Can you see it? The leaves in some of the colder climates are beginning to change color… Can you hear it?  The light rustling of leaves when the winds blow… Can you smell it and taste it?  Your family, neighbors and friends are beginning to bring out their bakeware to prepare the pumpkin pies, cinnamon rolls, cranberry bread and other seasonal goodies that you lovingly remember every year at this time.  A huge budget is not necessary to create a warm and cozy home this fall season. Start creatively brainstorming, shop thoughtfully and think a bit outside the box to create the Autumn tablescape of your dreams!

The kitchen and dining room act as the heart of a home, a place where we typically gather to discuss the events of the day and hang out with our family on a regular basis. Kitchen or dining room tables represent an ideal opportunity to showcase seasonal treasures and create a cozy and welcoming home.  Think color, texture, pattern and style when designing a fall tablescape. Here are a few ways to highlight the season and create a welcoming space in a home of any size or style, without spending a bundle:

Garlands
A  garland is one of the most festive seasonal enhancements that can be used to decorate in so many areas of the home.  Garlands can be draped over the railing of a staircase, placed on top of an doorway entrance, or even hung strategically on a wall. On a kitchen or dining room table, a seasonal garland is typically the focal point of the vignette, directing the eye to other decorative elements on the table.  Fall garlands are available for purchase ‘pre-decorated’ at various places including your local craft store, discount stores, boutiques or even sometimes department stores. Or; you can go the thriftier route and create your own Fall garland from ‘found’ objects in nature and purchasing a few interesting tidbits to supplement your creation.  Fall garlands can be designed in  ‘warm’ Fall colors such as honey yellows, dark burgundies, rich oranges, bold golds and deep browns and used to fashion a more ‘traditional’ garland tablescapes. Or, consider the growing popularity of designing your own creation and incorporating leaves, branches, pine cones and other often ‘free’ Fall ‘picks’ (that you can find in your own yard or at a local park or around your neighborhood) and painting these an unexpected or non traditional color scheme to grace your table.  This image (courtesy of Michael’s.com) is a wonderful example of creating a beautiful and elegant tablescape with a garland that highlight’s Fall’s classic colors.  The garland is enhanced with gold candlesticks, brown candles and napkins.  Lovely white dinnerware and  clear wine glasses take a ‘back seat’ to the color and texture of the Fall garland, which serves as the focal point for the table.

Floral Arrangement
A floral arrangement for your Fall table can also be used as a grand centerpiece. Consider size and scale of your table when you incorporate a focal point floral arrangement.  Shopping end of season sales is a great way to hunt for bargains. For those who can’t spare the time in their schedule to bargain hunt or if you prefer to design your own table creation, consider using an ‘offbeat’ container to liven things up on the table!  Containers that sport odd shapes, unexpected fabrications or a piece that you may have picked up years ago at a local yard sale for a song and have been holding onto in the garage can often make the most whimsical and interesting (and inexpensive!) vessels for your arrangement!  Consider fresh, silks or dried flowers for the arrangement, remembering that color scheme, texture and style are typically what stands out in the arrangement.  If the goal is to reuse for seasons to come, then drieds and silks are more cost effective flower options.

Pre-Decorated Items  Often less cost effective (but certainly tons of fun!), is the option of creating or buying a seasonal Fall item for your table that is already ‘pre-decorated’ with a seasonal enhancement or design, such as these ‘turkey wine glasses’, from Pier 1 Imports.  If you opt for the ‘pre-decorated’ seasonal items, consider designing the rest of the table using solid Fall colors, accentuating the colors of the pre-decorated piece, giving the piece more importance and directing the viewers eyes to the piece on the table. One final note:  keep in mind that Fall represents an entire ‘season’ of the year. Therefore, if opting to bring Fall to your table with a pumpkin themed runner and coordinating cloth napkins; it’s perfectly acceptable (and also tons more fun!) to utilize these pieces for ‘all’ of the months that represent the Fall season getting the most ‘bang’ for your hard earned ‘buck’.

Happy Fall!

Author Bio: Gail McCauley is a nationally published interior decorating writer (’50 Ways To Paint A Wall’, Creative Publishing International), and has contributed to several shelter magazines such as: Log Home Living, Timber Frame Homes and many others. Gail has written ongoing decorating tips for: Glidden Paint, Sure Fit Slipcovers and The Roehm & Haas Paint Quality Institute.  She currently freelances on an continuing basis for a design and architecture platform online and also helps home furnishings and interiors businesses to establish and grow their social media presence online.