During late autumn and early winter, a beautiful centerpiece for your dining room table can add a sense of warmth to your lake home. While you can certainly buy a tasteful centerpiece, why not DIY? At this time of year, your backyard is probably chalk full of gorgeous fall foliage — golden leaves, pine cones, and other interesting pieces of nature. Check out these ideas for creating centerpiece arrangements right from your backyard!
Start with a Container
Let’s start with the basics! You’ll need a vase or other type of container to hold your arrangement. To provide the container with structure, oasis is your best friend. This wet foam acts like a sponge and absorbs water from your plants. In addition to supporting the life of these plants, it also holds them in place. Instead, you could opt for a floral frog, chicken wire, or a strong floral tape to bolster your container. Start by adding water to your vase, and incorporating the plants later!
Forage for Foliage
Next is the fun part — explore your backyard! With a keen eye, you’ll be able to find an assortment of interesting pieces for your centerpiece arrangement. Bring a pair of gardening scissors with you to cut pieces that you see. Flowers (wildflowers or plants from your garden), pieces of shrubbery, and even interesting weeds are all fair game. Plants with small berries will add an interesting pop of color as well. But while you continue looking at plants, don’t underestimate the added value of pine cones, sticks, and even rocks. These pieces will add texture and variety to your greenery.
Arrange Your Pieces
Once you’ve compiled your assortment of natural pieces from your backyard, it’s time to create the centerpiece! To start, it can be helpful to lay everything out at once and use your creative eye to imagine how the pieces may coalesce. If you’re unsure, start with the bigger pieces first. These larger leaves and branches will serve as the backdrop for your arrangement. Then, you can fill in the gaps with smaller accent pieces like berries and small shrub pieces wherever you see fit. To add sparkle to the centerpiece, try using a metallic spray such as gold or silver on a few pieces. This is an especially good idea if you’re creating this arrangement for a late Fall or winter holiday!
Show Off Your Creation
Finally, it’s time to impress your guests! Ultimately, the choice of where to showcase your DIY centerpiece is up to you. Dining room tables, mantles, and coffee tables are all excellent choices. From a broader interior design standpoint, these arrangements are all about “bringing the outdoors in.” What better way to celebrate lake life than with an arrangement dedicated to your natural surroundings?
We hope you create a centerpiece arrangement you’re proud of! There’s no way you can go wrong — the pieces you choose represent the beauty of your backyard.