A Send Off To Summer: 3 Easy Tricks For Styling A Seasonally Transitional Tablescape

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As this weekend celebrates Labor Day, many will be winding down summer and beginning the transition into the fall season. For most, school has or is about to start, vacations are wrapping up and the air has somewhat begun to “cool” (hey, even 90 degrees is cooler than 95!). While all this transition is happening in our homes, there is much transition within my gardens as well. Gone are the lilies, orlaya and peonies of spring (check out a great spring tablescape HERE!), but here come the bright nasturtiums, marigolds and dahlias in their rich golden and fuchsia laced crimson tones. Each season has such beauty and the tail end of summer / beginning of autumn is no exception. As South Carolina weather frequently does not jump onto the fall temperature bandwagon until at least Halloween, I wanted to create a tablescape to celebrate this transitional period of our lives and our gardens. For my northern friends, these next few weeks will likely be the last colorful bloom of your flower beds for some time, and I hope that sharing this colorful, seasonally transitional tablescape will inspire you to throw a party as the perfect send off to summer. 

Colorful Florals For The Organic Palette

When first preparing your transitional tablescape, don’t be afraid of using the bright colorful florals that are in season this time of year. The last blooms of the garden are frequently an entire array of colorful tones, so don’t hesitate to let your arrangement burst with color. While I love the moody burgundies, deep golds, plum purples, persimmon spiced oranges and velvety chocolate browns that are highlights of fall, this time of year calls for bright summer tones of oranges, blues, pinks, yellows, fuchsias etc. For a more organic and garden harvest look, add in any herbs, vines or even vegetables that you might have growing or that you might find at your local grocery / farmers market. I personally love including rosemary, jasmine, mint, magnolia, marigolds, nasturtiums and occasionally even tomatoes into the floral display, but you could also add thyme, lavender, veronica, hydrangea, boxwoods or anything else you have blooming around you. Using your yard as a launching point for creating your arrangements will help not only keep your costs down, but also provide a wild and organic style to your floral décor. 

Bring On The Produce 

Don’t have much of a yard to pull from for your table arrangements? No worries – use fresh produce! Adding fresh fruits to create a bountiful tablescape is very on trend right now and it is a super simple way to add a touch of seasonal bliss with very little effort. Obviously, you can use any fruit you find at the grocery store, but to celebrate this organic and wild transitional tablescape theme, I tried to stay with fruits that are currently in season. Here, I integrated fresh peaches, pears, plums, figs and tomatoes with a sprinkling of thistle and chamomile flowers for an added bonus. You can vary the fruit that is whole versus cut to provide a little more dynamic interest as well. Each of these fruits are in season and are best enjoyed at their prime, so why not use them as a star of the table! Similarly, want a simple dessert? If all the fruit is ripe (and not just for show), encourage your guests to enjoy the fruit while dining or take some with them as they leave. At our wedding, Charlie and I had fresh local peaches as our wedding favors and they were such a hit, we never even got to try them! So truly, if adding produce to your tablescape seems a little out there for you, don’t be afraid to take the leap and add this super simple piece to your décor / menu. 

Add A Cheese Board 

Lastly, but certainly not least, add a cheeseboard. Cheese boards and charcuterie platters have also been on the rise in recent years and for good reason. A beautiful platter is so inviting for grazing and mingling and can be an entire meal within itself. That being said, preparing an entire array of charcuterie is not an inexpensive adventure and while beautiful, they can add up quickly. Providing a cheese board, however, with only a select few varieties of cheese, a handful of nuts and some fresh fruits or veggies can provide the perfect addition to your seasonally transitional tablescape that will also delight your guests. Like the fresh produce, this tablescape addition is very time efficient, simple to pull together and always provides a wowing effect. 

Final Thoughts 

Setting a welcoming table is absolutely one of my favorite things and creating one to celebrate this season is even better. By including organically styled colorful florals, fresh produce, and a simple cheese board, you can truly create a table that celebrates summer while bridging into fall. Have a favorite part of this send off to summer? I would love to know in the comment section below! 

Happy styling!

Chloe

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