City Girl Network Homeware Edit: Autumn Tablescaping
City Girl Network’s Homeware Edit aims to bring you a monthly feature of the latest trends in interior design, whilst also encouraging you to support local and small businesses when decorating your home.
Gone are the warm, hazy days of summer and in comes the rain and darker nights as autumn gets underway. For me, the new season is heralded by everyone’s favourite Loose Women panellist/amazing mother/DIY extraordinaire Stacey Solomon making up her DIY door wreaths and fireplace surrounds in autumnal colourways.
Instagram: @staceysolomon
Whether you’re fully invested in embracing orange and brown tones, plus the odd pumpkin, in your home, or would just like to add a small flare to spice up the next month or so, tablescaping is something we can all easily add to our repertoire.
Simply the art of decorating your dining table, whether it’s a small area for a meal for one, or a grand piece to fit the whole family, here are some of our favourite ideas to make your dining experience just that little bit fancier.
Embrace Nature
As the leaves turn burnt orange, rust red and golden shades of brown, it’s the perfect opportunity to bring nature inside. That may be natural materials such as rattan, bamboo or seagrass, or picking leaves and conkers off the ground in your local park, so there are never-ending opportunities to add artisanal and rustic elements to any home.
Unsplash: @hudsoncrafted
DIY napkin rings are a super easy way to make a simple accessory look that little bit extra. We love these homely linen napkins, which work perfectly with this natural burlap ribbon tied around the centre and simple dried flowers or berries tucked neatly inside.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something that doesn’t necessarily require a muddy walk in nature to adorn your table, then these handmade decoupage wooden napkin rings with gold leaf are a really unique way to add it instead. The set of 6 also comes in a matching wooden box, perfect for keeping them in top condition once the season is over or gifting to a loved one.
Pumpkin Patch
Nothing says autumn quite like a pumpkin. Though traditional orange pumpkins are always going to be a favourite, chic white, pastel rainbows and metallic finishes are all modern alternatives that can work with the style of your home.
Whether they are ceramic, like this gorgeous handmade pumpkin with rose gold accents, or candles that look too cute to actually light, you can create your own mini pumpkin patch.
We love these vegan unscented pumpkin-shaped candles that are handmade in Scotland from sustainably-sourced soy wax and are available in a variety of neutral, pastel and bright tones. If candles aren’t your thing but you’d like to add a little shine and sparkle to the table as nights draw in, then these mottled rose gold LED glass pumpkins are another elegant option.
Instagram: @theclassiccottage
Floral Festivities
A floral display can be the perfect centrepiece for your table, from traditional vase bouquets, and mini bunches running the length of the table, to seasonal wreaths, the only limit is your imagination. DIY wreaths are a really fun way to get into the spirit of autumn by collecting items in your local area and spending a cosy Sunday afternoon getting your crafty groove on.
All you need is a base made of wire, foam or natural grapevine, then the world really is your oyster with ribbons, dried flowers, leaves, conkers, acorns, berries, felts, velvets, rattan, seagrass, glitter… you get the idea. If you’re in need of inspiration, then here are 7 completely customisable DIY tutorials to get you started.
Of course, if you don’t have the crafty bug, then there are always pre-made wreaths available to suit any budget. This gorgeous handmade wreath is an explosion of colour with dried flowers and citrus. Meanwhile, this artificial wreath will add a pop to the table with a mix of pumpkins, maple leaves, berries and pine cones; or you can opt for a more subtle white and gold colour palette with this understated yet chic wreath.
Unsplash: @joannakosinska
You can go wild and use all of these ideas with a central table runner adorned with a floral centrepiece around which you create your mini pumpkin patch and lay napkins as placeholders, or you can mix and match to suit your style. Whatever you do, enjoy the experimentation and feel free to share your creations with us on any of City Girl’s social media, we’d love to see them!