Home

An Autumnal Table

Before we set off on holiday two weeks ago, it was starting to feel like Autumn but the leaves hadn’t really fallen yet. Raking up and gathering the walnuts from our tree was our main occupation, outside of work and packing, in the days leading up to our departure for Holland. We wanted to get the nuts stashed away, squirrel like, so they wouldn’t rot on the lawn and be ruined. Thanks goodness we did it, because while we were away and since we’ve been home there has been a constant rainfall of leaves onto the garden. There’s no doubt now that Autumn is here.

Up in Holland we were near the beach. For much of the week, because of the lack of trees and the abundance of shells, it didn’t feel like Autumn at all. It could have been late summer in Ireland with all that wind, those big cloud streaked skies and the sea air.  On our second last day we went for a very long and windy walk on the beach, finishing up at Brouw, a beach cafe we’d spotted earlier in the week but hadn’t been in to yet. It was there that the real Autumn feeling kicked in. The roaring log fire in the stove that us warmed up in no time and the hot chocolate with flake in it really cheered up Number Three who’d not been too impressed with the length of the walk we’d taken him on.

Putting my feet up in Strandpaviljoen Brouw

On one of the long tables in the cafe I noticed a centre piece and went over for a closer look. It was Autumnal, without using leaves or chestnuts or the usual things we associate with Autumn. A collection of shells, candles, fairy lights and various other bits and pieces was set in a long narrow tray down the centre of the table and created a pretty visual.  Back home, two days later, I was inspired to set up a cosy-looking centrepiece on my coffee table.

The shells, while perfectly pretty in the beach cafe, would not have looked autumnal at all in our sitting room but taking inspiration form the idea of using what is lying around close to home I decided to set a dish of walnuts on the table. I chose a vintage metal snail serving tray for this and set it on a slate cheeseboard. To that I added a salted caramel scented candle I bought in TK Maxx a few weeks ago. In a black jar with a gold label and lid, it ties in well with the dark metal of the tray and with the slate base. To soften up the overall look I added in a fabric pumpkin I sewed last year , choosing one with a cream and black pattern. As a finishing touch and to add some contrast and colour I placed a bright orange pattypan squash in the centre.

The boys added in a few chestnuts because what’s Autumn without conkers? The nut cracker, obviously, has made become part of the display and the walnut stash needs topping up now and again.

My new favourite mug, another recent TK Maxx purchase (a just because treat from The Bavarian) has been a pretty frequent part of the coffee table setting lately too, ideal as it is for a cappucino while I read, rub in my hand cream or simply sit and chat with the boys.

Home Etc

8 thoughts on “An Autumnal Table

    1. Thanks Louisa. I tried a few different stems – felt, cinnamon stick, … – but real sticks or twigs work best for me.

    1. I like a good table display too Kara but mostly my children dismantle them. I must flick back through my holiday snaps and see if I have a photo of the display in Holland. It was lovely.

  1. That pumpkin is so cute. Now I need to make myself one but is it too late in the sutumal calendar for pumpkins – I feel like everyone moved on to Christmas today!

    1. Doesn’t it feel like that? I can easily wait till December to start getting Christmassy. I like Autumn to last a little after Halloween. Go ahead and make some fabric pumpkins. You’ll be glad next year that you did when you can whip them out in September.

  2. You know the funniest thing? On reading your post, I never think of Holland as having a beach! I have no idea why 🙂 Your styling is beautiful as always, and I love the different take on using inspiration around the home. Thank you for linking up to #HomeEtc X

    1. Ha ha! Really? The beaches there are lovely. Not hot, but great for the kids and the dog to run about on. I need beach exposure every now and again. We are a full day’s drive from the beach.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.