Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Carving out style on your autumn table

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Fall is approaching, Halloween is on the way and a small army of pumpkin farms are geared up and ready for seasonal pickers.

As a decorating staple during autumn, the pumpkin often falls into the realm of jack 'o lantern whimsy; but there are so many other great ways to enjoy pumpkins beyond the typical jack-o'-lantern.

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(above: Image from Pottery Barn; Pumpkin Candles, $24.00, Pottery Barn; Reception design by Pollen Atlanta).

If you're trying to spice up your Thanksgiving decorating or planning for a autumn wedding, colorful pumpkins offer a wealth of possibilities.

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(above: Image from Brides.com; Pumpkin weight by Matthew Mead, Image from Country Living).

Let these images inspire you and prove that the pumpkin is more than mere child's play. From candles, centerpieces to ceramic serving dishes and table weights, these pumpkin-inspired designs show the more sophisticated side of the season.

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(above: Image from Country Living).

4Arrange a variety of fresh fall flowers in a urn filled with water. Place the urn in the middle of the table surrounded by pumpkins, use leaves, pinecones and twigs as accents.

4Use smaller pumpkins as place-card holders. Cut a slit in the stem and slide in a name card, or paint your guests' names directly on the pumpkins.

4Use hollowed-out pumpkins as serving bowls. After scooping out the seeds and pulp, line a pumpkin with orange cellophane or a decorative cloth napkin and pack it with chips, crackers or candy.

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(above: Countryside Harvest Collection Pumpkin Soup Tureen, $29.99, Mikasa; image from Country Living).

4Use a large pumpkin as a tureen for warm pumpkin soup and smaller pumpkins as soup bowls. If you're having a party, consider using a large pumpkin as an ice bucket or a serving bowl for hot spiced cider or punch.

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(above: Wilton Pumpkin cake pan, $27.95, Sur la Table; Pumpkin faces cookies, $45.50, Elenis ).

When creating your autumn table, make sure that your foods and decor embody the season.

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(above: Solid Glass Pumpkin, $19.99, Target; Handblow Glass Pumpkins, $185.00, Gump's).

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love Pottern Barn but I forget it to see. Thanks for sharing Sarah :)

mrsplainjane said...

I adore fall. Your post has me excited all over again for the season. I just got out all my usual fall decorations- including some of those little Pottery Barn pumpkin candles. They line my window- the orange and white. Anyway, the monogramed white pumpkins are SO cute! And a fall wedding *sigh* I wanted one so badly, but we had to do it in the spring. I need someone else to get married at that time of year, so I can live out all my fall flower dreams. :) Great post!

Sarah Dennis said...

Eda and Mrs. Jane thanks so much for visiting. Pumpkins offer so much versatility and I love the way that they can transition your table and your home interior into that fall feeling.

kstyle said...

Fantastic post, k

Mike said...

I'm going to take a guess and assume you are a master at craving pumpkins.