Make the transition from summer and ease into fall with a welcoming table with colorful plaid, petals and pastel pumpkins! You’ll find tips to create a flower arrangement and table centerpiece using an easy flower arranging method, as well as additional fall table inspiration from 15 table stylists.

Happy Tuesday!
In anticipation of fall’s arrival, I’m part of a ‘Welcome Fall’ Tablescape Blog Hop.
Many thanks to Rita of Panoply for organizing this hop.
You can find additional fall table inspiration from 15 table stylists at the bottom of this post.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Fall is my favorite season and I’m counting down the days until its arrival. . . ready for crisp, cool weather,
a harvest of pumpkins, warm plaid layers, and cozy meals with the flavors of fall!
While I’d love to fling myself wholeheartedly into fall,
Mother Nature has plenty of summer weather ahead for us in North Carolina,
typically through mid-October.

A plaid tablecloth provides a colorful foundation for our ‘Welcome Fall’ table.
The muted pastels help ease the transition from summer, ushering us into the softer side
of fall when it’s still 90+ degrees outside!
Scalloped plates with pumpkins add a nod to harvest season in a soft color palette
of sage green, blue and blush pink.

For a table centerpiece, I used an easy flower arranging method,
no flower arranging skills or floral foam required!
I used a favorite galvanized ribbed caddy purchased at HomeGoods several years ago.
It’s a good height so as not to block anyone’s view or interfere with conversation at the table.

Here are the easy steps and tips to create a floral centerpiece using a caddy or long box.

Like a lot of metal import items, this caddy is not watertight so I used
mason jars inside the caddy to hold the flowers, using my favorite Ball Elite Wide Mouth Pint Jars.
They’re just the right height, just shy of 4-inches tall, for the caddy.
The Ball Wide Mouth Elite Jars are hard to find these days but these jars are similar.

I used plastic bags, placing them between the jars to keep them from shifting,
once they’re filled with water and flowers.
The individual jars make it easy to change your vase water,
removing and replacing any flowers as they start to fade to enjoy your arrangement longer.

I used a combination of autumn colored blooms from the grocery store . . .
alstroemeria in yellow and orange as well as white, along with peach carnations.
Blue hydrangeas were added to complement the blue stripe in the plaid tablecloth and pumpkin plates.

Goldenrod (Solidago) blooms from August to November in North Carolina
and provides some feathery texture and interest to the arrangement. . .

Along with seed pods cut from our Chaste tree (Vitex).

Here are few tips to help extend the life of your flowers in your arrangement:
🍂 Cut your flower stems at a 45 degree angle for maximum water uptake and remove any leaves below the water line.
🍂 Always add the floral preservative packets to your vase water that come with your flowers from the store.
Flower food / floral preservative provides nutrients for your flowers and controls
the pH for optimal water uptake, while reducing bacteria in your vase water.
Note: I like the convenience of this 10 oz. container of flower food for easy mixing,
especially for a larger vase. You don’t have to fiddle
with opening little packets to mix up 16 oz. of solution at a time,
and it’s more eco-friendly since you’re not disposing of little plastic wrappers.
One 10 oz. container will make 30 quarts of solution.

🍂 Check your water level frequently, topping off as needed, especially if using thirsty flowers like hydrangeas, and change your vase water every other day if possible.
🍂 If you’re using cut hydrangeas, use the alum-dipping method to keep them from wilting.
🍂 Remove any wilting and fading flowers as they produce ethylene gas, which can hasten the decline of neighboring flowers.
🍂 Keep your flower arrangement away from heat or direct sunlight.
🍂 Choose flowers with a long vase-life like mums, carnations and alstroemeria, which are available in a wide variety of colors.

Regular readers have heard me sing the praises of Crowning Glory
in our Monday Morning Blooms posts, as I have had flowers that last two weeks when using it!
If you’re not familiar with Crowning Glory, it’s an antitranspirant spray
that seals in moisture and dries clear.
It’s safe to use on all flower types and is especially beneficial
for flowers that are prone to wilting due to moisture loss, like hydrangeas.

Crowning Glory will dry in approximately 30 minutes depending on temperature and humidity.
Note: Wait to spray roses with Crowning Glory after they are open
as it will prohibit them from opening further.

Amber stemware provides a welcome golden autumn glow to our fall table. . .

With pumpkin napkin rings with a basketweave design
and bone-handled flatware adding some warm texture.

