Awesome Autumn arrangements—yes, I love me some alliterations! Decorate your table with festive Fall flair (another one!) using accessories and household items from Goodwill.
Here five ways to combine pieces proudly purchased for a few dollars which will make your Autumn table décor look like a million bucks!
When planning and preparing your arrangements, follow these five simple steps to ensure your tabletop looks cohesive, connected and classy:
1. Gather items at Goodwill
In the Housewares Section of your favorite Goodwill store, look for items to create your awesome Autumn arrangement.
Search for ones that reflect Mother Nature’s colors this time of year. Oranges, golds, reds, greens and browns are abundant outside as the weather cools and are usually plentiful on things for sale inside at Goodwill. While hunting for items, consider interesting shapes, designs and textures.
Given that we are creating arrangements that will include candles, purchase items that will reflect light and add shimmer to your table.
2. Enlist a tray or place matt as foundation
To provide a base on which to build your collection of items, look for a tray, place matt or even a cake stand. Serving trays are perfect for this role as they are a good size and dimension.
A wooden cake stand was used with one of the ideas presented here to give the arrangement more height–it also had small carved acorns and leaves on it, so purchasing it was a no-brainer!
And check out this idea: upcycle an old drawer to serve as the foundation for your arrangement. Truly one way to think outside the box!
3. Connect items by color, texture, shape
To give your arrangement a look that feels well-thought out and intentional, place items together for a reason.
For example, items made out of a shimmery material, like glass and metal, look great together. Accessories in the same color, when placed together, provide a friendly, familiar feel.
4. Add candles, flowers, decorations
This part is the icing on the cake! After your pieces are positioned in a pleasing place (yes, another alliteration!), then pour uncooked beans or macaroni into the tray or in glasses and containers that will hold candles. This adds more color and texture.
Add fresh flowers if you have some on hand or pick up some at your grocery store.
Include small statures or other decorative figures for visual interest and whimsy. Top things off with fall decorations like silk leaves and flowers which can be picked up at a dollar store.
A small pumpkin or two will clearly welcome in the spirit of the season when a part of your display.
Design idea: to make your arrangement truly your own, include framed family photos or small tent cards with hand-written words (such as family, faith, give thanks or share) on them.
5. Celebrate and count your blessings
Strike a match, light your candles, stand back and smile proudly! Your collection of items, put together with love and care on your table (whether it be in your dining room, kitchen, foyer or family room), will warm your heart. And take a moment to count your blessings and give gratitude for the people in your life who will see your awesome Autumn arrangement. If you are the only one who will see it, then give yourself thanks, too, for tapping into your creative, DIY talents!
5 Arrangement Ideas
Idea 1: Gleaming glass & sparkling silvers
Two tall and shapely glass candle sticks were combined with a champagne flute, a large wine glass and silver/metal glass, repurposed as candle holders, too.
All have warm earthy tones that reflect both the colors of the season as well as light to give the arrangement some elegant shine. Even the garland of leaves and flowers have glitter in them to reflect the candlelight.
Model this arrangement idea for your home and you’ll be sparkling too!
Idea 2: Pitcher panache
Placed on a wooden cake display, a deep red pitcher makes a bold statement.
Its graceful height and curving handle make it an eye-catching item to display. Combine it with other red items such as a small glass vase and textured glass creamer. The red tones make the pieces look like a set.
A small metal giraffe (spray painted gold to give it a warm hue) was added as were small pumpkins, silk flowers and candles.
This arrangement would look wonderful in a corner, a hallway nook or in bathroom to give those areas some fiery flair. So many possibilities!
Idea 3: Muffin pan magic
A muffin pan transformed into candle holder—who’d a thunk it?
But it so works!
A coat of gold paint was sprayed on to glam it up; this also helps it to reflect more light. Place the pan on a tray, add uncooked beans (coffee beans, sunflower seeds or even small pebbles are great options, too), press in your tea lights and, “ta-da!”—you now have a unique centerpiece that will provide visual interest, offer warm lighting and spark good conversation.
It’s low profile won’t block eye contact which makes this perfect for the table on which your meal will be eaten.
Idea 4: Drawer delight
Okay, for two reasons, I think this might be my favorite idea because 1) the reuse of the drawer, which was tossed aside and now takes center stage. This small and sturdy drawer was meant for this project because it even had a painted red front panel and a colonial-looking handle still in place.
And 2) because this arrangement was decorated with a gold painted rolling pin! To me, a rolling pin is all about making pies—which are part of most Thanksgiving meals.
Consider finding one to paint up and use as a whimsical decorative accent. This one was placed in the drawer along with a pair of metal wine glasses, a champagne flute and small silver bowl, now all repurposed as candle holders.
When combined with the uncooked beans and macaroni and decorated with a Fall leaf garland, this charming arrangement will have you looking at your drawers in a whole new light—and with delight!
Idea 5: Going green & cream
Combining green tones with shades of cream, helped to make this arrangement feel very down to earth, especially when a carved wooden vase and brown candelabra were added to the mix.
The arrangement started with a cream colored, round metal serving tray. A green mug and small green bowl were reused as candle holders after adding beans and a tealights.
A small spider plant was added as were strategically placed silk leaves, both adding to the natural feel. Real cut flowers were added to vases reused from a salt and pepper shaker as well as an oil and vinegar bottle. Macaroni twists fill the tray for more color and fun texture.
A cutout wooden “Love” sign ties it all together and will be the word you use to describe this arrangement and this entire DIY idea!
