Vintage-Inspired Fall Tablescape

Inspired by vintage and thrift store finds, I’m showing you how I styled an outdoor fall tablescape. Plus, I’m sharing tips and tricks for creating a stylish and unique table setting of your own. 

A Vintage-Inspired Tablescape for Fall

It’s been a while since I’ve set and styled a table. I’ve been excited about this fall tablescape for quite some time and couldn’t be more thrilled to share it with you today. 

Several months ago I had an idea. I wanted to visit local thrift and antique stores and then set a complete table using my finds. And that’s exactly what I did. Well, almost. I did end up having to use two non-vintage/non-thrifted items. (No biggie though.) I made up the rules, so I suppose I’m allowed to break them too. Ha!

As an exciting little bonus, I’m back with my Seasons of Home Blogger friends. This week we are either sharing a fall table setting or a fall flower arrangement. (You might remember that last year we did a similar collaboration and I taught you how to style this stunning fall flower arrangement.) This year, as you can clearly tell, I went the fall tablescape route. When you are done here, be sure to click through the list of talented bloggers I have linked at the end of this post. I’m certain you’ll be inspired! 

And with that, let’s get into this vintage-inspired fall tablescape. 

Side note: I should warn you that I have an excess amount of pictures to share. I ended up photographing this during the day and at night so my typical amount of pictures (which is usually a lot) sort of doubled. Oops! I hope you enjoy them! 

My Fall Tablescape in Pictures: 

I thought it might be helpful to share my fall tablescape in all its glory and then we get into the nitty-gritty of it. Sound good? Here’s my vintage-inspired outdoor fall table setting:

I have to tell you, this might be my favorite table setting of all the table settings that I’ve ever done. (Previously it was my outdoor fall table that I shared a couple of years ago.) 

As usual, I was nervous all along the way that it wasn’t going to come together. So, I kept reminding myself to just enjoy the process, buy things I love, and have fun with all of it. It was this advice (which I implore you to follow as well) that helped me bring it all together. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

I’m going to walk you through all of the details, but before we get to that, let me answer a few questions. 

How do you make a fall table? 

To make a fall table, I started by thinking about the things I love most about the season. Ask yourself: Is it the colors? the pumpkins? the hayrides? the apple cider? the football games and festivities? Halloween? 

Using your new insight, you can make a table around any one of the ideas mentioned or you could even put two together. How about a pumpkin and football-inspired tablescape? Or a haunted apple table? 

The point is to choose what you love and go from there. If it lights you up, it will be a fun and enjoyable process. Your guests will notice that too. 

What makes a great tablescape?

I think the best advice I could give you for making a great tablescape would be to keep it personal. Keep it you. I think it’s easy to want to do what’s popular or what’s trendy. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, I think the best tablescapes are the personal ones. Use what you have, use the colors you love, add keep it casual. 

If you’re looking for more practical advice, I’d pick a theme or a color scheme (as mentioned above) to help you stay on track. I knew I wanted vintage-inspired with a fall feel. The color scheme wasn’t set until I started finding a few key pieces and then those items helped me stay on track with my chosen color palette. 

Want more fall table inspiration? check out these:

• Autumn Al Fresco Fall Tablescape
• Old Meet New Fall Table Decor
• DIY Fall Colorblock Table Decor
• Chic and Colorful Outdoor Fall Table
• Fall Dining Room Decor Ideas

Let’s Talk Table Details:

I hope you’re feeling a bit more confident about setting up a fall tablescape. Now, let me walk you through the details of mine.

Table and Chairs:

I set up this fall tablescape on my new outdoor table and chairs in my new little outdoor nook. (You can find the table HERE, the chairs HERE, and the armchairs HERE.)  

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know I had a big retaining wall installed in my backyard (right outside my art studio). Part of that wall created this cozy outdoor nook. I couldn’t wait to create a fun table setting here. It turned out more magical than I could have envisioned. 

Dinnerware:

Lately, I’ve been really interested in vintage transferware. Transferware is the term given to pottery that has had a pattern applied by transferring the print from a copper plate to paper and then to the pottery. While produced primarily on earthenware, transfer prints are also found on ironstone, porcelain, and bone china.

My hope was to find some brown transferware dinner plates. I did end up finding some but didn’t want to pay the $12 price tag per plate. So, I opted for these pretty but smaller transferware plates instead. I loved the pattern and burgundy color of the design. I was still hoping to find a thrifted dinner plate, but I didn’t, so I ended up using the large plates from my everyday dinnerware set. I think they worked perfectly! (You can read more about my go-to dinnerware and kitchen essentials HERE.) 

The flatware is gold and was from West Elm years and years ago. I had enough flatware that I didn’t feel the need to buy more. 