And Fitz and Floyd Harvest bowls add some seasonal fall color.

Table Details:
Plates / Potter’s Studio Blue Harvest, HomeGoods
Pumpkin Napkin Rings / HomeGoods, several years ago
Napkins / Pottery Barn and HomeGoods, many years ago
Goblets / Mikasa French Countryside
Leaf Bowls / Fitz and Floyd Harvest
Plaid Tablecloth and Placemats / Target, several years ago
Bone-handled Flatware / Towle Seville
White Chargers / Deartis, HomeGoods, many years ago
Silver Chargers / HomeGoods, many years ago

Click on the links below for more fall table inspiration from my blogging friends:
🍂 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
🍂 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

🍂🍁🧡

Find 22 tablescapes with centerpiece inspiration to celebrate Autumn, HERE.
You’ll find tutorials and seasonal tips for pumpkin vase centerpieces, easy flower arranging methods, floral table runners and more for alfresco and indoor fall dining.

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Good morning, Mary! Plaid and fall just seem to go together especially as the foundation for your table. The softer shades of the scalloped pumpkin plates are lovely. The autumn colored blooms make a beautiful centerpiece. I love the ease of the floral arrangement and it compliments the setting beautifully. Your amber stemware and pumpkin napkin rings welcome our favorite season, even though it is blazing hot here in NE AL. I love the Fitz and Floyd Harvest bowls and don’t remember seeing them before.
As always, it is a joy to pull up a chair at one of your tables! Wishing you a fabulous fall season 🧡
Good morning! Beautiful table for the transition to fall, Mary. I love your salad plates, and how you pulled the blues together with the hydrangeas, cloth and the plates. To me, that blue against its complementary orange in any shade always pleases, and is such a beautiful combination for and telltale of fall. The flatware is perfect. The mix of plaid with other textile patterns and the petals arrangement are so professional. You always have great tips, whether it’s food, flowers, tables, or all of the above.
Thank you so much for bringing your talent to the hop for all the readers.
Oh Mary you have done it again! you have great the most welcoming and cozy Autumnal table. Your creativity knows no bounds. Thank you for sharing your home, garden and life
Since it is to be 91 in my part of VA today I just closed my eyes after reading and pretended it was October! Thanks for the great ideas! Peace.
Your tables never cease to impress, and this one is no exception! I love the muted tones, and how you have weaved them throughout the entire tablescape. The centrepiece is gorgeous, and including those pale blue hydrangeas was a brilliant idea. The plate stack is so pretty, with the layers of pattern and textures! The napkins are gorgeous and look perfect with your pretty plaid tablecloth! So well done!
Happy fall, Mary! I love, love LOVE your centerpiece. I was trying to go for a similar look without having a container that big. Thanks for the tutorial: using the small Mason jars is brilliant! I also love your scalloped plates: I’m seeing scalloped home goods all over my Instagram feed as well as in magazines. I also like your cute little napkin rings: They are darling! You always set the prettiest tables, and your blog always makes me smile!
I am so happy to see your fall tablescape post and all the many other blogs I can enjoy! Our wonderful slightly cooler and much dryer weather is turning hot and humid again (typical Georgia weather!) but I can still be inspired by your creative fall ideas. Thank you!
Mary, your autumn table is gorgeous! I adore plaid, and your tablecloth makes the perfect foundation for a fall table. Your centerpiece is stunning! You always give the best tutorials and teach us so much. Crowning Glory is a game changer! The scalloped pumpkin plates are so pretty and pair perfectly with the amber glassware. It is always a treat to visit one your beautiful table settings, sweet friend! Have a most wonderful day!
Mary, I love the colors you chose. They are cool enough for the current heat we’re having but definitely evoke a fall vibe. The scalloped plates and white beaded type chargers are beautiful! The napkins and napkins rings pair so well with the tablecloth and placemats. Your centerpiece is gorgeous! I’m ready for fall temps and colors! Clara❤️
Thank you Mary for yet another step by step to a beautiful centerpiece. I love the scalloped pumpkin plates and they are perfect with your floral arrangement and of course the amber glasses are so warm and inviting. I adore plaid and have that same tablecloth…it goes so well with your napkins, placemat and napkin rings. Wish I could have joined you all today but the motorhome is not conducive to carrying lots of extra dishes…I already have more stuff in it than needed. LOL. Have a great week.🎃🧚♂️🐿️🌻🚌
