How to Decorate a Simple Foraged Fall Side Table

I'm decorating two side tables with foraged branches, berries, seed pods and more for two very different Fall vignettes that are free, stunning and simple to pull together!

Hello friend and welcome to the October Pinterest Challenge. This monthly challenge is hosted by Cindy from County Road 407 and I always love seeing how everyone puts their own spin on the inspiration image! Each one is unique and different; you'll be able to view all the links below. If you popped over here from Decor to Adore, welcome! I know you loved Laura's creative gratitude tree!


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Decorating with freebies is always fun, especially when all you have to do is go to your backyard or down the street! Have you ever thought of decorating with foraged items? I've been a scavenger my whole life...searching for shells and beach glass when at the beach, picking up pinecones, acorns and other pretties when I'm out for a walk.

Today I'm showing you how to decorate two different side tables with foraged Fall finds for free!
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Inspiration

Our inspiration image came from Sarah Joy Blog where she shared some real Fall branches displayed in a basket. She always has such a fresh and modern take on seasonal decor and I love this corner vignette.


As you'll see from my images, I veered away quite a bit from using pumpkins, a fall blanket, even a basket and did my own thing. Which is totally allowed because this is my space and I was inspired to go in a slightly different direction. 😊

What I took away from Sarah's image was Real. Branches. Vignette. Texture.

How to decorate a side table with foraged Fall finds

If you live near me, you might have spotted the crazy lady juggling a distracted puppy, a handful of maple leaves and 2 huge branches of Fall leaves a few days ago. Yep, that was me! Next time, wave won't you? Or offer a girl a ride! 😉

Here in south Texas, our branches don't really change into Fall colors...they dry and fall from the trees. But I think there is beauty even in the brown and muted shades and I'm here to prove it to you today!

This is by far the cheapest way to decorate for Fall because foraging is free! Just beware of critters, and take a good look at what you're bringing inside. It might be helpful to leave leaves and foraged finds in the garage for a couple days before bringing them inside the house.


If you've been following me for awhile, you'll no doubt have seen this small side table that I rescued from the side of the road on garbage day! I painted it pink (see that here), but once summer was over I painted it white because it will just go with so much more decor - I'm specifically thinking Christmas!

Here in Texas we have a saying about things being bigger...maybe you've heard it, lol? 😍 I fully intended to trim the branches but after trying them in this large ironstone pitcher I decided to leave them as is. I think a larger arrangement looks better against my DIY chalkboard with the oversized French frame, don't you? You won't believe where I found this gorgeous frame or how much I paid for it! Head here to find out!

I just decided to be all Texan and GO BIG with this Fall vignette and embrace all the foraged finds! I love how the texture of the branches, seeds and berries looks against the creamy white ironstone! And with the chalkboard texture in the background, it's perfect!

There are dried maple leaves, including a few still on the branch. I also foraged a branch from my pecan tree in the backyard (complete with a few pecans still holding on!) I took this picture specifically for all my Canadian family and friends...this is how pecans grow! 


The berries are from my crepe myrtle tree and I love this little bit of natural texture and that bright pop of green!


I included one of my free fall watercolor printables in this vignette, as well as a little piece of green velvet ribbon that was leftover from my Thanksgiving table decor (I'll be sharing that soon) The color fit so well in this Fall vignette!


It is so interesting how different trees leaves dry different colors and I find such beauty in that! Just look at the variety here! I picked up a few dried magnolia seed pods from next door, and those candlestick holders were made for me by Mr DIY after the latest hurricane, which blew so many branches down. He just cut them up for me and drilled a hole to fit a taper candle. Don't you love all that glorious texture?!!!




See those things that look like sticks behind the candle? That is actually bark! One of our crepe myrtle trees sheds bark in these long pieces that naturally curl up. They look so cool and I was planning on putting them in the ironstone pitcher with all the branches but there just wasn't room! Maybe I went a little too Texas with the branches, eh? That's my Canadian-Texas lingo that is my own personal dialect haha!!





