11 Fall Table Decor Ideas to Get You in the Cozy Spirit

From creative napkin holders to beautiful centerpieces, these tablescapes will give you all the fall feelings.

A dining tables can be one of the most utilized furniture items in a home. Aside from being the destination to sit down and enjoy meals, it’s also often a place we find ourselves hanging out throughout the day to tackle various tasks. (Who says dining tables can't also be work from home desks?) Infusing the dining table with fall decor can make your entire space feel cozy and seasonally appropriate.

Whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply want to keep things festive for your own enjoyment, get inspired by these fall table decor ideas from interior designers.

Related: 9 Dining Table Decor Ideas For Hosting Grand Dinner Parties

Use Apples to Create Place Settings

Apples are an autumn mainstay—inexpensive, easy to come by, and beautiful in their whole form. Party planner Amanda Orso, founder of the High Low Hostess, used red delicious apples in a few ways for this fall-themed table setting. She used them as place setting indicators (the faux leaf has the guest's name written on it), as well as in the floral arrangement, and as votive candle holders. The orange, red, and yellow tones in the rest of the table decor really bring everything together.

Place Pheasant Feathers in a Vintage Bottle

For a touch of countryside elegance, gather pheasant or quail feathers and arrange them inside amber-hued vintage bottles or jars. This combo feels rustic and chic at the same time, offering an elevated autumnal tablescape.

“The goal is to elegantly fuse nature with your decor for an effortless, seasonal centerpiece,” explains Matilda Reuter Engle, founder of Middleburg Hospitality. “To achieve this design, select a mix of feather types, from soft and subtle, to more dramatic options. Pair them with an assortment of glass bottles in varying heights across your tablescape.”

Combine Cascading Succulents and Pumpkins

Petite pots of cascading green succulents pair beautifully with tiny pumpkins and gourds, as you can see from this spread created by Bloomscape's design team. The addition of flickering white taper candles in small candle holders makes for an extra cozy fall table setting. Opt for cascading succulents, like String of Pearls, String of Bananas, or Ruby Necklace.

Get Seasonal With Your Napkin Holders

The simplest touches can really elevate your fall tablescape, notes Virginia Frischkorn, Founder of Partytrick. Take this single piece of dried citrus, for example, which is wrapped around a dark green napkin with soft twine. The yellow checkerboard tablecloth and dark green drinking glasses add instant drama and dimension. She says you could also try a bundle of herbs or dried grasses instead, and velvet is another option for tying it all together.

Use a Mix of Fresh and Dried Florals

Fresh florals are an expected element on dinner tables, but infusing some whimsical dried flowers can create intrigue, texture, and dimension.

“Dried flowers are trending, and we love to mix them with freshly cut flowers since not a lot of people are doing that,” notes Daniela Apeloig, founder of the Apeloig Collection. “Cutting the flowers at different heights adds interest. We’re multitaskers and love that our Oil Menorah makes a stunning floral display.”

Opt for a Bounty of Seasonal Wildflowers

Another way to embrace autumn vibes is to create a floral centerpiece filled with seasonal wildflowers, such as dahlias, coneflowers, marigolds, and asters.

“The perfect fall tablescape is one reminiscent of its surroundings—from rich palettes reminiscent of the changing leaf colors to the coziness that a brisk fall day evokes,” says Colby Radomski of Reverie Social. “In this tablescape, the juxtaposition between bold, floral centerpieces inside simple, white vases in varying heights allow for a balanced setting that is somehow both energetic and grounded, much like nature.”

Add Color Contrast With Blue or Purple

We often think of fall colors within the brown and red spectrum, but purple and blue are two contrasting hues that can still feel very “of the season.” Here, interior designer Joanna Buchanan combines some of those traditional autumn hues with more unexpected colors of pumpkins, linens, napkins, and plates.

“The real trick to a 'wow' fall tablescape is playing with colors,” says Buchanan. “Pumpkins are the universal sign of changing seasons, but skip the usual orange. Consider something more unexpected, like captivating blue ombre or delicate white capiz pumpkins. I love mixing amber and indigo.”

Opt for Maximalist Plates and Chargers

Another way to create some drama with your fall table decor is to get bold with your plates and chargers. Really get into the season by choosing a harvest-themed design.

“A maximalist approach to tableware is the perfect nod to fall’s abundant harvest,” says Engle. “The aesthetic goal is to artfully blend a variety of patterns and hues to tell a story with your decor, easily achieved by mixing and matching plates with intricate designs and metallic shades for depth.”

Add Height With Tall Candlesticks

Keep your fall table decor simple via tall candlesticks in an autumn hue perched inside a brass holder. Flicker candles often have a way of inviting intimate conversations, and they also just feel seasonal and cozy.

“The subtle glow of tall candlesticks mirror the sun setting over the countryside; a warm aura to set for your fall gathering,” Engle says. “Letting the light play over your tablescape, casting shadows reminiscent of rolling hills, is an easy way to add a seasonal narrative to your decor.”

Go Spooky-Chic with a Black and White Theme

Feeling spooky? Try this Halloween chic table decor idea from Orso. She stuck to a black and white theme via frayed charcoal placemats, white pumpkin plates, and black utensils on an inkblot napkin. To keep with the theme, she used a variety of cream-hued gourds along the middle of the table and added some squiggly black wire for good measure.

Arrange Fall Leaves in Vases

Instead of a floral arrangement, head out on a nice walk and gather an assortment of beautiful fall leaves. Once collected, arrange them in various sizes of white vases like Frischkorn did here. You could even head to the thrift store and spray paint whatever vases you find so they match in color. Keep the rest of your table setting simple with bright napkins, tiny votive candle holders, and a burlap runner.

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