The leaves outside are beginning to take on their vibrant autumn hues. That means it's time to transform your family table into a haven of fall charm. Whether you're hosting a Thanksgiving feast, a cozy family dinner, or an intimate gathering of friends, your dining table can set the stage for memorable moments.
We asked Macey Ward of Flourish Floral & Design to guide you through the art of decorating your dining room table for the fall holidays, striking a balance between rustic elegance and the warmth of the season. From stylish place settings to the cozy glow of candlelight, we'll explore how to infuse your dining space with the essence of autumn. We’ll also provide creative ideas to make your fall table decor a reflection of your hospitality and the warmth of the season, in ways both traditional and unexpected. And don’t worry — we didn’t forget about the kids.
Ultimately, decorating your dining room table is about embracing the season's beauty; creating a cozy, inviting space where delicious meals and cherished memories can be made and shared.
Start With Your Inspiration
Beyond the holiday or season, find something that sparks your creative side. This can often be a particular color or a shape, but inspiration can also come from a location, memory, tradition, or feeling. The more specific your inspiration is to you, the more your personality will shine through in your decorations.
Think About Colors
Once you have your theme, figure out what colors most evoke that feeling for you. Typically, select one or two central colors and add in others that are complementary. For this setting, Macey went with a palette of soft greens, mauve, beige, terracotta, burgundy, and dusty pink. This selection is grounded in the feeling of fall, but allows for non-traditional colors too.
Foundational Place Settings
Place settings are the core around which the rest of your design is built. Macey selected a traditional pattern in green that allows us to incorporate some texture while preserving a more neutral color palette. A simple, white beaded dinner plate adds visual interest, and a floral soup bowl and woven charger add texture.
Intimate Candles
The flickering light of candles helps create the inviting, cozy feeling you’re going for. Pay attention to the height and number of candles you’re using — you don’t want to make it difficult for your guests to interact with each other. Here, the ribbed sage green taper candles in brass candle sticks enhance the intimate atmosphere.
Choose Seasonal
When it comes to your floral, go with seasonal flowers as much as possible. This ties your tablescape undeniably to the season, and is often more affordable and easier to source. Here, Macey chose mums, dahlias, roses, sage (from the yard), smokebush, lisianthus, solidago, and scabiosa brought together in brass compote vases.
Tie It Together
Design is ultimately about creating an atmosphere that evokes emotion. Make sure each part of your table setting fits within your motif. Off-theme items or out-of-place elements can distract from the mood you are creating. Keep your environment consistent for the most enjoyable experience.
Kid-Friendly Decor
For the kids’ table, incorporate themes and elements that they will enjoy. At our table, Macey chose to use woodland animals, animal bubble stickers, trees, and festive mugs and soup bowls that fit with the “animal” theme. In the end, it’s about creating an environment in which your children feel welcomed and loved.
Add an Element of Fun
A whimsical and interactive element can go a long way to keeping the kiddos entertained while seated. You can add a tablecloth of butcher paper for the kids to color on. You can also write each child’s name in their place so they can all feel like the table was designed intentionally with them in mind.
Design
Macey Ward, Flourish Floral & Design | flourishfdstudio.com
Flourish Floral & Design is a boutique florist in Boerne specializing in gorgeous and unique floral designs. Weddings are the first love of Mother-daughter duo Kay and Macey, but they can create floral magic for any event!
Tableware
Mae Dunne | maedunne.com
In addition to being a restaurant inspired by home-cooked family meals, Mae Dunne also offers quality goods for your home. Each item in their shop is used throughout the dining space, inspiring a dialogue between artisanal objects, food, and nature.
Meet the Designer
Macey Ward launched Flourish Floral & Design in a rental house while studying at Texas A&M University. She loves weddings, a good cup of coffee, her doodles, and being a mama to her son James.