I hope you're loving all the nature in today's post because I have one more Fall vignette to share with you today!

We lost our golden raintree in last year's freeze and it was a blow. We recently had to have it chopped down to the ground 😞 This is the time of year when these trees are in bloom, and the mini Chinese lantern seed pods are just so beautiful! Here's a picture of our front yard 5 years ago.


I was lucky to harvest a few blooms from another tree down the road...in memory of our beautiful tree...R.I.P. ❤


I simply piled the blooms into my wood bread bowl. This was literally a 5-second vignette to pull together!


How beautiful is this color?? I love it! I just wish they dried this shade, but they turn brown. I was lucky to be able to harvest them at their peak of color!



Sometimes you need to just keep it simple! A beautiful vessel filled with the bounty from outdoors, placed on a pretty side table is all you need! You can read more about this table (a $20 Goodwill find) and it's makeover here.
I hope I've inspired you to head outside and forage some real branches, seed pods, leaves and more for your Fall vignettes! Just make sure you bring a wagon or someone to help you carry all your finds! 😉

PIN it to remember!

Fall dried leaves, branches, berries and seed pods displayed in white pitcher on side table with chalkboard, fall framed printable and candles  

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Please head over to Thistle Key Lane now and see how Michelle decorated with natural branches! I'm always inspired by what she does! You can view all the links below.

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Comments

  1. Are we allowed to say that I LOVE your vignette even more the inspiration photo? Bravo!

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    1. What a great compliment Laura, thank you! I will certainly accept it!!

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  2. I love your idea of foraging Cindy, and I hadn't even thought of using crape myrtle clippings or picking up magnolia seed pods out of our yard! They are really pretty! So sad about your raintree, I don't want to think about how many plants we lost due to that freeze. Lovely post my friend!

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    1. Thank you so much Michelle, yep we lost a lime tree that we didn't even know we had (it produced a bumper crop the summer before it froze...only time in 5 years it produced fruit!)

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  3. Your styling is beautiful, Cindy! I love that you ran with a fresh idea:) Oh, the pods of that tree are gorgeous in your dough bowl; the simplistic beauty! All the textures are scrumptious!

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    1. Thank you so much Lora, it's fun when "dead" can also be "scrumptious" lol!!

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  4. Being all Texas big is awesome and you do it well Cindy! I love your vignette. Sorry to read about your tree. We had to chop down two 300 year old trees in the front yard at the farmhouse. It too was quite the blow! Love the look of your dough bowl as well. So beautiful. Thank you for joining in. Pinned

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  5. Hi Cindy, swinging back over I don't think your link was live when I was up this morning. I love your vases! It looks great and festive! Oh and Iove a garage sale find! laura

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  6. Hi Cindy....I love the dried natural elements but I worry about bringing in bugs along with them.....do you treat them with anything before bring them inside?

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    1. Hi Maggie, bugs can definitely be an issue with foraged finds! I didn't treat my pieces but like I said I left them in the garage for a few nights. You can also put them either in a plastic bag in the freezer to kill bugs or you can spray with bug repellant and put them in a tightly sealed paper bag overnight. Hope that helps!

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  7. Cindy, I know that your weather and foliage is different in South Texas than mine in North Texas, but you did an amazing job of gathering and displaying natural leaves. The leaves in your dough bowl are especially beautiful. Yes, go big or go home! Love both the vignettes. I also love the front of your home. Sorry you lost your tree. That’s happened all over the state. Hopefully, we will never have a February freeze again.

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    1. Thanks so much Carol! Yes that freeze was so unusual!

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  8. Such a pretty assortment of leaves and berries and you've created such lovely vignettes.

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  9. Your fall vignettes are lovely, Cindy! Great choices of foliage, too!

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  10. Cindy,
    This is just lovely. I really like how it all stands out against that large chalkboard! Happy Fall!

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