This fall, we’re taking a walk in the woods to find warmth, wonder, and inspiration for Fall table settings.
Cozy and comforting, yet polished and refined. Sun-warmed hues and soft, inviting edges. Bright, subtle flavors and invigorating spices. After several years of clinical settings and canceled plans, is it any wonder we’re escaping into a natural, approachable holiday season glimmering with gold tones and bold flavors?
Our homes have become the main settings of our lives: where we work, sleep, and socialize. Every corner, and every object we’re surrounded by, must serve some sort of purpose—or soothe and cheer on some level. Meanwhile, some popular design choices of the past several years are falling to the wayside, such as the all-white minimalist aesthetic that looks crisp, yet provides little visual comfort. We’re also more aware of how we’re spending and looking to buy higher-quality, longer-lasting cookware and budget-friendly decor.
To that end, designers and chefs in the Upstate are moving away from the garish colors you’d see in seasonal decor aisles of old, and focusing on calming, cozy colors in rich, muted tones. Natural textures like wood, marble, and woven fibers—think dried blooms, feathers and stalks of wheat—are being arranged into earthy vessels and set with rustic-yet-elegant dishes with metallic accents. Designers are even recommending journeys to glean decor from the great outdoors.
“The day before your celebration or the morning of, get outside and do some exploring! A hike in the fall air will settle your nerves and quench your soul,” suggests Katie Skoloff, principal designer and founder of In Site Designs. “My favorite way to adorn my space is by tapping into my inner indie. I gather in the woods by my house and my yard and mix my finds with a few preserved pieces I keep tucked away, such as dried pampas grass and wheat. The centerpiece or mantel arrangements made from a mixture of votive candles, evergreen boughs, the preserved grasses, and fall fruits such as pomegranates create the perfect soft ambiance for your fall gatherings.”
As the season’s natural beauty makes its way into indoors, it inspires complementary dinnerware and decor schemes. “Trends for a fall table entail color, dimension, and texture,” says Allison Spinks, design coordinator at The Cook’s Station. “Pull together harvest hues that remind you of natural elements: sepia leaves, autumnal sky, earthen shades. When setting your table, start with a charger and then nest a dinner plate, salad plate, and soup bowl. No matter the pattern or finish, don’t be afraid to mix it up and be eclectic with your style. Complete your seasonal table with berries, branches, heirloom pumpkins, and gourds. Voila! You now have a setting that is warm and spicy yet crisp and vivid.”
At TOWN, our design team set out to find and fall in love with three things: Centerpieces that transport you to a lush meadow, dining rooms that feel like a warm hug, and holiday menus that both elevate and simplify the classic dishes we all love. You’ll see it all reflected in the Fall table settings curated in these pages—and in the flavors we’re excited to serve on them.
Whether you’re a hands-on host, or longing for a laid-back holiday season, our design team has you covered. Dig in.
Fall Table Settings
The Colors
Lighter, earthy palettes and unapologetic jewel tones are in.
Think warm walnut and brown tones like creams, tans, and rust, alongside copper, subtle silver, and deep colors like emerald, ruby, and teal. An easy way to incorporate these: a fresh set of linens, a bowl of fresh red berries, and swapping formal platters for island-inspired woven baskets. Don’t own gilded silverware? Layer in the glimmer with lighting: try mixing candles of different shapes and sizes with Edison bulbs and soft lamps.
And don’t be afraid to go dark in some places: pepper in deep green leaves, indigo candles, or cast iron cookware—the addition will add depth.
The Textures
Go wild mixing natural textures: woven or braided materials and rattans (embracing their softer, golden tones even as temperatures drop), marble, and wood. These give an earthy and organic feel that is naturally calming and warming. And leave the hard edges behind—we’re all about soft, round, and curved asymmetrical shapes for decor. This doesn’t have to mean all poofy throw pillows, though: ceramic vases and terracotta planters are shaped by hand, and feel less austere than metal ones; even marble appears soft with its gradient of swirls. You don’t need a whole kitchen redo to achieve this look—if your budget is smaller, try a beautiful walnut cutting board or cut-marble serving tray as a simple way to incorporate the idea.
Plus, here’s a life hack: skip the expensive fake stuff and forage for your own natural decor, like evergreen branches (pines, magnolia, or gardenia) and cuttings from ferns or shade-loving plants. These can be arranged like flowers, or laid out across the center length of your table and dotted with tea lights.
The Flavors
Pick just two or three unique, conversation-fueling ingredients and make them part of the centerpiece (and conversation!). Or build a menu around them: hot honey or honey with the comb from a local supplier like the Carolina Honey Bee Company, a homemade sweet potato syrup, or a spicy soppressata from a regional producer like Blackberry Farm. And don’t stop there: decorate with the ingredients you’re planning to cook with, too! Gourds and root veggies, chili peppers, fresh sage and rosemary, dried apples, and juicy figs look as great as they taste.
Chef Shawn Kelly at Fork and Plough Restaurant weighs in: “Don’t get me wrong: every year, I’m delighted when the first summer vegetables start to pop—but fall has always been my favorite season. It’s like nature’s grand finale. Trees start to change, local apples and pears become available. Summer squash gives way to the hard varieties such as butternut, acorn, and pumpkins, all of which are screaming for brown butters and toasted nuts! What could pair better with a cut of pork from Greenbrier Farms than that?”
If you’re looking to snag some of the best local ingredients for your own menu, look to Greenbrier Farms, which keeps the larder stocked at Fork and Plough. “And before long, citrus from the Lowcountry will be making its way up the road thanks to Grow Foods Carolina—the perfect accompaniment to a filet of Carolina flounder,” insists Kelly, who preps and serves an entire holiday menu for guests to take home and heat up during the busy season. “I think we’re all realizing that the time spent with your family is more important than time spent over the stove,” he reflects—and we couldn’t agree more.
Our go-to Sources for Fall Table Settings
For a splendid table:
The Cook’s Station
thecooksstation.com
515 Buncombe St
Greenville, SC 29601
For a spectacular room:
In Site Designs
in-site-designs.com
1211 Pendleton St, Suite 105
Greenville, SC 29611
For a special menu:
Fork & Plough Restaurant
forkandplough.com
1629 E North St
Greenville, SC 29607
Photography by Jen Jefferson.
