Cooler fall evenings create the perfect setting for an intimate backyard gathering. What better way to enjoy the autumnal scenery than by dining alfresco with good food before you and great company beside you?
Creating a fall-themed table setting is simpler than you think, and we can show you how to do it. Style your outdoor dining space to impress guests with our tips, tricks, and ideas for creating Pinterest-worthy fall tablescapes.
Step 1: Pick the Right Outdoor Dining Set
To properly design an autumn tablescape, you first need a foundation. (If you already have your desired dining set, move on to Step 2.) When shopping for patio furniture, look for products that meet these goals:
Ample space: There's enough room to accommodate family, a feast, and fall table decor.
Proper size: We recommend measuring your outdoor dining space first to find out how much room you have.
Durability: The furniture is built to withstand harsh weather and frequent entertaining.
- Style: You're pleased with the colors and designs and how they complement your home’s aesthetic.
Step 2: Plan for the Occasion
If you’re hosting a holiday dinner or just want to dress up your dining space, these tips will make sure your fall dinner table design is ready for entertaining.
- Meal size: Large, lavish dinners will occupy most of your tabletop, so use minimal decor.
- Activities: Incorporate interactive elements into the fall dining table decor to entertain guests between courses: gourds and markers for kids to doodle, themed crossword puzzles for adults, etc.
- Age-appropriate decor: If the attendees are young children, avoid open-flame candles, glass ornaments, and sharp objects.Lighting: It gets dark early in the fall, so enhance ambiance and visibility with strings of warm-toned bulbs overhead, outdoor lamps around the room's perimeter, and flameless candles on the table.
- Weather: Depending on your climate, hosting events later in the season often means dealing with cooler temperatures. Keep guests warm and comfortable by providing blankets, setting up outdoor heaters, and kindling a fire.
Step 3: Learn How to Set a Table
When eating outdoors, you usually won’t need a formal table setting (unless you're hosting a backyard wedding). For a casual dinner with family, setting the table is simple.
- Place a dinner plate at each seat.
- Position a folded cloth napkin to the left of the plate and lay a dinner fork on top.
- Put a dinner knife and a teaspoon to the right of the plate, with the knife between the plate and spoon, and the blade facing left.
- Set a water glass in front of the plate and a wine glass slightly to the upper right.
Even a more upscale meal only needs a few extra pieces of dinnerware. Follow the steps above for the casual setup, then add these extras:
- Place a salad plate on top of the dinner plate.
- Add a salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.
- Position a soup spoon between the dinner knife and teaspoon.
14 Outdoor Fall Tablescapes
Let these fall tablescape ideas lead you to your perfect alfresco setup.
1. Green and White Tablescape
Break away from the season’s traditional warm hues with this vibrant fall dining room table decor. Combine green chargers with white leaf-patterned plates and arrange them around a centerpiece crafted from multicolored gourds and evergreen branches.
2. Contrasting Table Decor
Go monochrome with a black tablecloth and glasses, white plates, and Baby Boo pumpkins. Add subtle touches of autumn colors with red vases, gold cutlery, and other accents.
3. Woodsy Tablescape
Create a rustic and cozy table setting using large wood slice chargers, and top a gauzy sage green table runner with pinecones, leaves, and a manzanita branch centerpiece.
4. Metallic Meal Setting
Choose one or two metal accent colors to liven up your tablescape. Copper mugs, brass chargers, or silver vases are all great choices; just make sure not to go overboard with metallics. A little goes a long way.
5. Spooky Season Tablescape
Your time has come, Halloween lovers. Grab that black lace tablecloth, carve up some jack-o'-lanterns, and place a pair of moody candelabras at the center of your spine-chilling setup.
6. Abundant Table Design
Top a neutral-toned table with a vase filled with wheat, Indian corn, and pampas grass. Surround this grand centerpiece with simple place settings in warm autumnal shades to complete a tablescape to be thankful for.
7. Fall Flower Table Decor
Use autumn blooms to create a stunning focal point on the dinner table. Arrange fluffy white and pale green hydrangeas, eucalyptus sprigs, orange mums, and Peruvian lilies in clear glass vases. Complete the look with a floral runner and delicate rose napkin rings.
