Fall Centerpieces: 6 Easy Steps to Create a Pretty Pumpkin Centerpiece

In this post: Have you ever wondered how to arrange a lovely fall centerpiece yourself? Here are 6 easy steps for creating a pretty pumpkin centerpiece.⇒

Sometimes, all you need is a map.

Many years ago I visited a beautiful hotel in New York. There was a gorgeous centerpiece in the lobby and I took several pictures of it. I still look at those pictures to this day, but I’ve never duplicated the centerpiece. I can see most of the elements and I can see the final product, but I honestly have no idea how to put it together.

Because I need a map.

Pumpkin Centerpiece

I’ve been enjoying decorating with velvet pumpkins for a few years now, but this year I decided to put together a pretty pumpkin centerpiece with all my favorite elements in it.

The first thing I needed was a vessel for my centerpiece. It needed to be large enough to accommodate the pumpkins, but not too heavy because I’d like to be able to move it around as needed. I chose a faux concrete planter with a lovely moss patina on it. It’s the perfect size because I can use it in a tablescape, but it can also make a bold statement on a coffee table by itself. I chose a shallow round piece so it would be impactful but not too tall.

(See resource list below.)

Next I filled the bottom of the planter with crinkle paper filler. This is a much more economical option than filling the entire planter with pumpkins and flowers that no one will see. It also raises the pumpkins up high enough so that they can be appreciated, without getting lost in the bottom of the basin.

I wanted to use flowers that would dry well, since I knew I wouldn’t be adding water to the arrangement. I also love the look of tendrils draping over the sides, so I chose snowberry branches and placed them on top of the filler.

You could also use faux branches for this purpose, and I’ve linked some in the resource list below. But for my arrangement, I went with fresh flowers.

I like to work in uneven clusters, so the centerpiece has a natural unforced feel to it. So, I oriented the branches in a few directions rather than spacing them evenly around the entire pot. They kind of criss-crossed over the filler and I tucked the ends into the filler to keep them somewhat secure.

I also added seeded eucalyptus, a staple I use in many of my arrangements. I used a light touch here so as not to overwhelm the pumpkins.

Next I added the velvet pumpkins which would play the starring role. I nestled them on top of the filler, paying attention to the stems and tilting them to have a tossed about look.

I used silk velvet pumpkins in Rose Velvet with Marabou Feathered Collar, mixing the 5” and 6” sizes. I really could’ve left the centerpiece done at this point, because the gorgeous shimmer of the velvet sand the soft fluff of the feather collars were stunning enough by themselves.

(In fact, the reason I used all one color is because I didn’t want to detract from their beauty.)

But I love flowers, so how could I not?

In this last step, I tucked in just a few roses in blush pink, knowing they would dry beautifully and also enhance the muted palette. 

The velvet pumpkins are oh-so-gorgeous and I’ve seen them in many styles, colors and qualities with various trims and embellishments. You can try out a centerpiece with your favorites.

And hopefully, you won’t need a map to find them… 😉