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Fall Tablescape Inspiration

October 8, 2020 By kimwheeler 26 Comments

Today I’m honored to join a talented group of bloggers on a fall table inspiration collaboration! We all came up with fun tablescapes to give you new ideas for autumn decorating and dinners.

With the cooler weather upon us I’ve started thinking about Thanksgiving and how it might be this year… With so much cancelled and not possible, it seems many people will do just a small immediate family Thanksgiving. Are you thinking of Thanksgiving or fall entertaining at all?

I’m really a unfussy person when it comes to table settings and I like a simple look. I left my black table without a tablecloth, as it is a great foil for those rustic warm colors. I found my steel and iron table in Ojai a few years ago and love it..

I knew I wanted to use two pretty striped fall toned throws. I laid one on a chair and folded the other in the center of the table..

I found these beautiful flowers ( I think they are called Caspia), and black vase at my local Bunches floral shop in downtown Los Gatos.

I love these napkins found on Amazon and a snip from my new olive trees, tied with black cord.

Aren’t persimmons pretty? My family likes them in fall salads and just sliced up for snacks.

I luckily had some golden drinking glasses that I added here to this harvest mix. I used my heavy stoneware Magnolia plates from Target and couldn’t decide if I wanted to use cream or black, so used both. The whole table is casual and easy. I didn’t iron my napkins, and wanted it to feel pretty, but not formal, a very California..

The grey woven placemats add in some more texture and the gold flatware a bit of sparkle. I bought this flatware last year at Crate & Barrel, but they have not worn well. I want to eventually replace it with a better quality set like this Fortessa set at Pottery Barn.

On Sundays we try to do a nice dinner and have my dad over. Max often does the cooking and I fuss with the table and make dessert. It gives my sons more time with my dad and I appreciate them actually sitting down long enough to have some conversation! Music is nice too and I love to make a seasonal playlist. This year there is a lot of the same all the time, so it’s nice to make things feel a little extra special some nights!

Now for more inspiration…

Please visit these blogs to see what these talented gals have brainstormed for your fall table…


Cindy Hattersley Design

Classic Casual Home

Most Lovely Things

Housepitality Designs
Gwen Moss
My Soulful Home

Check my Instagram stories today for more of everyone’s table looks! Thank you for coming along our collaboration!

Kim

A few of the items I used and similar to get the same look…

Serena & Lily Stella Rug, Pinstripe Napkins, , Burke Handmade Ceramic Vase, Fisherman’s Knit Throw, Stoneware Dinner Plates, La Brea Reactive Black Vase, Fortessa Flatware, Grey Rattan Placemats, Amber Lewis for Anthro glasses,

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Filed Under: Home & Design

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annie Diamond says

    October 8, 2020 at 7:29 am

    KIm, I love your unfussy California casual look for your table, your home, and your personal style! I always admire how you make everything lovely, but not over the top. I adore your simple olive branch clipping from your yard, tied up with black twine and a persimmon for your place settings. It’s so perfectly you!

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      Thank you sweet Annie. I love your style too!! xo

  2. Shirley @Housepitality Designs says

    October 8, 2020 at 7:33 am

    I so love this beautifully curated table. The persimmons are the perfect fruit as a wonderful natural element to your table.
    I am taking not of how you placed your runner on the table. I so miss Sunday dinners these days. So great to have your
    Dad over on Sundays. Making memories are the best. A great idea to create a seasonal playlist too.
    So great to join you today on this beautiful tour of Fall Tablescapes. I wish you a most amazing day!

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      Hello Shirley!So fun getting to know you and your blog today. You have so many beautiful ideas on it! Thanks I kind of winged it with this table, so nice of you. Hoping to read more of your blog too! xoxo

  3. FrenchGardenHouse says

    October 8, 2020 at 8:13 am

    Your table is beautiful, unfussy but very visually interesting and tres chic! This table setting is wonderful for special days, but looks easy enough to pull together for everydays. It seems that this year we all need to add as much “special” to our meals and homes as we can. I love your color palette, and the fact that you used both dark and light plates adds so much interest. You are very talented at combining colors, textures and shapes.
    How wonderful that you have your Dad for dinner on Sundays and make a special occasion of it If there is one thing we can all take away from this year it’s that spending time with people we love is the most important thing. Thanks so much for this autumn inspiration! xo Lidy

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      Thank you so much Lidy so kind of you. I am learning as I go with tables and flowers..even at 55. You are so right what matters now in 2020, of all the things is being with those we love. I feel so fortunate my dad is close. I know it’s not like that for everyone. I was excited to find your Instagram today and look forward to following. So many beautiful ideas! xo

  4. LA CONTESSA says

    October 8, 2020 at 8:24 am

    Well, THAT TURNED OUT BEAUTIFULLY!
    I love seeing your umbrella outside!I adore that PATIO in the front of your house!!!
    THOSE FLOWERS ARE EVERYTHING!FIND out for certain and let’s PLANT THAT BUSH IN THE GARDEN!!!
    OH THANKS GIVING………….its MY LEAST FAVORITE HOLIDAY!
    TWO DAYS of cooking for what 20 minutes of eating?!!I haven’t given it much thought!
    The ITALIAN does the TURKEY in the PIZZA OVEN……….so thats a PLUS!
    XX

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:43 pm

      Thank you Elizabeth.. I know hard to photograph these tables without getting everything else in the photo. I still love my patio in front. My neighbors are all slowly getting them. I think it’s a trend. Thank you for the table advice! Yes let me know about that flower. I have mixed feeling about Thanksgiving.. I love the tables, the side dishes..I have fear of the turkey because I have screwed it up. Max did it last year and the pies and that took a lot of pressure off! The pizza oven would be awesome- it’s out of the kitchen and more room for all the dishes! xoxo

  5. Chris says

    October 8, 2020 at 8:31 am

    Your fall table is so handsome, harder to pull off than a table that is over stylized with too many layers of ‘stuff”. So very well done.

