Gathered at the Table

When it comes to crafting tablescapes, don’t be afraid to create your own style. “Especially if you can build off what you already have, choose cherished items that come from family members and are passed down over generations.”

Create a charming fall tablescape with items collected over time.

Decorating a tablescape comes with its own set of unique challenges—and not the least among them is getting that chic, curated look that feels effortlessly pulled together. Maggie Griffin of Maggie Griffin Design decorates beautiful yet livable homes where nothing seems out of place yet everything feels completely unfussy. It’s a design philosophy she brings to her tablescapes through Maggie Griffin at Home, the retail extension of her home design brand.

“Design has always been part of my life and was a foundational part of my relationship with my grandmother and mother,” Maggie says. “Making tablecapes was a very memorable part of my formative years.”

“Our approach in style is centered around hospitality,” Maggie says. “We want comfortable, but also beautiful. We are not minimalist, but we want a layered look that feels collected over time, even over generations.”

Maggie decorated her centerpiece with darker-hued flowers for the autumn and late-summer seasons. “But ferns in a big neutral planter can carry your tablescape for months through these seasons. Or go with a simple, beautiful orchid. It’s the green color mixed with neutral shades like blue and white in this tablescape’s plates that make the whole tablescape work.

Lovely Layers

To combine everything at once, Maggie weds together pieces through layering. “Like designing a home, we start from the ground up,” she says. Here, Maggie selected a brown and white tablecloth because it works well as a base. The colors act as neutrals and they are extremely versatile. Indeed, the colors can be used year-round and through most holidays.

To this base, Maggie added complementary pieces. She peppered in ikat-pattern napkins, rattan chargers to offer a bit of texture without too much color and two different patterns of china: one has florals to allude to the transition of late summer into early fall and the other has an almost chinoiserie pattern. “This is very signature to my style,” Maggie says. “I love the blend of blue and white too. It is very versatile to me.” The tablescape is topped off with dusty-pink and darker-hued stem wine glasses along with a centerpiece of faux and found florals.

Imperfect Beauty

You can’t expect items passed down over generations to be flawless. Luckily, Maggie finds beauty in the imperfect. “We can get hung up on finding the perfect piece, but adding in quirky items to a tablescape makes your table feel like it’s yours,” she says. When making a tablescape, build off what you already have, especially if you have nice items that have been passed down from the people you love.

Don’t make things too matchy. “My number one piece of advice is, ‘Don’t overthink it.’” With a versatile base like brown and white checkered pattern linen, you can add in seemingly disparate items like branches from the yard to the centerpiece or pop in a bowl of peaches to create a lower sight line. “Don’t be afraid to mix and match.”

Maggie most Loveed Tableware for Autumn

Visit maggiegriffinathome.com for these and many other lovely pieces.

The Willow Curved Flower Vase is one of my favorites. It can be dressed up with roses or kept more casual with daisies or sunflowers.
I love the instant layer of texture that these Countryside Lattice drinking glasses provide to a tabletop. Mixed with finer crystal or glassware, it makes for a fun combo.
The Round White Rattan Charger is such a fun base for creating memorable combinations with china. They are super versatile and can be used year round.

I am obsessed with filling tabletops with candlelight using these Rustle Votives.
The Torcello Spotted Rosa Tumblers remind me of a set I got while traveling. The spots add a fun pattern to the tabletop without being overwhelming.
To make everyday gatherings around the table worthy of celebration, we introduce the Maggie Griffin at Home Everyday Linens line. Our creativity led us to begin with a classic check and a cheerful ikat in shades of blue and white, chocolate and white, and lavender and white.

How to Select the best Lineng for the Tablescape

Maggie Griffin’s family has been collecting table linens for as long as she can remember. She and her sister, Abbye Coody, pulled from these memories to design their own collection, Everyday Linens from Maggie Griffin at Home. Here, Maggie shares how her linen colors and patterns add to the collected feel of a tablescape.

1. THINK SQUARED. Choose checkered pattern napkins if they offer white with just one other color. Too much color and the linen might feel overpowering. Maggie made sure her collection had purple-check napkins because the colors pair well with fine china. “Whereas my blue-check napkins pair well with a centerpiece of bright-green apples or red flowers to make your table feel patriotic.”

2. EYES FOR IKAT. Though seemingly a busy pattern, ikat works well in what for many has become a natural tone: blue. The busy pattern, when in a cool blue color, can balance out textures on the table. “Pair blue ikat napkins with textured accessories like rattan chargers or reed-wrapped vases for a global look,” Maggie says.