Glassware:

For the glassware, I was so fortunate to find two different-sized stemmed glasses that work beautifully together. They are both clear stemmed glasses with etching details.

I thought the larger glass would work well for water (or even wine) and the smaller coupe-style glass would be perfect for a fall cocktail. My Caramel Apple Martini or Apple Cider Sidecar would be perfect in these glasses, don’t you think? 

Napkin Rings:

Aren’t these amazing!? These are dried flower napkin rings that I made (get the tutorial HERE) from flowers in my yard. Love that!

They were so easy to make and add a wonderful pop of color, texture, and life to the table. Not only do they help to bring everything together, but they also enabled me to add a handmade element to the tablescape. 

Taper Candles:

Speaking of handmade (or I suppose semi-handmade), some of you eagle-eyed folks might have spotted my unique and colorful taper candles. They are from another DIY project that you can find HERE! Aren’t they so cool!? I’m obsessed! 

When I made these candles, the style/colors of this table were not yet formulated. At the time, I just randomly decided to create some fun candles using seasonal colors. 

As the table started to come to life, I realized that these candles were going to be perfect. So many of the colors matched my design and the colors not present in the table layout added a little interest. When I finally started to set this fall tablescape and added in the candles, my heart sang. It was meant to be! 

I also found this amazing wick snuffer and holder at a local antique store. I couldn’t resist adding it to the table. 

Linens:

One of the big things I wanted to find when I was shopping for this table was a vintage tablecloth that had a fall feel. Let me tell you, I looked at dozens of thrift and antique stores and could not find exactly what I had in mind. I took to Etsy and after searching for some time, I finally came across the tablecloth you see here. It couldn’t be more perfect! 

The tablecloth wasn’t the “exact” size for the table, but that didn’t bother me too much. I knew I could use it on a diagonal and it would look just as good, if not better.

It couldn’t be more beautiful. While I did pay a bit more than I wanted/intended to, this is a piece I will have for years and years. It’s timeless, made of linen, has a heavy weight to it, and is in great condition. It was such a special find. 

For the napkins, I was able to use a set I had on hand. The large gingham pattern worked wonderfully with everything else that was already happening on the table and I loved how it looked with the napkin rings. 

Flowers/Pumpkins:

Last but not least, every fall table needs flowers and pumpkins. right? (Well, not every table… remember what I said above, “YOU DO YOU!”)

There is a flower farm somewhat near my house. (If you’re local to Pittsburgh, it’s Eleven Mile Farm – definitely check them out for gorgeous flowers, beautiful wreathes, workshops, and more!) I asked Becca, the owner of the farm if I could purchase some flowers in tones of purples, oranges, burgundy, and pale pinks. My goodness did she deliver. 

Without any knowledge of the table, Becca selected the most beautiful blooms. I used two transferware pitchers on the table (that I got during my recent thrifting adventures) to hold the flowers and I LOVE how they look. In the past, my routine has always been to use white pitchers for arrangements. While white pitchers make for a clean, classic look, I’ve been steppin’ out and exploring vases that are more decorative. It’s my new favorite!

I even tucked in a little vase of leftover feathers I had from making my DIY Feather Wreath. (You can grab that tutorial HERE.) They fit in perfectly.

Finally, I grabbed a handful of pumpkins, gourds, and two mums at a local nursery. I plan to move all of these to the front of my house this week. I love that I can use them in a couple of different ways. 

And I think that’s it. Here is a final look at some of the pictures that didn’t fit in elsewhere.

Seasons of Home Fall Tables and Flowers:

And if all of that wasn’t enough, be sure to check out all of my lovely blogger friends below. I’m certain they have some fall decorating inspiration you will love. Enjoy! 

Fall Sunflower Arrangement by Ella Claire & Co. | 5 Minute Fall Table Centerpiece by Handmade Farmhouse | Vintage-Inspired Fall Tablescape by Inspired by Charm | Fall Arrangement from Grocery Store Flowers by Craftberry Bush

Simply Natural Autumn Table Setting by French Country Cottage | Setting the Table for a Fall Family Feast by Azure Farm | Moody Fall Floral Arrangement by Zevy Joy | Simple Fall Tablescape with Goldenrod by Dear Lillie

It’s Time to Dine! 

And that’s a wrap on my vintage-inspired outdoor fall tablescape. I hope you enjoyed it, learned a thing or two, and are feeling inspired to decorate one of your own. 

Now, I know some of you are thinking, “You’ve got A LOT of stuff on that table. How are you going to fit food, people, etc.” You’re right. I hear you. If you were setting up a similar table, I’d pair things down a bit so you would have a little bit more breathing room. However, I knew that this table wasn’t going to be filled with food and people, so I went crazy with everything else. That’s the fun of it! 

Happy Entertaining!