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      Hi Chris, Thank you for saying that. You made my day. I sometimes worry my tables are too naked! I’m glad it doesn’t appear like that.

  6. Mary Ann Pickett says

    October 8, 2020 at 9:22 am

    This just says WELCOME! It’s beautiful and unfussy. You are reminding me to add persimmons to my grocery list. Those plates from Target are awesome!

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:39 pm

      Mary Ann, Thank you again for including me in this with you ladies. Thanks I am glad it looked okay. I worry sometime my look is a bit plain. Yes the Target plates are tough and look great. Can highly recommend. xx

  7. leslie harris says

    October 8, 2020 at 10:21 am

    Kim there is such a cozy yet chic feeling about your table. I want to instantly sit down with a glass of wine and visit with you. The black plates with those pinstripe napkins are wonderful together. And I love that lush centerpiece, it really picks up all those vivid shades of autumn on your table. My fav was the simple persimmon and olive branch at each setting.

    xo
    Leslie

    • kimwheeler says

      October 8, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      HI Leslie! Thanks so much. I sure wish we could enjoy a glass of wine together! Sometime hopefully you’ll be up here and we all can meet. It’s been fun doing this and I love your table in the yard..I want to do the same and I want that fireplace. xo

  8. Heidi says

    October 8, 2020 at 3:16 pm

    Hi Kim,
    Your tablescape is inviting! There’s room to breathe and not too much stuff on the table that tends to get in the way! I always try to set a nice table, just changed the linens in the kitchen to a new color scheme. The table and dessert were my jobs when I was growing up, I adore creating both!
    It’s so nice that you can visit with your dad every week. Important for your boys and for their grandfather, too! I imagine you’ll have Thanksgiving together? I’m not sure if there will be three or five of us this year. Either way I’ll probably fuss and make a big meal. Why not, there’s not much else going on!
    Your house looks so open and airy and bright. I love what I can see in your photos! That striped umbrella 👍🏻👍🏻,
    XO Heidi

    !,

    • kimwheeler says

      October 9, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      Hi Heidi!Thank you.I would love to see your table. As an artist you probably do beautiful things..and you were a designer. I think you should do one of these collabs! I think Thanksgiving will still be a fun thing and hopefully we can have my dad here too if we are careful…Yes still using the umbrellas so much. Thank you Heidi..always so kind. xoxo

  9. kelly Wilkniss says

    October 8, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    Kim – what a beautiful table!! I love your metal table and the persimmons are such a brilliant touch! Guess what I just bought the La Brea vase. Can’t wait to get it in the mail. Thx!!

    • kimwheeler says

      October 9, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      Hi Kelly! Thank you very much. So happy to do this with you all! I wasn’t able to leave a comment on your blog, but enjoyed it very much and your table! Looking forward to following. I’m so glad you like the vase and hope you enjoy it! I thought it was lovely too..and might also get it.

  10. michele@hellolovelystudio says

    October 8, 2020 at 9:05 pm

    Love your unfussy style (and stripey napkins!) and yep – I’m thinking about my Thanksgiving table and dreaming about ways to make things extra special. It is those little thoughtful details that end up being memorable, and we need some happy 2020 memories as we kindly show it the door! So happy to discover your blog. -michele

    • kimwheeler says

      October 9, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Michele, Thank you so much. I agree, we can make it special as we get through. (!) I hope this is one of those years we will look back and have some particular memories, hopefully not all horrible!!! The being close with each other is one good thing. So happy you popped by and I will visit your too. xo

  11. Juliet says

    October 11, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Beautiful, Kim. I love your casual, laid back approach. Especially as it pertains to not ironing napkins. Thank you! What a unique dining table … I love it and I’m sure it makes you smile remembering how you found it on your travels. I think we’ll be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, a couple days after Thanksgiving, for my nieces and hopefully our son. One of our nieces has three kiddos under 7 so we’ll have to do something fun on the table for them. Loving all the inspiration. xo

  12. DaniBP says

    October 13, 2020 at 5:56 am

    Love your table settings Kim! You have such an eye for this and I am always inspired by these posts. Definitely looking forward to finding some persimmons in the grocery store. We’ve just had our Thanksgiving weekend and it’s wonderful to have all of my rascal kids home, they’re here for a week! We’re doing lots of hiking and cooking and watching movies. They are also planning to fix my blog, pretty exciting!
    I hope you are doing well. Thank you for the beautiful post. XOX Dani

  13. Rosemary says

    October 17, 2020 at 2:59 am

    Love the colours and your styling Kim … everything works so well against your black table. I especially love your black striped napkins and that you incorporated throws … inspired idea to put one, folded across your table. Such a good idea, to put together a seasonal playlist too. Elevates a family meal to something special. Any time spent as a family is so important at the moment. Thanks for all the great ideas.
    Have a lovely weekend! xxxx

    • kimwheeler says

      October 20, 2020 at 10:46 pm

      Rosemary thank you! I am glad we have these little challenges because it does make me try new things like these throws! Isn’t a playlist always a good idea? I need more of them. I hope your weekend was lovely too. Sorry late getting to my comments. xoxo

  14. Rosemary says

    October 17, 2020 at 3:24 am

    I meant to ask, was the black twine the one that you bought in Wengen? 😊 I thought using that was so effective. So sad to see that the shop had closed down. xx

    • kimwheeler says

      October 20, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      Rosemary yes that is the same black twine! You have a great memory. I treasure it. Oh no I am very sad to hear that beautiful shop has closed. I was always hoping to get back someday.

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