A “Summer to Fall” Transitional Tablescape
I often find myself in a decorating slump come the end of summer. Exhausted from the past three months… looking forward to the structure of the school days again, but missing my kids! It’s kind of an “in limbo” time for emotions AND my home’s decor! Summer is on it’s way out and Fall hasn’t quite hit the scene yet. However, I find myself craving change… craving cooler weather and Fall decor (without going as far as pumpkins).
So, in an effort to freshen things up, I designed this transitional Summer to Fall tablescape. Using items I shopped from my home, plus a few that I grabbed from Target while back to school shopping. I think this fits the bill just perfect and satisfies my decorating soul (at least for the next month). 🙂
Two things that you can ALWAYS find in our home are boxwood plants and apples (they are a staple snack in our home throughout the year… the apples, not the boxwoods!). I have the fondest memories of apple picking as a child. The mere smell of them will forever remind me of Fall! So what better way to decorate your home in this transitional season than with Summer boxwoods and Fall apples!
When it comes to a beautiful tablescape, the key is layers and texture. I like to use a lot of neutrals on the table. This gives a gorgeous, welcoming look without all the fuss! Notice the jam jar water glasses? There is nothing uppity about these, yet they look perfect on the table.
Here is a step by step tutorial on how I built this “Summer to Fall” tablescape from start to finish and where I sourced all the materials.
- Start with a simple, neutral colored tablecloth – I chose a white ruffle table cloth that I bought on Pottery Barn clearance a few years ago. HomeGoods, Target, Tuesday Morning and TJ Maxx are all great options for finding inexpensive, basic tablecloths. This will be your base, so keep it simple!
2. Next, add in some texture with a table runner – I used this textured woven grass runner from the Magnolia Homes’ Hearth and Hand Collection at Target (online it’s full price, but I found this in the clearance end cap for just $12! This was a recent purchase, so check your local Target to see if you can score one of your own!) A neutral piece like this is one that can transition thru ALL seasons, depending on what you layer with it. It is a great neutral and textural base layer!
3. Add a plate charger – I have had these on hand for a number of years now; We received them as a wedding gift. However, I have often found such chargers at Here at Crate & Barrel and have even spotted them on multiple occasions at my local thrift stores! Again, these are a great neutral piece. The wood tones add warmth to the table the woven pattern adds texture and movement. Other fun ideas are these galvanized plate chargers from Hobby Lobby or find some wood plate chargers. Anything that adds warmth and texture here!
4. Then, add your plates – I like to use white here. White dishes provide a beautiful contrast to the warm, wooden plate chargers and are a classic choice that never goes out of style. A classic white plate can easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion! The plates used here are the White Pearl Dinner Plates from Crate & Barrel.
5. Next, the napkin! This is where you can have a lot of fun! Can you just imagine how a punchy, colorful napkin would completely change the look of this table! Give this layer some personality and have fun with it!
I chose these gorgeous Black and Cream Striped Napkins from Target’s Hearth and Hand Collection.  These are another example of a staple piece that you can use thru any season! Dress it up with robin’s egg blue and yellow daffodils… boom! Spring! Dress it up with an adorable mini pumpkin… Fall! OR, tie a sprig of pine and red holly berries around it and you’ve got the perfect holiday look! You get the picture… at $10 for 4 napkins, these were a no brainer! I will use them all year round 🙂
6. From here, add your layers as needed. Perhaps you are planning on serving salad for a first course… layer on a salad bowl!
7. Add in greenery – Every tablescape needs some sort of plant; be it faux greenery or fresh flowers! I found these adorable 5″ faux boxwood wreaths in the Target Dollar Spot! They were only $3 each, so I grabbed 6 of them knowing that there would be a million ways I could use them!
8. Add the icing to the cake and accessorize – from here I added in a little glass bowl (I kept the bowl clear and simple, as to not take away from the beautiful simplicity of the wreath) and placed a punch of Fall color in the middle of it with an apple. Whether you serve these as a tasty treat or use them as place card holders, they add the perfect amount of a Fall touch don’t ya think?
8. Fill in the middle of the table – After placing all six of the settings I’m only left with a small and narrow amount of space down the middle of our table. I chose to use my brass tulip candlesticks with simple white tapers from Target. I have collected these brass candlesticks over the last year (I often find them thrifting!) However, if you don’t enjoy the thrill of the hunt, similar ones can be found here at Magnolia Market.
I like the idea of adding candlesticks down the middle as it provides height and visual interest without blocking the view of friends and family sitting across from you. No one likes to chat while bobbing and weaving around large floral arrangements. Other ideas are small vessels or bud vases with simple stems or flowers.
So fun experimenting with the different variations you can add to your own table and I hope this has provided you some “end of summer” inspiration to help you get out of your own decorating slump (should you be in one). 😉
Thank you Terri! You are so Kind 🙂
Sooooo very pretty …..