Bring Autumn to the Table
A great center piece will wow your guests and create the right ambience for your evening. Where better to find inspiration than in your own backyard?
Leaves
Gather leaves in different colours, shapes and sizes. Select the biggest and prettiest ones – one for each guest – and place them on the dinner plates for a colourful, autumn dinner setting. Scatter the rest on your table, concentrating them under the trivets.
Branch out If the wind has knocked a particularly gnarled branch into your lawn, place it in the middle of your table to add dimension to your leaf decor.
Not a fan of leaves floating free? Find three, clear vases of varying heights and fill them with your collection. Place the tallest in the center of your table, with the others at either end.
Flowers
Use the still blooming flowers from your garden. Cut the stems at the base of the bloom and place the blooms on a long, rectangular serving dish. Flip wine, champagne or martini glasses over top the blooms for a unique look.
Add water If you have short glass cups, fill them with water and blooms. Place these in a line down the center of the table.
Go traditional A beautiful autumn bouquet is always a hit – if you have a large dinner part, make three: one big one in the middle and two smaller ones on either end of the table.
Throw tradition out the window Hollow out peppers (red, green and yellow), pumpkins or gourds and use those as a vase instead.
Pull it all together
No matter which backyard decoration you use, remember that to complete the look your accessories will have to match. Aim for dark brown or burnt orange napkins and table runner.