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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.

DIY: Practical Fall Tablescape Décor

So there you have it! Not only a DIY: practical fall tablescape décor tutorial but also what that means and why it matters! Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter below! I plan on building my home and will give ongoing updates on all the different DIY and décor projects!

The post DIY: Practical Fall Tablescape Décor first appeared on Katie T's Home.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information

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Now that I have completed this project, I am ready to share the steps it took to get there. But before we get started, please note the tools you’ll need for this DIY project: a screwdriver, new fabric, a staple gun, staples, staple remover or a flathead and needle nose pliers. My staple gun didn’t come with the staple remover, so I used a flathead screwdriver and pliers in its place. If you do have a stapler remover, you can use that in place of the flathead and needle nose pliers. And now, let’s get started! 

Remove the Seating Cushion from the Bar Stool

First, you’ll want to remove the cushion from the bar stool frame. On mine, 4 screws were holding the seating cushion in place. So, I took the screwdriver and removed the screws. Once you remove the screws, you can lift the seating cushion off the metal frame. 

Remove the Staples from the Seating Cushion

Next, you’ll want to remove the staples from the seating cushion. Mine had a piece of black fabric over the tan fabric to hide the upholstery underneath. Although you don’t technically have to do this step, I recommend doing it. When you staple the new fabric in place, the staples from the original upholstery might get in the way, so you’re better off removing all staples from the original upholstery. 

There are different techniques to remove the staples from the seating cushion. I wedged a flathead screwdriver under the staple to pry it up. To do this, I positioned the flathead screwdriver at a 90 angle at the edge of the staple. In one motion, I applied pressure and then shifted the angle of the flathead in a downward motion. I then twisted the edge of the flathead under the staple to pry it up. After leveraging the flathead to lift the staple up, I used the pliers to pull it out completely.   

Cut and Place the New Fabric Under the Bar Stool Cushion

Once you remove the staples, you can cut a square piece of fabric. Before you cut the fabric make sure there is enough slack. You don’t want to work on a piece that is too small.

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Staple the New Fabric onto the Seating Cushion

Now you can staple the new fabric onto the seating cushion. Place the seating cushion directly over the fabric, so they are both upside-down. Next, start on one side of the fabric and pull the middle of the flat edge over the bottom of the cushion. Once you have it situated, pull on the fabric and staple it into place. repeat this step on the other sides. You’ll want the fabric tight but not so much where there is little to no give.

Now for the corners. Take the corner of the fabric and twist it until the whole corner is tight. I have included an image for reference. Before you staple it, try smoothing out the wrinkles from the inside edge. After you staple the corner, work towards the section in between the corners and the flat edge. 

After stapling the new fabric onto the seating cushion, I took the black piece of fabric and stapled it back into place. If you decide to do this part, make sure you line up the holes from the screws as best you can. This makes it easy to see where the original holes were when you move on to the final step.

Screw the Seating Cushion Back into the Bar Stool Frame

Now, for the final step on how to reupholster bar stools! You’ll reattach the seating cushion to the bar stool frame. As I said in step #4, it is easier to position the cushion to the original placement and use the same holes to screw the screws back into place. And voila! The barstool is now complete!

Now you know how to reupholster bar stools! I hope you were able to find these steps easy and useful. Feel free to leave a comment and contact me with any questions!

The post How to Reupholster Bar Stools first appeared on Katie T's Home.