Set a Captivating Table when Summer Turns to Fall

Are you ready for fall? Although we're nearing the end of August I confess I'm not ready to let go of summer just yet. But in my defense, summer here ignores the calendar and stretches well into September, some years even into October!

Nonetheless, I've begun to plan for autumn decor throughout the house. I want the transition to the sights and scents of autumn in the house to have the same leisurely pace that the world outside takes.  As part of the process, today I've set a captivating table for when summer turns to fall.

  

I'm delighted to be joining a number of friends who are also welcoming fall by styling tablescapes with different autumn themes. The group was organized by the creative Rita of Panoply and you'll find links to all their fabulous designs at the end of this post. Whether you're a regular visitor or are coming from the blog hop — Welcome!

I've set a table on the casual side to bridge the transition from summer's easy-going meals frequently enjoyed outside to fall's increasingly elegant dinners, using elements that would feel at home in either season.

I began with a simple centerpiece starring vibrant chrysanthemums and creamy gardenias (all faux, courtesy of the deer snaring all the flowers in my garden). The color of the mums shares the heat of summer and the riotous color of fall. The gardenias cool the temps a bit.

  

The flowers are grouped in a pierced metal hurricane that grounds them in fall. The pierced design reminds me of the silhouettes of deciduous trees after they've lost their leaves. Next to the flowers is a beautiful silver tray hand-crafted in Mexico nearly twenty years ago. It's the perfect size to hold a summery rattan pumpkin that leans toward fall!

I decided to set the table with placemats in an earthy shade of orange (not as vibrant in real life as in the photos), scattered with paisley forms in turquoise, purple, amber and pale peach. Then comes summery rattan chargers, turquoise plates that are reminiscent of the sea, and my new favorite fall plates highlighting the harvest (which I shared in last year's fall blog hop).

I tried a half dozen napkins to pick up one of the paisley colors, but then decided that I liked the way both the peach and the turquoise napkins looked against the placemats. So I used both! I bought the copper napkin rings directly from the artisan at a wonderful craft show.  I've used them on different types of tables such as Blue and Copper for Effortless Style. I love the way the artist mottled the surface as she made them so that they almost looks like fiery marble!

Continuing with the cool shades of turquoise, I chose vintage glassware with only a hint of the color in the flared sides of the bowl; there's a deeper color saturation in the base of the bowl. Abstract botanical designs are etched on the glassware, amplifying the play of textures.

 

I love how the craftsman added parrots of mosaic stone with brass wings and beaks as handles for the tray!

 

In addition to the pumpkin, tray and vase of flowers, I placed two handcrafted salt/pepper cellars in the center of the table. 

  

I think the salt cellar on the left represents leaves, and the one on the right seems to be a pomegranate. The spoons are stems or branches. I love the distinctive touch they lend to the table, and tend to use these in celebration of harvests, as in First Tablescape of the Fall.

This tablescape can be assembled quickly using what you have on hand to capture both the ease of summer and the ambiance of fall. Freshly cut flowers from your garden or the market would be a wonderful addition, but lovely faux flowers can add a similar quality at a moment's notice.

   

And they're perfect for an alfresco lunch or dinner on cool afternoons/evenings!

Captivate your guests by setting a table that combines textures, earthy colors, sparkling glassware and unique items as summer turns to fall.

 

Through the French doors, the garden still reflects summer's abundance.

 

  

Thanks to Rita of Panoply and my blogging friends for this wonderful Welcome Fall Tablescape Blog Hop — please click on each title below to savor all their inspiring/stunning ideas!

 

Panoply - Transitioning to Welcome Fall
Hyacinths for the Soul - Welcome, Autumn, the Richest of Seasons
Home is Where the Boat Is - Plaid, Petals and Pumpkins
Life and Linda - Whooo's Ready for Fall
Everyday Living - The Splendors of Autumn
Dinner at Eight - Set a Captivating Table when Summer Turns to Fall (you are here!)
Thrifting Wonderland - Fall Is In the Air
My Thrift Store Addiction - Anticipating Autumn Transferware Tea Time
The Bookish Dilettante - Welcome Fall Tablescape: Textured Neutrals
Belle Bleu Interiors - Savoring Summer's Final Days and Anticipating Autumn's Arrival
Red Cottage Chronicles - Transform Your Table with Beautiful Purple Hues for Autumn
The Painted Apron - Easing Into Fall
Karin's Kottage - Easy Natural Fall Tablescape Ideas Anyone Can Do
The Cat's Whiskerz - Autumn Bliss
Mantel and Table - 4 Easy Tips for Setting a Beautiful Fall Tablescape
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Autumn Splendor Tablescape 

 Thank you for joining me today. I hope you're enjoying the last of summer and the beginnings of fall!

Table details

Dinner plates | Lenox 'British Colonial Tradewind'

Salad plates | Lenox 'Autumn Studio'

Stainless flatware | Reed & Barton 'Domain'

Turquoise napkins | Crate & Barrel

* Table details are provided for identification/information only. Dinner at Eight is not affiliated with nor compensated by any other entity.