Welcome autumn in style with these budget-friendly fall centerpieces that add warmth and charm to any tablescape. As the leaves turn and the weather cools down, it’s time to swap out your summer decor for autumnal accents. But redecorating doesn’t have to break the bank. With a bit of creativity and some thrifty DIY projects, you can craft beautiful centerpieces that won’t cost a fortune. Read on for 12 cheap yet chic ways to dress up your table for fall.
Gather Foliage From Your Yard
One of the easiest ways to create an inexpensive autumn centerpiece is to use foliage, fruits, and flowers from your own yard. Head out to your garden or take a walk through your neighborhood to collect an assortment of natural items like leaves, acorns, berries, and branches. Create a woodsy runner down the center of your table by scattering your foraged finds. Or gather them into a vase or bowl for a neat harvest-inspired arrangement. Mix greenery like ferns with pops of color from seasonal blooms like mums or asters. This nature-made centerpiece costs next to nothing.
Repurpose Common Kitchen Items
Check your pantry and kitchen cabinets for materials to craft thrifty DIY centerpieces. Clear glass jars and bottles like mason jars make excellent rustic vases for holding branches, dried flowers, and other seasonal elements. Stack a trio of different sized jars wrapped in twine for lots of farmhouse charm. Or fill a single repurposed bottle with foraged stems and leaves. Wine bottles trimmed with burlap can provide an earthy base for a harvest display. And don’t forget about fruit. Place apples, mini pumpkins, and gourds in a bowl or platter for an easy yet eye-catching table accent.
Create Magnificent Arrangements from Supermarket Flowers
You don’t have to spend a lot on expensive florist flowers to make a stunning autumnal arrangement. Head to your local grocery store’s flower section and pick up an inexpensive bouquet of standard carnations, baby’s breath, and solidago. Snip the stems and gather the flowers together in a vase with some sprigs of dried leaves or grasses. Voila! You have a beautiful fall bouquet on a budget. Gerbera daisies, chrysanthemums, and sunflowers also make fantastic additions to autumn arrangements while still keeping costs low.
Embellish Dollar Store Vases
Dollar stores are treasure troves for inexpensive home decor. And their vase selection provides the perfect base for DIY fall centerpieces. Choose simple glass or ceramic vases in seasonal shades of orange, brown, and cream. Then personalize your vases with extras like raffia, ribbon, burlap, or glitter paint. Wrap the middle of a vase with twine and top it with a cluster of berries plucked from your garden. Paint leaves or acorns gold and glue them to the outside of a frosted glass vase. Get creative with dollar store vessels to make them look far more expensive than their price tag.
Craft Mini Pumpkin Centerpieces
One of the quintessential symbols of autumn is the pumpkin. So why not use miniature pumpkins as your table centerpiece? Pick up a bag of small sugar pie or ornamental pumpkins for just a few bucks. Wash them, remove the stems, and let them dry. Then simply pile them into a bowl, crate, or tray with some fallen leaves scattered around. Add candles into the mix if you want to create some ambient lighting. You can find tiny pumpkins for well under $10 at most grocery stores and farmer’s markets, making this centerpiece nearly free.
Repurpose Tea Light Holders and Votive Candles
If you have a collection of glass tea light holders or votive candle jars, don’t stash them away after summer. Put them to use in your fall decor! Clean out any old candles and replace them with faux bark, moss, or crumpled fall-colored tissue paper. Nestle the filled holders in a shallow bowl or platter with additional autumn touches like acorns and leaves. The sparkling glass votives will catch the candlelight beautifully. Float a cluster of them in a clear vase for more glow. This centerpiece will illuminate your table with fall flair.
Create Magical Woodland Scenes Under Cloches
Cloches—the bell jar-like glass domes used to cover food platters—can be transformed into enchanting fall displays when turned upside down. Adhere a bit of moss or grass to the bottom of a cloche using craft glue. Then place twigs, leaves, pine cones, and other small fall elements inside to create a mini woodland scene. Nestle a few cloches into a basket or tray and surround them with votives or string lights for a whimsical centerpiece that looks like fairy homes. Dollar stores and craft shops sell cloches for just a few dollars each.
Show Off Autumnal Collectibles
If you’ve amassed a collection of autumn-themed knickknacks and keepsakes over the years, October is the perfect time to display them. Create an eclectic arrangement of fall figurines, ceramic pumpkins, gourd vases, pine cone potpourri, and any other seasonal collectibles you may have. Place the items on top of a table runner or cloth so they are the focal point. Or cluster them directly on top of your table’s surface. The mix of shapes, sizes, and colors will catch the eye and get your guests in the fall spirit.
Craft Mini Scarecrows For Under $5 Each
Scarecrows make such a fun and festive fall decoration. But designer home decor scarecrows can be pricey. Keep costs down by making miniature scarecrows yourself. Start with wooden clothespin dolls, available at craft stores for just a few dollars. Paint the clothespin beige and glue on plaid scraps for clothes. Add a tiny witch hat, mini flower stem, or tuft of raffia for hair. Glue the scarecrows to Popsicle sticks and display a cluster of them in a vase or sticking out of a hay-filled urn. They’ll bring a playful touch to your autumn table.
Use Ribbons and Fabric Scraps
Raid your sewing box or fabric stash for leftover bits of calico prints, burlap, lace, and seasonal ribbon. Use the scraps to create whimsical bows, rosettes, ruffles, and tails for your fall centerpieces. Adhere fabric embellishments to vases and candle holders using hot glue. Or gather and tie them around simple glass bottles and jars to dress them up. Spice up a plain vase by tying on a bow made from raffia, mesh ribbon, or burlap. These textile trims add warmth, texture, and vibrancy to any table decor.
Craft Place Cards with Nature
Welcome guests to your autumn gathering with organic place cards made from seed pods, leaves, nuts, and twigs. Print or hand letter names onto cardstock. Then punch a hole in the corner and thread through a small piece of jute or twine. Tie the string to an acorn cap, curled leaf, or air-dried starfruit slice. Set these nature-inspired place cards atop the dinner plates for an eco-friendly decorative touch. For a more woodsy look, write names directly onto smooth stones or wood cookies. It’s a creative DIY project using free materials.
Accent with candles
Votives, tea lights, and pillar candles add such beautiful ambiance to fall tablescapes. Take them up a notch by tying strips of birch bark around glass candle holders with twine. Or set candles in translucent orange and yellow leaves for a vibrant glow. Another idea is to place a few candles in the hollows of a gourd or mini pumpkin. Floating candles in mercury glass vases or bowls creates an ethereal shimmer. However you incorporate them, candles enrich seasonal centerpieces with flickering light and coziness. Select unscented varieties in autumnal hues for the most affordable options.
Conclusion
With a little imagination and effort, you can craft stunning fall centerpieces without overspending. Take inspiration from nature, raid your pantry and craft stash, and recycle dollar store items and glassware. Display treasured keepsakes, forage from your garden, and make crafty DIY projects like mini scarecrows. Accent your arrangements with candlelight, ribbon, and fabric for extra flair. Follow these budget-friendly tips and your Thanksgiving or autumn gathering table will have all the beauty of the season without the hefty price tag. Get creative with fall foliage and fun accents to welcome in autumn with charm and style, all for less.
