The In-Between Seasons Table
By: Southern Hospitality Company
August and September can be such awkward months for decorating. We are ready for something different after Labor Day, but it is still entirely too hot outside to start covering the house in pumpkins, heavy blankets, and bright orange leaves.
I am personally not a big Halloween decorator, and our home has a relaxed, slightly coastal feeling throughout the year. I do not want to reinvent every room for a new season. Instead, I like to keep the foundation of our home the same and make it feel just a little warmer, earthier, and cozier as summer begins to fade.
The easiest place to make that transition is the table.
You do not need an entirely new tablescape or a cabinet full of seasonal dishes. A few changes in color, texture, and greenery can take a table from bright summer entertaining to something that feels perfectly suited for late August and September.
Start Softening the Color Palette
At this point in the year, I begin putting away some of the brightest blues and crisp summer colors. I do not abandon blue altogether. I simply move toward softer, muddier versions of it.
Slate blue, dusty blue, sage green, cream, kraft, and warm brown all feel appropriate for the season without looking like you have skipped straight to Thanksgiving.
The goal is not to change the personality of your home. It is simply to deepen the palette you already have.
If your summer table includes bright blue, try replacing it with chambray or slate. If you have been using crisp white linens, bring in something creamier or more textured. Bright green can soften into sage, olive, or artichoke.
These quieter colors still feel light enough for hot weather, but they give the table a little more warmth.
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Let Texture Do Most of the Work
Texture is probably the most important part of this transition.
Natural woods, rattan, woven cane, bamboo, linen, and kraft paper make a table feel warmer without making it feel heavy. They are also wonderful investments because none of them are limited to one season.
A rattan charger can work with blue and white dishes in July, artichoke plates in September, and traditional holiday china in December. Bamboo flatware feels relaxed enough for an outdoor summer lunch but brings the perfect amount of warmth to an early fall table.
This is one of the reasons I would rather collect versatile pieces with texture than buy a completely new set of seasonal decorations every few months.
Some of my favorite ways to bring texture to the table are:
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Change the Linens Before You Change Everything Else
Napkins and table runners are one of the easiest and most affordable ways to shift the mood of a table.
Instead of introducing obvious fall patterns, I look for linens in sage green, cream, faded blue, warm taupe, or a small neutral check. Scalloped edges, subtle embroidery, and visible woven texture make even a simple place setting feel more considered.
This is also a good time to trade very crisp summer linens for something slightly softer and more relaxed. The table should still feel fresh, just not quite as bright.
Use Seasonal Produce Instead of Traditional Fall Decorations
One of my favorite ways to decorate during this in between season is with fruits and vegetables that naturally belong to late summer and early fall.
Artichokes, figs, pears, apples, grapes, and pomegranates introduce richer colors without immediately making the table feel like Halloween or Thanksgiving. They feel seasonal, but still fresh.
That idea also inspired several of our newest collections. Fall fruit motifs are especially perfect for August and September because they live so comfortably between the seasons. They can be layered with rattan, tortoise, bamboo, linen, and greenery without needing much else on the table.
A patterned plate or serving piece can carry the entire setting. Everything around it can remain simple.
Shop SoHoCo Autumn Fruit Collections HERE
Rethink the Flowers
Flowers are another easy way to signal that the season is changing.
During the summer, I love brighter arrangements and fresh garden flowers. By late August, I begin using fewer saturated colors and more greenery, branches, dried flowers, and softly faded hydrangeas.
This is when all of those hydrangeas I dried earlier in the summer become especially useful. Their faded blue, green, cream, and mauve tones are exactly right for this time of year. They add softness and texture without looking overtly autumnal.
You can read my full tutorial on [how to dry hydrangeas here].
I also mix in a few good faux stems when I need more height or structure. The trick is choosing stems with muted, irregular coloring rather than anything too glossy or perfectly shaped. Mixed with real or dried greenery, they can look surprisingly natural.
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Make the Bar Feel a Little Warmer Too
The same approach works for a bar cart, drinks table, or small entertaining setup.
Clear glassware still feels appropriate in the heat, while tortoise accents, engraved glass, woven accessories, and amber colored spirits introduce warmth. Even something as simple as placing cocktail napkins in a rattan holder can make the setup feel more layered and seasonal.
You are not changing what you serve or how you entertain. You are simply adjusting the materials surrounding it.
Keep the Table Useful
The best transitional table is still one you can actually use.
August and September are busy months filled with casual dinners, football weekends, last minute gatherings, and meals that may still be eaten outside. I do not want a centerpiece that has to be dismantled every time we sit down.
A stack of plates, a bowl filled with fruit, a few folded napkins, and a simple arrangement of dried hydrangeas may be all the table needs. Layering useful pieces usually looks more natural than filling the table with decorations for the sake of filling it.
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A Softer Start to Fall
You do not have to bring out the orange pumpkins the moment September arrives.
Start with the things that already make sense in your home. Soften the colors. Add natural texture. Replace bright florals with dried hydrangeas or greenery. Bring out the rattan, bamboo, tortoise, linen, and wood.
Your home should still look like your home. It should simply feel a little cozier and more grounded than it did in the middle of summer.
That is the sweet spot for these still sweating, not quite fall months.
-Southern Hospitality Co.
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