How to forage for an autumnal tablescape
Autumn is finally here and we’re ready to welcome the rich, cosy colours of the season. When it comes to interior design, making the most of what your garden has to offer will bring a touch of the great outdoors into your home, and using pieces that complement your existing homeware can be more sustainable and affordable too.
If you want to incorporate some natural touches into your home design this season, British ceramics company Burleigh Pottery have shared their top tips foraging for your very own autumnal tablescape.
Fresh flowers
©Burleigh Pottery
When creating a beautiful tablescape that celebrates the season ahead, what better place to start than with fresh, hand-picked flowers from the garden? There are plenty of flowers that bloom ready for picking in early autumn, as well as hardy, evergreen plants that can add some depth and an extra touch of foliage to any table.
For example, chrysanthemums are an excellent choice for an autumn-inspired table, as they start to bloom in the height of summer and show off their vibrant colours from early September to October. As a large, eye-catching bloom made up of lots of delicately curled petals, chrysanthemums make a great display flower. Not only this, but their colour palette is perfect for early autumn as they grow in various shades of orange, yellow, and deep red. With their earthy, herbal fragrance, laying your table with a bunch of freshly picked chrysanthemums is a great way to kickstart your seasonal theme.
Another great choice you’ve probably seen throughout summer is the sunflower. These generally bloom well into September, and their vibrant yellow petals paired with a rust-brown centre make them a perfect fit for your autumnal colour palette. Whichever bloom you choose, displaying your fresh flowers in ceramic milk jugs gives your table a rustic, cosy farmhouse feel and can be a more understated choice than a traditional glass vase.
Stylish centrepieces
As well as freshly cut flowers, you can also bring an autumnal feel to your table through a homemade centrepiece. As the focal point of any tablescape, you’ll want to construct your centrepiece by starting with large, more neutral components and gradually adding smaller pops of colour and texture. For example, the Judas tree and the Forest Pansy both have large, flat leaves that turn from green or deep purple to a buttery yellow colour in the autumn. These therefore make a great base for your homemade centre piece when laid around a ceramic bowl filled with seasonal stone fruit like pears, plums, or damsons.
For some extra colour and decoration, try incorporating small branches from a crab apple tree to add pops of colour with their small, red fruit. Or, to add some texture and interest to your centrepiece, look out for a freshly flowered crop of Old Man’s Beard in your hedgerow. Also known as Clematis Vitalba, this plant tends to finish flowering in mid-September and its seeds form white, silky tufts. Simply cut the plant in length, taking care to remove any leftover seeds, and hairspray the heads to help them last in your centrepiece.
Finishing touches
When experimenting with colourful floral arrangements, it’s best to keep your dining ware more neutral and understated to avoid any clashing or an overload of colour. However, if your garden isn’t offering you a wide choice of natural resources to work with, you can always take the opposite approach and let the autumnal theme inspire your dining ware. For instance, opting for plates and serving bowls with botanical patterns can help bring natural elements to your table even if you’re lacking in fresh flowers and foliage.
If you’re sticking to smaller details to create a more subtle autumnal theme, then finishing touches like place settings and napkin holders can be great places to get creative. Rose hips can be harvested in early autumn, and small branches of these orange-red hips make an excellent accessory to your table. Once the branches are cut, simply store them in a cool, dark place to avoid the hips shrivelling and use them as decorative additions to place settings or wrap them around your best napkin holders.
Quote
“As summer draws to a close and autumn is on its way, why not celebrate this changing of the seasons by bringing the warm, earthy tones of sunsets and fallen leaves into your home? Foraging in your garden for flowers and foliage can be a great way to make an impressive, fragrant tablescape that draws from a natural colour palette. For instance, centrepieces and napkin holders can both be elevated with natural details like autumn berries or evergreen leaves.
“When out foraging, always keep to your own garden and remember to pick only what you need. And, if your garden isn’t offering an abundance of flowers, you can always change tack and use homeware and ceramics that follow an autumnal theme instead. This may be in terms of colour palette, such as natural, earthy greens, or patterned ceramics that have flowers and leaves incorporated into their design. This way you can keep the rest of your tablescape understated while your favourite homeware pieces take centre stage.”
Kate Cartwright, Brand Marketing Manager at Burleigh Pottery
