 Reuse Last Year’s Fall Decor
Don’t tell anyone, but I recycle fall decor every year! Two years ago, I added copper foil to the green pumpkins I had used the year before. Another time, I added copper and pink foil, and this year, I ripped off the fabric of a pumpkin to make a eucalyptus leaf pumpkin. Don’t be intimidated and think you need to buy all new decor. Shop your own home and get out some paint or craft supplies!
All of the faux florals on this table were purchased years ago!
Gorgeous Outdoor Fall Decor
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I think you will like my live show titled Fall Table Decor Ideas in the Dining Room.
I hope these tips have helped and will make setting your fall table easier.
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Always a joy to see how you decorate (inside and out tables) and you are so creative Leslie. For the past few years I have been doing a full Thanksgiving dinner – while camping but it always seems to be the same table other than swapping out a tablecloth. This year, I want to create a Hudsons Bay Thanksgiving table (possibly because I still have time to find items but don’t want to spend a fortune on HBC items). I found a lightweight HBC blanket with tassels in great shape at the thrift store and want to use that on the table (with of course a clear plastic over it to protect it). But not sure where to start. Have you done a tablescape or similar that you can make a few suggestions? I have rafia chargers (similar to yours), red plates (I have been taking white glass plates in the past) and napkins to match the red in the blanket, antler cutlery but at a loss for what to put down the centre (candles of course and my silver candleabra). I don’t put the food on the table, more buffet style but a sit down dinner for sure. I want that WOW factor.
Some great tips for setting table for fall include using Harvest Fest leaves to create a naturalistic centerpiece, adding a festive green glasscoaster to the table, and using serving dishes made from recycled materials. Northcote Home Renovations and Extensions
Table setting is a huge part of creating a great fall decor. Here are five tips to make sure your table is ready for the festivities!
Orthodontics Willoughby
So many great ideas that can be used at a smaller setting too, just figure out your own color theme. Have been in your pantry back in the days of art classes @ your house, could have spent an hour just looking at all your treasures in there.
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Everything I’ve ordered based on your recommendation has been spot on. Only thing I don’t do it’s have any centerpiece that interferes with people conversing across the table. Some floral scapes too tall or jars too tall. I keep centerpieces low.
Anyone have suggestions on how to keep my round burlap placemats from shedding all over my beautiful table cloths? I used only twice because my table looked like it snowed burlap, lol… any suggestions?
Janie in SoCal
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Oh I’m happy to hear that Janie! I see what you’re saying about the arrangements, I typically move them if they seem to be in the way of good conversation! I don’t have any tips for shedding unfortunately!