A Moody Fall Table Setting for a Grey Day

It was a dark and moody day – which was convenient, as I had a moody fall table setting on my mind! Our neighbors were coming to dinner, and the trees between our houses were starting to turn. The color was so beautiful – just perfect for a my autumn tablescape idea.

I wanted to try something a little off my beaten path – more texture. I’ve always loved texture, but don’t always use a lot of it in my decorating for some reason.

Moody Fall Table Linens

So I scoured my house for linens. I wanted something that would not only give me a cozy texture, but enhance that moody vibe I was after.

I’ve seen people use quilts on their tables to beautiful effect, so I thought I’d try that. I have a lovely cream colored matelasse one that has a fair amount of texture.

I ran upstairs to get it, and while I was up there I found a lovely scarf too. That would work nicely as a runner, so I was all set.

(Even though I knew it would wash out, I was slightly concerned about my coverlet and scarf during the red wine portion of our dinner. But everyone was on their best behavior apparently – no wine disasters at all!)

But back to our moody fall table. The scarf runner set the tone and color scheme.

I used black and blush colored napkins to pick up the tones in the runner.

Fall Branches

As I mentioned, the leaves were beautiful out there, so I clipped a branch. I set it down on the table while I went to get the roses.

And when I walked back into the room, I really liked how it looked just sitting there.

So it left it! A bit unorthodox perhaps, but I liked the lovely cascading effect.

Roses

Our garden roses were still blooming like crazy, but all the rain had messed them up a bit. So I could only find five reasonable blooms for the table.

These are gorgeous roses though! They smell like heaven and their color is beautiful – transitioning from blushy-pink to pure white to vintage cream. We still don’t know the variety, but we think it has ‘Jardin’ in the name. (You can read more about our roses in this post.)

(Or so said my in laws, from whose yard they originally came.) Our house is only about 4 blocks from their old place, so when they moved we got the rose bushes.

We dug them up and ferried them over in the wheelbarrow! If you know the name, leave a Comment below. I’d be thrilled to find it out.

In any case, I didn’t have very many. So instead of a vase, I put them in a clear water glass and snuggled it into the maple branch. The blooms were in varying stages of their beautiful colors, and overall went perfectly with the blush.

Black & White. And Gold!

Since I was feeling cozy as well as moody, I opted for gold. I wanted a warm feel, and gold certainly creates that.

Charger, flatware, napkin ring – all gold colored. The brass ring is striking against the black napkin too, don’t you think?

I just recently got these lovely black and white salad plates. My very best friend had her mother in law’s china all boxed up in the back of her closet. And probably since I talked her ear off about china last time we met, she gave the boxes to me!

I was so excited, I could barely wait to put the china on the table! It had been well used over the years, and that made me love it even more.

Our plain white dinner plates and soup bowls were a nice solid base.

Crystal

Even a moody fall table needs a little sparkle, so out came the cut crystal water glasses.

And my husband had some special Pinot Noirs in mind for dinner, so we – naturally – used the Reidel Pinot Noir wine glasses.

Candles for Our Moody Fall Table

And of course, we couldn’t forget the candles. They were the most mood-making of all! Keeping the profile low, I used my gold mercury glass votives. I put one at each place setting, and scattered others around the centerpiece.

(Because they were so close to the leaves, I watched them like a hawk all evening. None of them even came close to getting hot enough to heat up the fresh greenery, thank goodness.)

I always love that moment when the table is set, the candles are lit, the music is on, and everything’s ready. A few minutes of quiet anticipation before the guests arrive.

Dinner

And arrive they did!

We started our dinner with a warm creamy avocado soup. (Recipe most likely coming soon!)

Then we moved on to a really crispy ‘Fall in the PNW’ salad – apples and hazelnuts with a tangy vinaigrette.

And after that, I was too busy enjoying my neighbors, some great wines, and my husband’s fabulous cooking to take any more photos!

But you get the idea. The evening was as dark as the day had been, so our ambiance fit right in. A perfect moody fall table!

———- Shop the Moody Fall Table Post ———-

Click on the pictures for links to pieces I used for this table.  If the exact item isn’t available any more, I chose a similar option.

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