54 Fall Table Decorating Ideas to Try This Season
The decor is just as important as planning the menu.
By 
As fall rolls around, you're likely getting ready to host at least one festive dinner party for family and friends. The best way to set the scene? An extravagant fall tablescape complete with seasonal centerpieces and place settings. But you don't have to buy all new tableware to make it feel autumn-appropriate. Naturally, we have you covered with plenty of creative and festive ideas to decorate your fall table for dinner parties (even if it's just for you and one other person). From incorporating jewel tones to creating a rustic display, these ideas are sure to jumpstart your seasonal decorating sesh.
Bring in Gold Accents
Warm up your table with assorted gold accents—from a vase for seasonal blooms to tapered candle holders. In Alison Victoria's Atlanta loft, the HGTV star also set out a copper-colored ice bucket for a casual setup that's ideal for having drinks with friends.
BUY NOW Lumiere Taper Candlestick, $28
Make It Moody
Black tableware and decorative accents will keep your table looking chic and moody from fall to winter. Not to mention, the dinnerware will make any bright seasonal foods you place on them pop like on this table in a breezeway designed by Jean Liu.
BUY NOW Matte Black Dinner Plates (set of four), $40
Lay Seasonal but Unexpected Fruit
Incorporate fall fruits, like figs. Though they're in season, they're also a little less expected and, thus, more sophisticated than the go-to pumpkin decor. Extra points if you can find matching plates.
BUY NOW MoMa Mesh Fruit Bowl, $53
Display Seasonal Veggies
Or if you'd prefer a more contained display, fill a wooden bowl with your favorite seasonal veggies like in this kitchen by designer Shavonda Gardner.
BUY NOW CB2 Teak Bowl, $70
Cluster Tealights
A bunch of tealights can give any area in your home a moody feel. On your table, consider arranging them in clusters along the center and on a wooden cake stand to add some dimension, like in this dining room designed by Lydia Pursell.
BUY NOW The White Company Tealights (set of 12), $22
Focus on a Showstopper
Go for Colored Glasses
Sometimes, all you need to add a little intrigue to your tablescape is a good set of colored glasses, like the amber ones in this dining room designed by Lauren Liess.
BUY NOW Shatterproof Tritan Wine Glasses (set of six), $72
Don't Dismiss Seating
The actual table setup is crucial, but don't neglect its surrounding elements. You can easily enhance the festive atmosphere during your meal with seat cushions covered in a pattern that's reminiscent of the season, like in this dining area designed by CeCe Barfield Thompson.
BUY NOW Tufted Gingham Dining Chair Cushions, $57
Add Stripes
For an addition that'll look good throughout many seasons, use a striped table runner paired with seasonal flowers. Go for a white and orange combo, like in this outdoor dining area designed by Interior Archaeology, or stick with neutrals.
BUY NOW Striped Cotton Fringe Table Runner, $60
Leave Vases Empty
It's not always necessary to fill your vases with real or faux flowers. Just take it from this tablescape in a room designed by Cecilia Casagrande Interiors, which showcases a few orange glass vases. Sprinkle in taper candles in gold holders for good measure.
BUY NOW Colony Hand-Blown Glass Vase, $150
Let Napkins Hang Loose
This fall dinner party hosted by Alicia Lund is effortlessly chic, thanks to the loose, hanging napkins tucked under the plates. The splatter paint cups also add a chic contemporary edge.
BUY NOW Enamel Tumbler, $12
Prep the Coffee Table
If you're serving appetizers in the living room, don't forget to prep your coffee table with the right fall decor. Emily Henderson optimized this one for seasonal entertaining with rustic coasters, dried florals, and a fall candle.
BUY NOW Red Dried Protea Repens, $28
Decorate With Jewel Tones
This table setting features fall colors like red and purple, but then it also introduces splashes of blue, green, and pink for a unique spin. The gold flatware is a perfect finishing touch.
BUY NOW Amethyst Vargas Glass, $248
Simplify the Color Scheme
To make your rustic farmhouse table a little dressier for the seasonal brunches, add a voluminous, laid-back floral arrangement, French linens, and just a few hues to keep it simple. Here, the focus is on the colors taupe, gray, and crimson.
BUY NOW Le Creuset French Press, $85
Set a Rustic Spread
An early fall al fresco dinner party is the perfect way to transition to the new season. Plus, it's always a good call to take it outside and enjoy the weather while you still can. And instead of flowers, use large candles and fall fruits like pears to animate the table.
BUY NOW Pottery Barn Unscented Wax Candle, $5
Go Blue
A rich, blue tablecloth makes neutral plates pop. Add fresh flowers for even more color and stick to an earthy palette with your plating and napkins to even it out.
BUY NOW Flax Linen Tablecloth, $100
Bring Blankets
If you'll be dining al fresco someplace chilly, don't forget to provide everyone with cozy blankets and throws. This will also make the atmosphere feel warmer and more inviting.
BUY NOW C&F Home Plaid Woven Throw, $40
Use Wildflowers
Liven up a country kitchen or rustic breakfast buffet table this fall with bright yellow wildflowers. An antique vase will make the table look like it has a story to tell, perfect for facilitating the conversation. It's the perfect fall centerpiece when you want the meal to feel casual yet thoughtful and special.
BUY NOW H&M Stoneware Pitcher, $30
Get Sentimental
Bring some sentimentality to your table by laying out old family photos as place cards for each dinner guest. It's such a nice way to honor and celebrate family members who are no longer with us and they can also serve as a memorable party favor (if you're willing to part with them/ made extra copies!). Or, use a polaroid camera to make new memories with your guests. It's a particularly fitting idea for Thanksgiving but would really elevate any fall table.
BUY NOW Polaroid Camera, $120
Elevate Halloween Hangs
Get your coffee table decked out for Halloween with just a few simple upgrades a la Emily Henderson: black painted branches, black candles, and a couple of festive pieces like a faux spider or pumpkin. Don't forget the cheeseboard and coasters!
BUY NOW Black Sparkly Faux Twigs, $16
Hadley Mendelsohn is the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.
24 Elevated Ways To Decorate Your Door For Fall
Stay Cozy and Warm With the Best Patio Heaters
32 Best Fall Candles You Need in Your Home
38 Elegant Fall Flower Arrangements for Your Table
