In this post I’ll be sharing my dark academia inspired fall tablescape design.
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If you’ve been anywhere near a Pinterest board lately, chances are you’ve come across the dark academia aesthetic. It applies to fashion, home decor, and general lifestyle content, and is a subculture that is highly influenced by the arts, literature, and higher education. Click here for some supporting visuals.
I’ve been slowly gravitating towards this aesthetic (mostly with my interior decor style) and feel especially drawn to it for the upcoming fall and winter months.
To celebrate the first of September, I was inspired to pull out my fall decor bin and create a dark academia inspired tablescape.
When it comes to seasonal or holiday decor, I like to choose one spot in my home to decorate, versus going all out in every room, corner, and crevice. (Check out my foyer, bar, and tv console decor groupings for past Halloweens.)
However, my one exception is the dining room table, as I usually tend to deck it out regardless of any other decor spots in the house. Like this Halloween tablescape, and this Christmas tablescape from previous years:
Truth is, we rarely ever use our dining table… eek! (Thanks to the stools at our kitchen island, which is where we eat most of our meals.) Thankfully, this lets me create one focal point for seasonal decor on our large rectangular table – perfect for a major tablescape moment without feeling intrusive or overwhelming at dinnertime.
This year’s fall tablescape ended up being a bit more maximalist than usual. But I think that ties in perfectly with the dark academia aesthetic I was going for.
To start off, I knew I wanted to incorporate vintage-style books in the centerpiece, so I shopped my collection for covers that created a cohesive color palette – pulling tones from my existing dining room rug and chairs. Tip for using books as decor: try removing the book sleeves to reveal a solid color cover underneath.
I was aiming for a slightly nontraditional fall color palette of navy blue and cream, while still incorporating the classic burnt oranges and browns. To further enhance the navy blue hues, I chose greenery that was on the cooler side, like olive leaf branches, and then kept the rest of the pieces pretty neutral with some mini pumpkins and gold candlestick holders sprinkled throughout.
This moody fall tablescape came together rather quickly and effortlessly… it’s really all about the layering!
Start with a table runner, or a piece of fabric that you can bunch up to the shape of a runner (as I did here). Then lay down your base layer of greenery, and choose a centerpiece – this could be a floral arrangement, grouping of pumpkins, or really anything you’d like!
After that, add more visual interest by placing candlestick holders at different heights, staggered in a zigzag formation.
Finish off with smaller items tucked in between the foliage, and create a super layered look with smaller picks. Tip: don’t be afraid to pull off small sections of stems from your foliage picks. You can usually put them back together afterward, and the variation of smaller elements mixed into larger garlands creates a fuller and more interesting look overall.
One last thing to note: make sure your tablescape looks good from all angles. In my case, I have a large mirrored wall behind my dining room table, so I always make sure to place a few items on the back to balance it out so that it will also look great in the reflection.
Although I love the way this looks during the day because you can clearly see the different layers and textures, the moody dark academia vibe really comes to life at nighttime!
Most of the pieces I used on this tablescape were either thrifted or purchased from Joann Fabrics, Michaels, and Homegoods over the years. But I will link everything that is still available (or similar items) below!
Get the look / shop similar items:
- vintage books: these are a thrifting MUST! You can find so many great books about art, poetry, and any kind of genre that may interest you at the thrift store. Again, check to see what color the cover is underneath the book jacket to get that vintage-look.
- ornate book ends
- rust/terracotta table runner
- assorted gold candlestick holders: option 1 / option 2 / option 3
- tapered candles
- mini pumpkins: option 1 / option 2
- larger decorative pumpkin
- greenery garland
- fall leaf picks
- fall berry picks
I hope this post inspired you to start decorating for fall! Click here to check out my complete list of fall home decor faves!
If you like this content, check out these posts below:
– How to make your home feel cozy and inviting
– DIY boho fall wreath
– Fall digital moodboard
Xx Laura
PIN THIS FOR LATER!
