Fall Colorblock Cork Table Decor

My autumn DIY brain is working overtime. Today, I’m so excited to share another entertaining-inspired craft with you. We’re making some Fall Colorblock Cork Table Decor!

Fall Colorblock Cork Table Decor:

In essence, what I’ve created here is a colorful leaf-inspired tablescape. Colorblock leaves cut out of cork in various shapes and sizes line the center of my table and serve as a runner, trivets, and coasters. It looks pretty darn chic. My Staub Cast-Iron Pumpkin Cocoette looks pretty cozy on there. Don’t you think?

Inspiration for this Fall Colorblock Cork Table Decor came from several places. Over the past couple years, I’ve seen these large leaves cut out of cork in a few of my favorite magazines. I’ve always loved the idea, but wanted to give it an IBC twist. When my friends over at Fusion Mineral Paint recently sent me some of their new fall colors to try, this idea hit me like a ton of bricks. Now, I fully admit that painting cork isn’t genius or anything, but as you can clearly see, it totally changes the look of cork leaves.

What I love most about this entire tablescape is that it ties in all of the things I love. The style is a fun mix of modern and traditional with a nod to mid-century. Plus, (as I’m sure you expected) there’s a touch of gold, so it pure magic. Throw in a couple pumpkins for good measure, and we have a winner.

Now, I’m not only going to show you my table, I’m also going to teach how how to make these multipurpose colorful cork leaves.

How to Make Fall Colorblock Cork Table Decor:

Here’s what you will need:

Leaf printables (see below for links)
Scissors
12×12″ cork squares
Felt-tip marker
Craft knife (I like the X-Acto brand.)
Painter’s tape
Paint (I recommend Fusion Mineral Paint.)
Paint Brush

To get started, you’ll need to print the leaf printables I made for you. I have them in two sizes. Because the cork sheets are 12×12″, I wanted to make my leaves as big as possible. However, typical printers only print letter size which is 8×11″. However, I happen to have a printer that prints 13×19“. Assuming that most people don’t, I went ahead and provided two printables. One is for a standard printer, and the other is for a large-format printer.

If you want larger leaves, there’s no need to go out and buy a fancy printer. You can use the standard printables as a guide and just trace the leaves bigger or pay a local copy shop to print the larger pages.

Also, for the coasters, I reduced the size of the leaf images before printing them.

Leaf Printables:
Standard 8×11: White Oak / Maple / Birch / Red Oak
Large Format 13X19: White Oak / Maple / Birch / Red Oak

Once you have your printables, cut them out with a pair of scissors. Then, using a marker, trace the leaf shape onto the rougher side of the cork. You’ll want the smoother side of the cork to be on top.

Using a sharp craft knife, cut out the leaf. Please use the knife with caution. Work on a self-healing mat or surface you don’t mind damaging since the knife will cut through the cork and whatever is below it. (I tried using scissors, and although you can make it work, it does leave rough edges.)

Once your leaves are cut, use painters tap to mark off which area you’re going to paint.

Then you’re ready to paint. I used an inexpensive sponge brush and applied just one coat. For the larger leaves, I used the following Fusion Mineral Paint colors: Tuscan Orange, Upper Canada, Little Lamb, and Midnight Blue.

For the coasters, I used the Pale Gold and Deep Gold from the metallic series.

Once you have the coverage you like, remove the tape and allow the paint to dry completely.

With that, your leaves are complete.

To set the table, I simply lined the leaves down the middle. There’s no one way to style them, however, it seems works best when you have all the stems pointing towards the center. It keeps it casual, but still gives a sense of order.

And even though most folks don’t use coasters at a table setting, I liked the variety brought in by the smaller leaves. Plus, I wanted an excuse to try out Fusion’s metallic paints.

Of course, you can use whatever colors you like or ones that work with your home decor.

What I also love about these painted cork leaves is that their use isn’t limited to a table runner, trivet, or coaster. Try using them as a place mat or a festive way to dress up a side table. I think they could even work as wall decor. You’re only limited by your creativity.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you enjoyed this fun fall DIY and my autumnal tablescape. Have a happy weekend filled with crafting!