A Simple Moody Fall Table Setting

November 20, 2022 - Written by Kevin O'Gara

As the holidays approach, I find myself getting more inclined to dress up the table and find reasons to entertain. I recently set this simple, moody tablescape with Birch Lane that I featured in a recent Reel on my Instagram. I loved pulling together a simpler setting with a sophisticated mix of tablewares – plus one sculptural squash! It's hard to choose a favorite between the stackable colored water glasses and the traditional Spode salad plates, but I might have to go with the plates because they added the perfect, slightly kitschy pattern to this minimally styled table.

My "recipe" for a simple but impactful table, is to pick an accent color that you incorporate with at least two elements (here it is the pop of yellow from both the glasses and the squash), and use two patterned elements (the napkins and the plates in this case). Sometimes a textured ceramic or slubby linens can count as a pattern if you're going for a more casual look. Lastly, your centerpiece should fill at least 1/3 of the area in the center of the table, which I think these candleholders just about do considering their wider bases.

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The trick to using a taller centerpiece on a dining table, like these iron candleholders, is using pieces on the skinnier side so you can still see through the middle to your tablemates across the way. Oftentimes large flower arrangements can block a view, limiting conversation across the table!