A Cozy Coastal Maine Fall Table — Warm Autumn Colors and a Simple Transition for Thanksgiving

Warm orange, bright yellow, and ocean blue — the colors of a cozy coastal Maine fall. Inspired by the view outside my windows, I set a cheerful table that captures the season’s beauty and can easily transition to Thanksgiving gatherings.

The Colors of Coastal Maine Fall

From where I sit at the table in the corner of the living room, the view outside is full of autumn color — warm oranges, bright yellows, and that unmistakable ocean blue. Sunshine sparkles on the water. Limelights along the deck have faded to deep rose. The marsh grasses and cattails are turning from green to brown, and across the harbor the trees are a mix of lingering summer greens and fiery fall hues.

Inspired by the view out my windows, I set a cheerful fall table in those same colors — with just a few simple tweaks, it will be ready for Thanksgiving too.

A Cheery Fall Table

The family will all be gathering here for Thanksgiving — and I can’t wait!

As you know, I plan for these times well in advance. But with two little ones now, I’ve learned that simple is best. The schedule, the menu, and yes… the table setting, too.

No fancy linens or elaborate centerpieces this year.

Of course, I still want everything to feel special and look pretty. So I created a cheerful fall table that I can enjoy now, through the season, right up until Thanksgiving Day.

When the holiday arrives, I’ll do a quick and easy switcheroo — I already have plans in the works and will share them with you closer to the date.

For now, here are the details on my fall table!

Table runner

As is so often the case, my design started with the table runner.

I spotted it at a local store earlier this year and immediately fell in love with the cheerful pattern and warm autumn colors.

It’s made by the French company Couleur Nature. There are plenty of lovely block print table linens out there, but these are particularly special. Designed in Paris exclusively by founder Bruno Lamy and then hand-printed by skilled artisans in Jaipur, India, they truly stand out.

The Avignon Dijon and Blue pattern — with florals in yellow, orange, and blue — perfectly reflects the autumn colors here on the coast. And it’s a little different from the typical fall table linens. Perfect!

You can shop my table runner, the coordinating napkins, and the tablecloth below — plus two other Couleur Nature tablecloths (including one I own) that would also be lovely for fall and Thanksgiving.

SHOPPING LINKS:

Napkins

I decided to sew my own napkins to go with the table runner.

Yes, Couleur Nature does offer lovely coordinating napkins. But if you have even basic sewing skills, making your own is such a fun way to create a one-of-a-kind fall table.

It lets me indulge my love of “mix and match” — with the emphasis on mix!

I like an oversized 20-inch cloth napkin, and I make them double-sided so they drape beautifully and don’t have a “back side.” If you use two different fabrics, they can even be reversible.

And honestly? I always have fun picking out fabrics. 🎨

So off I went to Fiddlehead Artisan Supply in Belfast –they have the most amazing selection. I chose fabrics that pick up on the autumn colors in the table runner: orange, yellow, blue, and one that combines them all. One has a small pattern, and the others are medium-sized.

When selecting fabrics to mix and match, I group them together, step back to take a look, and then “sit” with them for a bit as I continue to browse. There’s no formula — just choose what pleases your eye. Don’t be afraid to go for fabrics that are more mix than match. That’s where the fun happens. ✨

Here are the fabrics I used, with links to purchase them from Fiddlehead — I love supporting small Maine businesses:

• Curved Floral in Gold – Flower Press – MODA
• Scallop Story in Sky – Folk & Lore
• Rosehip in Delightful – On A Fall Day – Loes van
• (The orange fabric isn’t online, but it’s Canyon Springs – Cotton + Steel Ponderosa Coral Glow #749396)

For details on how I sew my napkins, see my blog post Easy Sewing Projects to Warm Your Kitchen and Table for Winter.

Placemats

I love pattern — but sometimes, it’s best not to use it!

For this fall table, I chose solid blue quilted placemats from Ballard Designs. They have a lovely scalloped edge and just enough texture to add depth and warmth.

The pop of coastal blue looks beautiful against the wood table and balances all the pattern in the runner and napkins.

They also come in other colors and a round shape — a great basic to keep on hand!

Centerpiece

I always have a seasonal centerpiece, even when the table isn’t set. My mother always kept something in the center of the table, and I love carrying on that tradition. It’s a nice spot for a simple display that reflects the season.

