Creating a Fall Centerpiece

1. Start Simple

If you struggle with creating a centerpiece, try starting with a container, tray or platter with a little character.

• Here we start with the rustic appeal of a set of three acacia tree bark slab boards
• The contours of the outer tree bark form a pleasing contrast with the color tones of the wood, for simple but natural beauty
• The variation in size but relative consistency in shape allows us to start with a uniform and concentric pattern

2. Work with What you Have...Then Arrange Till you Like it

Often it doesn’t take much to pull a great centerpiece together. This is especially true in the fall, since there are so many natural elements you can add if you think, ‘it just needs a little something extra...’ 

Here we juxtaposed the boards to add a little more character, that extra je ne sais quoi.

3. Opt for a Fresh Filler

When selecting items to fill your centerpiece, try skipping the traditional fall favorite—orange pumpkins—and instead add pops of green, white and yellow. Bright green apples, deep-green acorn squash and white flowers are still seasonal and read as fall decor, but look fresh.

Here we added a vase of luminous white hydrangea for some extra vitality.

4. Create Complementary Pieces

Take your holiday table to the next level by flanking the centerpiece with candles. Stack and display the candles directly on the centerpiece or around it on cake plates, pedestals or candle stands. Wrap candles in a bit of twine or ribbon to add texture, then surround with materials from the centerpiece to tie the two decorative elements together.

Here we tied the candles and boards together with the leaves and petals from the hydrangea.