Mary, Thank you for sharing the steps to create your gorgeous centerpiece–it’s absolutely stunning! You selected the perfect colors to complement your pretty plaids and pumpkin plates. Happy almost fall, Cecilia @ My Thrift Store Addiction
So pretty Mary, I love the muted pastel pumpkin plates paired with the plaid tablecloth, amber stemware and printed napkins. Your long and low centerpiece flanked by pumpkins is beautiful. I love the Fitz and Floyd leaf bowls, so cute. Thank you for all the valuable flower tips and tricks! Your table is a lovely combination of textures and colors for Fall, hopefully the Fall temps aren’t too far away!
Jenna
Really wonderful, and awe inspiring
Mary, your fall table is so charming. I love blue and orange together. Plaid just speaks fall to me. I adore the Fitz & Floyd leaf bowls. Your long centerpiece is so lovely with some fall colored flowers. Love the scalloped pumpkin salad plates. Home Goods is fun to shop at. I have those same woven pumpkin napkin rings. A beautiful table to welcome and early fall. It is always a pleasure joining you on these tablescape blog hops.
Wonderful fall welcome!
Mary, beautiful early fall table setting. Promise of cool days to come! The salad plates are lovely with the blue hydrangeas. A perfect mix of late summer and autumn.
I appreciate so much the detailed steps for making the flower arrangement, along with tips for prolonging the life of the flowers.
Lovely post!
I just love those salad plates, Mary! The hydrangeas puck up the pretty blue in the plates and the rest of the flowers add such warm, Fall colors. The little pumpkin rattan napkins rings are so cute! You style the prettiest tables and always inspire me.
Mary everything looks so beautiful especially your centerpiece! Such a great way to create one that is low but so full of pretty flowers. Love your plates too! So fun to hop with you!
A beautiful early fall table! I especially like the scalloped edge on the plates.
Very creative! Bought a plaid tablecloth last year at the end of the season…SCORED a SALE for $5! Can’t wait to use it and do my fall decor! Thanks for the great ideas as usual! 🎃🌾🍁❤️
The floral display in the galvanized caddy is beautiful and really caught my eye. The colors in the flowers pull out the colors in the lovely floral plates creating harmony between the elements. The scalloped edges on the plates add some texture to the setting. the tablecloth speaks to Fall but adds some quiet color to the table blending with the other elements. This is a lovely welcome to the autumn season.
Lynne
Fall Greetings Mary Thank You for sharing your pretty Fall tablescape. It is lovely.
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
Mary, this is such a lovely table to welcome fall. I love the plaid tablecloth and the soft colors that you chose. Your flower arrangements are always gorgeous and this one is no exception. The plate stack, napkins, and napkin rings all have a wonderful texture – the F & F leaf bowls are so cute and I love the scalloped pumpkin plates. The amber goblets and bone flatware add yet another dimension. Love it all and it was a pleasure hopping with you!
I am so happy to see this beautiful table, Mary! I have some pastel pumpkin plates too so you have given me LOTS of inspiration for a table! Thank you! I also have a long, LOW basket that is very much like your container so I can do a similar centerpiece. You are the queen of tables, they are ALWAYS fabulous. We are getting a BIT cooler temps, thank goodness. We had a LOT of high 90’s this summer. UGH! This time last night it was still 80. Right now it is just 70! AHHHHHH
This is just so beautiful, from the flowers, dishes, tablecloth and sweet pumpkin napkin rings! No one take the care and shows the attention to detail that you do!
Mary, I like your languid approach to the coming fall using the softer shades of autumn’s palette. The flowers and the textiles are the stars of the table, having lots of color, shapes and textures. A sprinkling of pumpkins strike just the right note, the pretty leaf bowls add a focal point for the place settings, and lots of white and paler tones makes the table light and airy. A table perfect for the hot days of summer as we dream of fall’s cooler temps. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Mary, I am in love with this table!! From the plaid tablecloth, the paisley napkins and your choice of the scalloped edge autumn plates, it all makes such a beautiful combination for fall. Your florals are always so gorgeous!!! Your photos are just delightful, showing off so many wonderful details. I hope you have a wonderful fall!!🧡🍂🍁
Mary your centerpiece is stunning! I’m always so inspired by your arrangements, and how beautifully they complement your table. This one is really lovely! It’s always so great to hop with you! Hope you have a lovely – and cooler – long weekend!
So lovely, my favorite season!