A Fall Centerpiece You Can Use Year After Year!

Short on time or money this fall? Here’s how to make a fall centerpiece you can use year after year with faux pumpkins, plants and candles collected over time.

A couple of years ago I created a whole fall table with fresh fruit and flowers and a naked cake. Last week, I shared a fall table with fresh seeded eucalyptus. I love to create centerpieces and tablescapes with fresh things. However, that’s not always possible due to budget or time constraints. So, for this tablescape I wanted to show you how to make a fall centerpiece you can use year after year with faux pumpkins, plants and candles collected over time.

Why Collect and Use Faux

Don’t get me wrong. If I had ample money and endless time, I think I’d choose to use real flowers, greenery and fruit for all my tablescapes!

However, there are a few reasons I like to collect and use faux some of the time:

1. They last longer

As much as I love fresh, sometimes it’s a little disappointing to spend all that money, only for the whole tablescape to wilt in a day. Of course, if I’m planning on only a single special meal, that’s fine. But if I want my centerpiece to last a little longer in the season, for my family to enjoy even after I’ve taken photos, that short lifespan isn’t so fun.

2. They aren’t dependent on seasonal timing

If you don’t create your tablescapes for a magazine or blog, this probably doesn’t matter quite as much to you as it does to me. But since I put vignettes and centerpieces together to share on the blog and in magazines and books, I can’t always depend on seasonal items. For example, this week is the first I’ve seen real pumpkins and such at the store. And even then the selection is limited simply due to climate and harvest times. But I needed to create this tablescape and photograph it last week.

3. They’re ready when the seasonal decorating mood strikes

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only creative person who depends on “moods” to get things done. I do accomplish a lot regularly, but when a mood strikes, it sure makes it easier and faster. Faux items are ready and waiting for just that moment!

4. They can save you money over the long run

This sort of speaks to the longevity point too. Real pumpkins, flowers and greenery obviously only last for a week or so (depending on species). But if you collect GOOD replicas while their on sale, you can amass a lovely collection that can be used again and again for less. (Notice I said GOOD replicas. Just because you’re buying faux, doesn’t mean it has to be ugly!)

In case you’re wondering, I do purge my stash frequently. Just last winter, I went through all my seasonal totes and donated or gave away a LOT of my seasonal decor that I just hadn’t used in years. I don’t hoard things or keep things I won’t actually use!

My Almost-Totally Faux Fall Centerpiece

Yup, ALMOST totally faux. One of the tricks to creating a lovely fall centerpiece with faux items is to add a few real things too.

For this table, I used a ruffled linen bed scarf (paid link) as a runner. I added the large pumpkins on top first. Then I layered in the medium and smaller pumpkins next and tucked the faux antlers in between. A few sprigs of faux eucalyptus (paid link) and some thrifted brass candles and voila!