How To Set A Pretty Harvest Table

 

Fall is a fabulous time to invite friends and family for a delicious buffet. If you’re planning a top-notch dinner party – maybe to show off your new harvest table – make sure you set a scene that reflects the season, one that’s full of beautiful fall details!

Whether it’s for entertaining friends and family or because you want to get in on the spirit of the season, here’s how you can set a pretty harvest table. While we’re focusing on the fall here, you can translate these guidelines for any season and occasion!

Choose A Colour Palette That Reflects The Season

 

When setting your harvest table, pull in the colours that speak to you. You’ll find the best aesthetic inspiration from nature. Autumn’s traditional colours are warmer – orange, yellow, red, and brown. The flowers in your garden, however, may reflect something a bit different! If you still have begonias, dahlias, zinnias, and hydrangeas that are growing strong, carefully pick them to add a splash of seasonal pink to your table.

 

Add Outdoorsy Accents

 

Outdoor elements will go perfectly with the natural wood of your harvest table. It’s not just the flowers we mentioned earlier – acorns, pods, fallen leaves, seeds, and berries can all be found this time of year. 

Look around your landscape and see what you can add to your tablescape – foraging is a great way to create an authentic look that won’t cost you a dime! If you can’t, faux florals and dried foliage options look authentic, too, and you’ll get leafy sprays to fill a vase without the potential for bugs and moisture.

Because of the time of year, let your harvest table look like a pumpkin patch – nothing says fall like decorative gourds and pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colours. 

 

Create A Centrepiece 

 

When setting your harvest table, add a centrepiece that reflects the season and your tastes. It’s also the best way to incorporate many of the disparate elements you’ve gathered!

Use a larger basket or cornucopia to gather your pumpkins, acorns, faux florals, and more, accenting them with candles, antique flatware, and other items. Set it all on a table runner. It all comes down to choosing the parts of the season you love – it’ll work for your tablescape!

 

Tableware & Linens

 

Do you have fancy dinnerware that you never use? Break it out! What’s the point of having pretty things if we keep them hidden away in storage? Beautiful dishes, regardless of their colour or design, will go with almost anything. 

You can also collect seasonal tableware throughout the year – you’ll find a lot of seasonal serving dishes, plates, and glassware on sale once the season is over. Keep an eye out for vintage sets in antique stores, too!

To go with your dishes, choose fabric table linens instead of paper. Not only will it raise your tablescaping game, but it’s more eco-friendly, and you’ll find so many beautiful (and cost-effective) options. 

 

Now, For The Food

 

We can talk a big game about using the proper dishes, decorative elements, and centrepieces, but your menu is just as important! As the name suggests, the harvest table is a traditional gathering spot for big meals made from seasonal foods. Keep this tradition alive – eat!

Choose dishes that include flavours of the season; as it’s fall, that’s pumpkin, butternut squash, apples, turkey, and harvest spices. Serve a comforting bowl of soup to start. Don’t forget a nice growler of local beer or a bottle of wine. 

Remember, if you’re not an artistic type, food always makes for a great centrepiece on a harvest table!