How to Create an Outdoor Fall Tablescape

So when I had the chance to shop a sale from Everything But The House I knew I wanted to look for a table that I could refinish and use for outdoor events. Our backyard is really the best part of our home with wide expansive space and a pretty view. Why not show off our best asset to our guests rather than our kitchen which needs a remodel pretty badly?

When I was browsing the Washington, DC area sale I immediately jumped at bidding on this table. It was the perfect size and it came with two leaves to make it longer if needed. It needed some love but I ended up taking it home at $65. For local Everything But The House estate sales you can pick up your items, or you can have them schedule a delivery for an extra charge.

Once I got to the hardware store I spied this Rust-Oleum furniture transformation kit that allows you to get the look you want without sanding. Needing a timesaver I decided to give it a go. I had the paint department tint to the shade I wanted and then got to work. It was a four step process but each step was pretty easy. Honestly the hardest part was letting it dry for 3 hours in between steps. Often I’d then get distracted and have to come back to it a few days later.

The table was now a rich brown but I really wanted it to look a little funky rather than just an older table. I wanted it to look intentional, you know? So I decided to spray paint the bottom two thirds of each leg a bright white. I instantly loved the effect. It looks so fresh and fun. After all this is a table meant for parties outside! 

Now that I had my outdoor dining table ready to go, I decided it was time to throw on a blanket scarf and get to it. After all, having a nice warm soup and red wine outdoors at dusk with the vibrant leaves sounds just about perfect doesn’t it?!

Here is how to create an outdoor tablescape once you have your table outdoors:

1. Use your surroundings. I grabbed twigs and filled a vase for height and drama.

2. Candles. It gets darker earlier so make sure to light a few candles in advance. I used twine to hang mine from a low branch.

3. Linens. I used inexpensive cloth napkins and orange charger plates ($1 at Michaels!) to reinforce the fall theme.