While I was up north for my San Francisco book signing a few weeks back, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Gayle, our incredible florist who did all of the flowers for our wedding. Her style is impeccable so I asked for her advice on how to make a festive fall tablescape that could take me from Halloween through Thanksgiving, and the weeks in between. Here are some of her tips on how to recreate the look at home.
1. Pick items with character. I’m usually drawn to perfectly symmetrical pumpkins and gourds, but when it comes to creating an interesting table, the more unique the piece; the better it will look. Seek out unusual colors, gnarled textures and shapes that complement each other.
2. Start with a neutral base. Burlap is a great base – it’s widely available, made of a durable material, and very affordable. You can either leave the ends frayed or hem them for a more polished look.
3.Start big. Take your larger pieces and distribute them evenly around the table. The varying heights helps create good dimension and don’t worry about lying everything down flat – raise some items, lean others against each other, etc.
4.Use a variety of natural materials. Think: gourds, pumpkins, persimmons, lichen (a cool green-colored algae that fit in with our color palette) and dried corn. Gayle created a rose out of decorative kale by carefully pealing back the leaves to resemble a flower.
5.Incorporate little extras. To fill in gaps (and to create more dimension), add things like acorns, pinecones, succulents, etc. 6.Add personal mementos. Don’t feel compelled to simply add natural elements. One of my favorite tips from Gayle was to use little pieces that mean something to you, like this bird figurine, a natural geode, or a salt and pepper set that her parents brought her back from a trip to Morocco.
7.Add water. Place greens, such as grasses, flowers, or the decorative kale in mason jars filled with water. It keeps things feeling vibrant and light against the heavier items on the table.
8.Bring in the light. Keep the lighting simple with some tea light candles placed in decorative votives. Just make sure not to place them too close to some the more flammable objects.