Since it’s out all the time, I keep things super simple — usually just a stack of bowls with something natural inside, and a soft, intimate light source. Sometimes that means candles (real or flameless), and this summer I used a pair of cordless lamps.

For this fall table, I went with a stack of bowls: three sponge-patterned, a yellowware bowl to pull in a warm tone, and a blue striped bowl to top things off. I like to stack them topsy-turvy so you can see more of each piece.

(If you’re curious about my pottery, you can read more here: Collecting and Displaying Antique Pottery and Dishes.)

For illumination, I used a pair of Walmart “bubble” pillar candles in simple Simon Pearce Norwich Hurricanes.

I still wanted to add a little something natural and seasonal, but the bowl stack was already making a statement. Then, during a HomeGoods run, I spotted a pair of small wheat sheaves tied with brown bows in little white pots. They were perfect after a quick custom redo — more on that in a bit!

Place setting

When my family is here, I’ll keep the place setting simple — relaxed and pretty, just the way I like it for a fall table.

Blue and white striped Casafina Nantucket dishes always look great with the spongeware and tie everything together.

My trusty Caskata Quinn tumblers work perfectly for wine and make non-alcoholic drinks feel just as festive.

And my vintage everyday silverplate cutlery is pretty, versatile, and suitable for any occasion.

Easy peasy — and done!

SHOPPING LINKS

An Easy Custom Redo of a HomeGoods Find

The wheat sheaves I picked up at HomeGoods were perfectly fine as they were.

But I wanted something that tied in more closely with the rest of my fall table — something with a slightly more custom, collected look. Specifically, I had in mind painting the pots to mimic the spongeware bowls in my centerpiece.

Time to get crafty!

Fortunately, this little project was well within the narrow range of my painting skills. Using leftover craft paint, I started by giving the pots — which had subtle gold accents — a solid white base coat.

Once the white paint dried, I used a small piece of sea sponge and blue paint to create the sponge pattern. (Don’t use a regular sponge — the irregular holes in a sea sponge give you that beautiful, old-fashioned texture.) And go light with the paint — a little goes a long way!

When I stepped back, I realized the blue was too dark and the contrast with the white too sharp. I wanted the soft, worn look of my antique spongeware. So I made a wash by adding water to white paint. It should be very thin. Working in small sections, I brushed the wash on and immediately wiped with a paper towel, leaving just a whisper of white behind. Don’t worry about perfection — the charm is in the imperfections!

Finally, I swapped the brown bows for velvet ribbon in a shade that matched the wheat — a simple change for a more tailored look.

I love how they turned out!

My Fall Hutch

The final touch in decorating the dining area for fall was tucking colorful gourds into my Cornishware displayed in the hutch.

There are so many unusual varieties of gourds these days, and I love mixing their shapes and colors. Their warm yellows, oranges, and greens, combined with the blue pottery, coordinate beautifully with the table setting and echo the colors outside my windows.

It’s a simple way to add a little extra seasonal cheer to the space.

If you missed it, you can also read about my fall mantel decor in last week’s post: Welcoming October with Nature-Inspired Fall Fireplace Decor.

This Week

Boy, living in the country is not for the faint of heart.

Behind the scenes, I’ve been dealing with a septic issue. Those of you who also live without a municipal sewer system know that this is no fun. After a misdiagnosis of the problem (which, fortunately, I dragged my feet on and didn’t have “repaired”), it turned out to be something entirely different — a relatively easy fix that required digging up only a small patch of lawn. Phew!

Then there’s the critter that’s been running through my bedroom walls at night. (Yes… creepy.) I’ve had pest control out here several times, and tomorrow their “wildlife services” team is coming for an inspection. They’re calling in the big guns. Wish me luck!

This is also the time of year when field mice decide they want to spend the winter in my cozy home. Yesterday morning, one made a run for it across the dining area. He or she didn’t get far — Tuck and Izzie were immediately on it. RIP little field mouse. Could this have been the friend playing around in my walls? We’ll see.

On a happier note, Saturday here on the blog I’ll be sharing my outdoor fall decor. (Hint: I’m using the same colors as in the dining area!) I hope to see you then.

And once again, my thoughts are with those down south in the path of a dangerous storm. Stay safe and be well. 🍂