8. Arts and Crafts Setup
Convert your POLYWOOD dining set into a pumpkin painting station: skip the tablecloth and use the durable surface for kids' crafts. Set with melamine dinnerware, paints, brushes, and pumpkins. Add color with paper runners and fill cups with paint for mess-free fun.
9. Tablescape for Small Spaces
If a cozy table is your canvas, try adorably tiny decor. Bud vases holding mums, mini gourd topiaries, or slim hurricane jars filled with floating candles are all decor ideas that take up little room.
10. No-Frills Tablescape
Sometimes, all you need to set the mood is a tablecloth and a vase of flowers. To stay on-theme, choose a plaid runner in warm neutral colors and top it with a galvanized metal vase filled with fresh-cut flowers to create a simple fall table setting.
11. Think Outside the Dining Table
Avoid overcrowding your dining table while satisfying your desire to decorate by styling a fall bar cart. Stock it with seasonal drinks and snacks like mulled cider and pumpkin spice donuts, include on-theme plates and cutlery, and fill the empty spaces with festive autumn decor.
Photo credit: Ciara Kenaston
12. Add Seasonal Scents to the Table Scene
Let the aroma of cinnamon, apples, cloves, or pumpkin gently waft through your tablescape with candles or sachets of dried fruits and spices. Be careful not to use too much—just enough to give guests a subtle wink of fall.
13. Golden Glow Tablescape
This soft, shimmery setup creates warmth and a touch of glamour for your gatherings with creamy white and gold-painted gourds, glass pumpkins with fairy lights, candles, and a sprinkle of fallen leaves on a gauzy taupe table runner. Gold-rimmed glasses and flatware complete the look.
14. Kid-Friendly Tablescape
Decorate a table for fall that gives your little ones their own festive spot for family dinners or tea parties with their besties. Use warm-toned blankets and pillows to keep them cozy in the cooler weather, and serve snacks in warm-toned plates and bowls to stay on-theme.
FAQs
What is a good centerpiece for fall?
Try an assortment of seasonal elements like gourds, candles, colorful leaves, acorns, and pinecones to make a good fall centerpiece. These items are readily available in stores or your own backyard. Consider using a rustic wooden tray as a base to give your centerpiece a cozy, autumnal feel. Dining table decor for fall that features a mix of textures and colors creates visual interest while honoring the season's beauty.
What month do you put out fall decor?
Most people begin putting out fall decor in August or September. The weather is warmer, the nights are shorter, and decorating early means they can enjoy their festive atmosphere longer.
How to set a pretty fall table?
Set a pretty fall table with a warm-toned tablecloth or runner layered with plates, glasses, and utensils to add depth and height. In the middle, place small pumpkins, candles, pinecones, and other fall table decor around a bouquet of autumn flowers in shades of orange, burgundy, red, and yellow.
What is a popular decoration in the fall season?
Pumpkins are one of the most popular fall decorations. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, allowing them to accommodate a range of seasonal projects, from easy fall tablescapes to outdoor crafts.
What makes a great tablescape?
Follow these tips to make a great tablescape:
Choose the right colors: Pick shades that fit the occasion and season.
Add greenery: A verdant flourish will liven up any tablescape.
Minimize clutter: A table overwhelmed with decor leaves little room for guests to enjoy their meals.
Mix textures: Blending a variety of patterns and textures can add depth to your aesthetic.
Try layering: Layering a lace runner over a linen tablecloth or stacking plates of different wood species adds depth and personality to a tablescape.
What is the difference between a centerpiece and a tablescape?
A centerpiece is a decoration that’s placed in the center of a table, and a tablescape is a term that describes the entire design landscape of the table, including centerpieces, place settings, linens, etc.
What is the difference between table setting and tablescape?
A tablescape is a decorative arrangement of items on a table, such as centerpieces, place settings, linens, and other decor. A table setting refers to the types of dishes and cutlery needed for a place setting and how to arrange them. Different dining occasions call for different table settings (e.g., a casual table setting needs only one fork, whereas a formal table setting requires different forks for the salad, dinner, and dessert courses).
