DIY: Practical Fall Tablescape Décor

Are you as excited to decorate for the Fall as I am?!? If I’m going to be honest, I started decorating in mid-August. I know, I know, it’s pretty early. However, I LOVE the fall season, and decorating my table was one of the first areas to transition to the fall decor! So, with that said, I will show you 3 things in this DIY practical fall tablescape décor tutorial! First, I’ll explain what “practical” fall decor is, how to do it, and finally, why this is a game-changer for your home decor! So let’s jump in!

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Practical Fall Tablescape Décor

I’ll start with what practical fall decor means. Note I will discuss it more broadly because you can apply this concept to all types of decor, not just fall or seasonal.

So, to start, practical decor is broken into three parts. Realistic, ease of use, and helpfulness. Below, I have explained each in more detail and how it relates to my fall tablescape.

The definition of realistic is to implement sensible expectations. Nothing shocking here.

So, for example, I see so many Instagram reels on the “toxic trait” of wanting the house to look unlived in. I can relate, and I’m so thankful that my husband also enjoys a clean house.

However, there does come a point where the cleanliness is simply unrealistic. For example, my husband and I could be sitting on the couch watching a show on Netflix. For comfort, I like to put a small pillow behind my back.

During the show, I may get up to go to the bathroom, or get a drink, or get something. In the few moments I get up, I come back to find the pillow readjusted to the area of the couch where it looks more presentable.

I can’t help but laugh because he knows I will move it back to where I had it to watch the rest of our show. So in essence, his desire for a presentable couch is somewhat unrealistic.

But to make a point here, the dining table is no different. And I see a lot of stunning fall centerpieces that are also (in my opinion) unrealistic because the purpose of the dining room table is to have a place to eat.

The stunning centerpieces may be perfect for a wedding setting because there is staff to wait on you, but not so much in the day-to-day functional household.

So, what makes a center arrangement realistic? Well, everyone is different, so it’s tough to say. But I guess the question becomes, what items hold value beyond the visual appeal? For example, I have napkins, salt and pepper, butter, and sometimes a bottle of wine in the centerpiece.

Those items hold value to me because I use them during my meal. This brings me to my next point, ease of use.

To elaborate, are those realistic items easily accessible from every point on the table? Or does one person have more of an advantage than the other? Does that matter if you are only a family of X amount? Or do you have guests over for dinner often?

Again, every case will be slightly different, but you may want to consider ease of use when putting together your practical fall farmhouse centerpiece.

Lastly, do those easily accessible realistic items help you during your meal? For example, I typically don’t use salt and pepper on my meals because I season the food while cooking. However, I noticed that some of my guests like to use them, so I decided to include them in the centerpiece because we have guests over often.

For those of you thinking that my fall basket doesn’t fit into any of these categories, I totally understand why you might be feeling that way! And to clarify, I’m not saying that every item within the centerpiece needs to be practical.

I’m a visual person, so I like having a beautiful centerpiece. I’m simply saying don’t get lost in the big picture. Instead of decorating the table in a way that implies the table never gets eaten at, use the decor to elevate the practicality of everyday living.

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Gather Tablescape Essentials for the Centerpiece

So, whether it’s napkins, butter, salt and pepper, coasters, or something else, now is the time to gather those essentials!

Like I said before, sometimes I have a bottle of wine in the centerpiece. If that’s something that interests you, then perhaps keep a bottle stopper readily available. Or perhaps you like candles to set a romantic vibe. That would be a great thing to add to your practical fall tablescape!

Gather the Fall Décor

The next step in bringing the fall decor to practical living is to gather your farmhouse fall decor.

I got this basket from a thrift store, filled the bottom with shredded basket paper, and topped it with leaves, pinecones, pumpkins, and berries. But don’t limit yourself to just this! If you have a pumpkin, a farmhouse truck, or even a rustic country vase filled with wheat, then use it!

A helpful tip for this one is to add greens/leaves or a fake plant to fill the void and give the decor some depth!

DIY and Put the Fall Décor Together

This is where the creativity takes place! Start with the practical essentials and balance it with the decor. If it feels right, you are on the right path! And again, use the fake plants/greenery to give depth and fill the void.

The Importance of Practical Fall Décor

So why does being practical matter?

Personally, I think we live in a world where everything needs to be perfect. This is not only unrealistic, but it’s quite alarming because so many people are suffering from anxiety as a result of this sense of perfection.

It’s a balancing act because there are many good ideas and beautiful decorations to upgrade the home. However, there comes a point where it’ll never be enough. So, to not fall into the trap of perfectionism, I think it’s important to prioritize what really matters.

For me, and many of you, enjoying food is a time and place to come together. Prioritizing the dinner table and what it stands for is why it should be decorated on the practical side of things.

Plus, I think there’s something to be said about taking regular everyday household items and making them functional and visually appealing. That shows the skill level of the person decorating it.