There are few ways to elevate your home more beautifully than with a fall centerpiece. One of the most elegant additions to a dining table, it has the potential to transform your space even if you haven’t made any other changes. With the leaves dusting your driveway outside and the weather slowly growing cooler, this is a great time to make a few changes inside your home just in time for the season.

A centerpiece is a great starting point because it’s simple in theory — and because it allows you to channel your creativity in fresh and unique ways. Plus, if you have a few different ideas up your sleeve, you can easily make a few of them a reality by replacing your centerpiece throughout the season. You have more than enough time! Some centerpieces are better suited to everyday décor, while others have a decidedly dressier look that makes them suitable for a fancy meal or entertaining guests.

A do-it-yourself centerpiece can also be soothing to create. There’s something very relaxing about sitting down with a few beautiful accents and focusing on details like color, texture, and size. All play vital roles in the final outcome of your design, so it’s worth it to put some energy into the elements you want to include. Here’s what you should know about creating your own this fall.

Creating a Fall Centerpiece

1. Gather Your Materials
2. Formal Fall Centerpiece
3. Natural Fall Centerpiece
4. Sunshine Day Centerpiece
5. Dried Flower Centerpiece

You probably won’t be able to collect everything you need to create a fall centerpiece right off the bat — largely because you may not know what you want to incorporate right away. Inspiration can continue to strike throughout the season, but a few common elements may include the following:

• Acorns
• Dried corn
• Dried flowers
• Dried leaves
• Mini pumpkins
• Pinecones
• Candles (all sizes)
• Plants
• Flowers
• Branches

As your itinerary fills up with fall lunches and dinners with loved ones, you may want to dress up your dining table a little bit more. A formal centerpiece makes the perfect addition to the festivities, lending the setting a more atmospheric quality that resonates with the crisp and wondrous beauty of the season.

A lavish floral arrangement like Double The Briar is a lovely option that’s both sophisticated and eye-catching. Those rich crimson tones alone will capture attention, but the addition of contrasting blush roses and sprigs of hypericum berries lend it a truly seasonal look. Frame each side of the bouquet with a candlestick in a delicate holder for an upscale finishing touch.

Fall is a beautiful time of year for nature lovers. Everywhere you turn, you’re surrounded by intense colors — think reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. Some of the most spectacular flowers in the world bloom in the fall, like chrysanthemums, asters, and pansies. Leaves crunch beneath your feet. The landscape takes on an almost ethereal appearance as the sun sets earlier each day.

It’s more than enough to inspire your nature-influenced centerpiece. Set down an earthy table runner first, made of a material like jute or burlap. It exudes an instantly rustic quality that sets the tone for this down-to-earth centerpiece. Because it’s such a neutral tone, you can dress it up with a blend of vivid colors to create an eye-catching focal point in the room.

Make this all about fall’s most naturally beautiful accents, like pinecones, pumpkins, and acorns, all artfully arranged in the configuration of your choice. Use gold spray paint to lend branches a decorative look, then position them around the centerpiece as a “frame” of sorts. It will create some separation and lend the decoration an eye-catching look. Lighting slender pillar candles in the evening will also call attention to your centerpiece.

Early sunsets mean you have even greater reason to add some extra sunshine to your home. While you can flood every space with natural light while the sun is out, evening calls for a few creative touches to introduce brightness and warmth to your home. Why not try a sunshine-infused centerpiece?

Putting it together is sure to be an absolute joy. Make it simple by placing a vibrant yellow bouquet in the center of the table. With its abundance of sunflowers, The Solstice makes a lovely choice. Or take an earthy approach with The Stevie, whose medley of ornamental kale, protea, and hypericum berries mingling with chrysanthemums is sure to spark a conversation or two.

You can also have fun calling attention to your table with a unique pumpkin vase. Remove the pulp and seeds from a small- or medium-size pumpkin, then place floral foam inside and fill it up with your favorite seasonal stems. Focus on vibrant colors, like orange and yellow, to really liven up your space. A pop of darkness in the form of red or purple grounds the design and lends it a rich and sophisticated touch.

Dried flowers have grown in popularity in recent years, largely because they’re so easy to maintain. You can essentially set them and forget them — not that you’ll ever be able to forget the beauty of these eye-catching and thoughtfully composed arrangements. Because they’re so natural, they’re also easy to accent with more ornate details.

The Catskill brims with autumnal charm. An array of rich tones ranging from apricot to burgundy sets the tone for the season, lending warmth and elegance to your dining table. The crisp white vase provides neutral balance, allowing the stems to stand on their own. The Quill is another perfect addition to the table for its sheer simplicity. Feathery pampas grass serves as a focal point thanks to its unique texture and length, which instantly draws the eye inward.

To lend your natural centerpiece a glossy and unexpected touch, try a few colorful or upscale accents. Metallic pumpkin figurines bring a seasonal accent to the design. Pinecones spray-painted in gold, bronze, and champagne add a touch of glint to the table. Votive candles in vibrant colors can be dotted alongside the centerpiece to finish the design.

Fall offers so many beautiful accents and details, many of which are derived from nature. Taking into account color and texture, you can easily create a look that you love. With the right elements, you can make your dream centerpiece a reality.