In the Details

A Bountiful Buffet

Fall is such a great time to plan a party! Gather rustic items together, cut berries from the garden, add mixed dinnerware and a few elegant touches to create a wonderful table.

If your family is like mine, you may not have a table large enough to seat all of your Thanksgiving guests and have enough room for the serving dishes. One nice option is to serve some of your side dishes from a buffet and pass the turkey family style. This makes the table a bit less congested and provides an opportunity to prepare a buffet that is attractive and functional.

Create a welcoming buffet and tables by replacing the traditional tablecloth with a few yards of burlap. This is a quick and easy no-sew project — buy enough burlap to cover the length of the table with some overhanging the edges, then finish by pulling out a few strands to create a frayed edge. Burlap comes in many more colors than the standard tan, from blues and greens to a dark chocolate brown. Pick one that will coordinate with the rest of your décor and top everything from the serving buffet to the card tables used for extra seating at this time of year.

For dishes I love to use one special seasonal set and add versatile white dishes or a deep turquoise and silver rimmed china. For autumn a great brown transferware works perfectly for this rustic yet elegant setting. Place all of the dishes on an iron or wooden cake platter or in a basket on the buffet table. Use a garden urn to contain silverware and cloth napkins. Hunt garage sales, antique stores or your own home to find a tiered shelf, baskets or cake plates to hold the rest of the items on the serving station. Here this wooden three-tiered shelf holds wine bottles, bar tools, autumn-colored stemware and other necessities.

Now add in natural fall elements that will really make the buffet and tables feel finished. There are so many varieties of gourds and pumpkins to choose from — the bright green apple gourd is a new favorite! Arrange various shapes and sizes on their own or in a rustic container for a centerpiece or anywhere there is an empty spot. For a floral element and a burst of color make small apple arrangements. Start with a good sized apple and hollow out the center. Add a small piece of wet floral foam (found at craft stores) to the center of the apple. Cut berries from the yard and buy a few fresh flower blooms from a local florist or grocery store. Cut the stems very short and insert into the foam, covering all sides, filling in the gaps with more berries or leaves in changing colors.

I also love using wheat for autumn tables. Gather a bunch or two of wheat (fresh or dried) and tie together with a wide ribbon. Hold the center and twist the bunch slightly to allow it to stand on its own. Leave these around the house for the entire fall season.

The final project for this occasion is to add the warm glow of candles. Place ivory pillar candles on the buffet with the gourds in your centerpiece or make these votive cups for accent light. Wrap glass votive cups with brown corrugated paper and tie with ribbon. I recycled this from a recent package but you can find it at the craft store when you are picking up the ribbon, burlap and floral foam.

Gather friends and family to celebrate the simple and natural abundance of fall with a hearty meal, beautiful decorations from your home and garden. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate the spirit of thankfulness and all that we have.