Elegant Fall Centerpiece Using Antique Gold Vases and Seasonal Fruit

For Sunday favorites with Cindy and Mary Ann I thought I would share this idea for a centerpiece that celebrates fall’s natural beauty without needing a single flower. Using antique gold vases from Terrain and a mix of seasonal fruit (persimmons, pomegranates, apples, pears, oranges, chestnuts, hazelnuts, tejocotes, and more), I created a warm, sculptural arrangement that feels classic and organic. And the best part, is that nothing will go to waste.

Why use fruit instead of flowers?

• Long-lasting compared to cut blooms
• Adds warmth, texture, and color, much like flowers
• Budget-friendly — you can repurpose the fruit afterward
• Creates a European still-life, old-world feel

Materials you’ll need

• Antique gold vases or vessels (mine are from Terrain, and currently sold out, but these are similar, or use any bowl or a combination of wood and ceramic bowls.
• Persimmons
• Oranges
• Pomegranates
• Apples (small sizes work best)
• Tejocotes (Hawthorne Apples)
• Chestnuts
• Hazelnuts or mixed nuts
• Optional:
• Small clippings of eucalyptus or leaves (I used leaves from a Burning Bush which are bright red in the fall)
• Linen tablecloth
• Votive candles in tiny tart tins or pillar candles

Step-by-step: How I put together the centerpiece & table

Start with the vessels
Choose 2-3 vases in varying heights. The gold finish adds warmth, but I have made these using all white bowls in different sizes. The fruit looks beautiful in anything, really! You could use baskets or wood bowls.

Set the table & make place cards

Using beautiful red leaves from a Burning Bush plant, I wrote everyone’s name with a white gel marker.

Build the arrangement

• Add something like paper shred if your vases or bowls are deep.
• Start with the largest fruit in each bowl or vase.
• Layer in smaller fruit, letting them spill over the edges slightly.
• Tuck nuts, cranberries, and hazelnuts into empty spaces for texture.

Tip: Imperfect fruit looks more organic — don’t worry about symmetry. I only know how to create something a little imperfect!

Add finishing touches

Scatter extra fruit around the base of the vases along the length of the table. Add candles or a linen tablecloth.

Fall décor doesn’t have to be complicated. This fruit-filled centerpiece feels abundant, elegant, and effortless — perfect for dinner parties, Thanksgiving, or simply adding fall magic to your dining table.

Get the look

Antique iron vases (currently sold out, similar to this set) // Stripe Linen Tablecloth/ Gingham Napkins // Amber Glass Goblets, Pitcher and Tumblers // Wood Plates // Brown plates // Pendant Light // Enzo Mari Apple Pear poster // Salt Chair or Carter Chair

More Sunday favorites

Advent Calendars

I have always loved making Advent calendars for my kids when they were younger, but now I send them one. Here are a few of my favorites! And this week, someone sent me a Nespresso Advent calendar, and I am thrilled. Now, if only I knew who sent it, there was no card, and I don’t know who to thank for making my day....or should I say 24 days?

Left: Williams Sonoma Chuck’s Luxury Advent Calendar // Spice Advent Calendar // Bonne Maman Jam & Honey Advent Calendar

Middle: Williams Sonoma 24 Days of Baking Cookies Advent Calendar // Meri Meri Liberty Charm Bracelet Advent Calendar // Woodland Ornament Advent Calendar

Right: Elf Advent Calendar // Nespresso Advent Original Capsules // Nespresso Advent Vertuo Capsules

Kim, Juliet, and Elizabeth have a Saturday post much like our Sunday posts…

So here are a few interesting posts from Elizabeth (Pinecones and Acorns), Juliet (Make Mine a Spritzer) & Kim Northern California Style).

Sugared Cranberries

As we head into the holidays, I have always wanted to decorate a cake with sugared cranberries. After seeing Elizabeth’s post, I think this might be the year I give it a go! An easy 3-ingredient recipe for sugared cranberries from Pinecones and Acorns.

Fall Cocktails

Juliet (Make Mine a Spritzer) has some amazing fall cocktail recipes. I thought this one looked so pretty!

Blazers & Jackets for Fall

I loved Kim’s (Northern California Style) post on the best blazers and jackets for fall.

Let’s check in with Cindy & Mary Ann!

Cindy Hattersley Design

Read Cindy’s Sunday post here.

Classic Casual Home

Read Mary Ann’s Sunday post here.