Fall in the Dining Room... 5 Easy Fall Centerpieces

Five fellow bloggers and I are sharing "Fall Around the House" today!  In case you missed it, six talented blog friends shared their inspiring Fall decorations yesterday...  Make sure you check them out as they are beautiful!  Fall is one of my favorite seasons as I love the colors, crisp air, fresh apples, and since moving to North Carolina, it's a wonderful break from the hot, humid summer weather.

Since we are just settling into routines after moving into the rental house in August, I'm just now turning my attention to making the house feel like a home and doing a little seasonal decorating.  The house does have a small dining room in which I'm able to put my dining bench, trestle table (without the leaves) and a few chairs, but nothing else.  I'd say it's about half the size of the old dining room and currently has yellow walls with large variety of holes from previous tenants/owners that I'll be fixing soon.

In the meantime, I wanted to share five simple Fall centerpiece ideas/tips that can work in any dining/breakfast room that are as easy as a trip to the local farmer's market!  

1. Go Fresh:   We all love a bouquet of fresh flowers around the house and whether you love to decorate with color or not, fresh flower centerpieces are always classic.  

I've found the best flower arrangements for the most reasonable prices at the farmer's markets in both Raleigh and Greensboro.  They run $10-$15 and are at least three times the size of the local grocery stores and have much more variety.  Check your local market, I doubt you'll be disappointed...  I bought the colorful one above for only $6 because it was a day or two old, but if you cut the stems down and add a little flower preserver to the water, it will last quite a while.  Also, if you want more height and/or filler for your arrangement, don't be afraid to cut some branches and greenery from your outdoor plantings. I do this with almost every cut-flower bouquet I buy!

2. Line it up:  Take anything that reminds you of Fall - pumpkins, candles, acorns, grapevine, apples, etc and line them up on a rustic board, pallet wood, or baguette board for a super-simple everyday centerpiece for your long dining table...

Once again, I picked up several mini-pumpkins at the farmer's market for just 50 cents each and simply lined them up on my baguette board with some dollar store candles.  

Add a few vines from the back yard and this Fall centerpiece was less than $10!

3. Fill it up:  If you have a large wood dough bowl, tool caddy, or any kind of large vessel for your tabletop...just fill it up with a mix of all-natural elements for a unique, but classic autumn tablescape.

I tend to decorate in neutrals so filling a dough bowl (that I got on sale for under $50!) with a mix of green and white pumpkins, moss, vines, and twig balls allowed me to keep it natural, but the green adds just the right amount of color.  

Once again, the farmer's market is a great resource for all sizes and shapes of pumpkins (beyond what the typical grocery store offers).  It's fun to see all the different shades that pumpkins that can be grown!

4.  Make it Double-Duty:  Make a Fall centerpiece that not only looks decorative, but also serves as a snack station too. Fresh fruit and snacks like dried apples and mini cookies are great for those hungry kids after school and visiting friends!   

Use any kind of tiered rack, add some excelsior wood filler as well as fresh, crisp apples in all colors and types. Again, the local farmer's market is a great source for a variety of apples and you're supporting your local farmer as well.  Don't forget the chocolate and caramel dipping sauces... My kids love to dip their sliced apples into chocolate and caramel!

5.  Think Inside the Box:  I'm not sure if there has been a time of year where I have not filled my long box with different elements to reflect the season!  If you have a rectangular dining table, I highly recommend either making or finding a long box to decorate with the seasons because they are so versatile!

Even though I sold my "Family and Friends" box because it was too long for my dining table without the leaves, I have a back-up!  

Last year, I found several weathered zinc long flower boxes at a local flea market and sold all of them at my booth except for this one.  It's the perfect size with the smaller dining table and I'm glad I kept it.  I just love the patina of the metal...

Instead of filling it with pumpkins and candles like last year, I planted it up with mini-mums ($1 at Walmart) and inexpensive variety lettuce and cabbage starter plants from the farmer's market...

I did tuck a few mini pumpkins in until the plants fill out a bit more.  It's amazing how much the cabbage and lettuce has grown in the week since I took these pictures!

This centerpiece is just a small substitution of the garden I was not able to plant because of moving this past summer!  It would also make a great centerpiece for rectangular outdoor tables or just out on the front porch railing.  Once again, this is an inexpensive (less than $10) and unique fall table option!

I hope you enjoyed the different options of Fall centerpieces that I've made for my home!  Decorating for the seasons doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming... I usually just skip over going to the craft store and head to the farmer's market!

Don't forget to check out these five fabulous bloggers today and how they've added "Fall Around the House"!

Home is Where the Boat Is

Housepitality Designs

Stone Gable

French Country Cottage

Kimberly Hites

Kristen

Linking to:

Centsational Girl
French Country Cottage