SEASONAL SWAP-OUT

Take a tablescape from fall to Halloween to Thanksgiving with a few quick changes. Simple modifications offer a smooth and easy way to transition an impressive centerpiece for a variety of autumn celebrations.

Simplify your fall decorating activities with a streamlined centerpiece that offers a wow factor to your dining table and easily transitions throughout the season by changing out a few autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving accessories.

The autumn season, with its rich outdoor palette dotted with scarlet, saffron and russet foliage, energizes decorators around the country, whether their locales are graced with nature’s color or their goal is to bring it to life indoors. The fall holidays inspire us to warm up every room with harvesttime displays, as we transition from autumn to Halloween to Thanksgiving. To squeeze the most joy out of a favorite time of year that can feel busy and brief, Country Sampler stylist René Haines challenged herself to create one tablescape that can enliven a dining room until it’s time to bring out the Christmas decor. Her enchanting fall and Halloween grouping shifts easily to a celebratory Thanksgiving setting by way of a few swaps of accessories.

“We don’t have time in our everyday lives to redecorate our tables,” René says. “It’s nice to be able to switch a couple of items that will give a dramatic effect without putting in a lot of time.” The effect is heightened by including nearby furnishings in the decorating fun. In a dining room cabinet or hutch, keep a few signature pieces—such as pewter tableware and a basket filled with pumpkins and fall foliage—in place, but change out other dishware to better match the season and coordinate with the table.

After carefully choosing a few foundation items for the table and cabinet that would blur the lines between the autumn holidays, René set to work. Follow her lead and implement some of her clever ideas to beautify your space while saving a few steps—so you can focus on fall festivities and family time.