Summer to Fall Tablescape

When it comes to entertaining, I do about 99% of it in the Fall and Winter. In the Spring and Summer, I find that we are much busier, generally speaking. So, when the bite in the air rolls around, I love slowing down, having friends or family over, and setting the table. Setting the table is something I absolutely love. When I was an assistant buyer at One Kings Lane for a few years, I was responsible for curating and sourcing the Vintage Tabletop assortments, which was the best role ever. So whenever I make a tablescape collage, it brings me back to those days and sparks some nostalgic joy. Transitioning from Summer to Fall feels like a large leap stylistically, so I love mixing elements from both seasons to create a warm and inviting table, that is also relaxing.

The main way I like to build a transitional Summer to Fall tablescape is by taking textures and materials you might see more of in the Summer months and using a gentle Autumnal color palette. With this tablescape inspiration in particular, I chose plum as the main accent color, weaving it throughout the glassware, napkins, candles, and flowers. To utilize current Summer textures, I opted for the hyacinth chargers and rattan napkin rings and vase. The green block print tablecloth can truly be used in the Fall, Spring and Summer – so versatile! As we eventually get deeper into Fall, I would simply swap out some of the truly summery pieces like the dinner plate and whitewash napkin rings, and replace with rich autumnal materials, and you have a true Fall tablescape!

I thought it would be fun to share why I love each of these items:

NAPKIN RINGS: You can’t go wrong with a set of woven napkin rings. I love this set from Williams-Sonoma, they’re excellent quality and work with such a variety of colors, materials and textures.

TAPERED CANDLES: I love that colored candles are in right now, I think it is such a fun way to bring more color to your table. My mom always used colored candles growing up and they fondly remind me of her love of entertaining. This set in particular gives you a few fun colors to mix and match with.

COLORED GLASSWARE: Another beautiful way to bring in color is through your glassware. This plum colored set from Anthropologie is so elegant yet relaxed at the same time. I love how nicely they tie into the napkins and tapers.

GREEN AND PLUM FLOWER ARRANGEMENT: You can find any mix of green and plum flowers to build your arrangement with, but I loved this option from Terrain! In fact, I would advise you just use these flowers as inspiration because they are expensive, in my opinion. Grocery store flowers or picking up stems from your local florist is the way to go!

RATTAN VASE/URN: This rattan urn from Terrain is such a beautiful shape. I think the hue of the rattan makes it totally versatile year-round – this terrain one is large and lovely. Target also has a similar option here! For fresh flowers, tie a bag of water to the bottom of the stems or put a shallow bowl of water inside. I learned that trick from Sarah Tucker!

HYACINTH CHARGERS: These chargers/round placemats are a great Target find! I love how elevated they look for the price. I think these would look so nice over a plaid tablecloth in the Fall, too.

PALE BLUE AND WHITE DINNER PLATE: If you already have blue and white plates in your cabinet, reach for those! But, I do love the light blue chambray-inspired color of these plates. They feel like pottery you would find in coastal European towns. Love them!

GREEN BLOCK PRINT TABLECLOTH: I adore this tablecloth from Etsy! This shade of green is really having a moment these days, and I think that you can totally utilize it in the Summer, Fall and Spring.

GOLD FLATWARE: I think a set of gold flatware is versatile but adds a touch of warmth and makes things a bit modern. This set is from Target, but you can find great sets anywhere, or just get a few place settings depending on your needs!

PLUM LINEN NAPKINS: I am a big fan of Pottery Barn’s linen napkins. I find they don’t wrinkle quite as dramatically as other linen napkins do (but, they still wrinkle, they’re linen after all – not avoidable). The plum color is so rich and lovely.

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