Photo courtesy of Joshua Reddekopp via Unsplash.
Don’t miss the forest for the trees this winter. When the nights grow longer and colder, a forest tablescape with boughs and snips and bright dried berries from the woods makes home the most welcoming place to be.
We spoke with Lauren Merriam, lead designer at Sarah Worden Natural Design in Litchfield County, Connecticut, known for its bountiful farms, to get tips on forest foraging to create an inviting dinner table setting.
“A true forest-themed tablescape works best with the dark and moody vibes of winter or fall,” says Merriam.
“After the trees in the Litchfield Hills have shed their leaves, we still find plenty to forage from nature, including dried grasses, moss, pinecones, lichen-covered branches, Turkey Tail Mushrooms on fallen tree stumps, rosehips, and grapevines,” she adds.
The designer, who grew up in Connecticut and set up little potting sheds as a girl, to grow morning glories, adds that other design elements are key for a magical table setting. Incorporate these elements:
- Vintage and antique pieces. She favors mismatched brown and green spongeware plates, rattan chargers, simple glassware with clean lines, and slightly tarnished vintage silverware.
- Candles. Choose unscented-smooth or honeycombed beeswax tapers or votives in ivory or soft gold, and glass votive holders in speckled silver. “They look like little balls of light without going too grand, perfect for a woodsy, organic vibe,” says Merriam. For an elevated look, go with black or moss-green tapers and brass or tarnished silver holders. (Be sure to use holders, to separate foliage from flames.)
David Anthony Chenault tablescape for Rue IV; courtesy of the Washington Design Center.
- Moss and foliage, in any season. “They keep things natural while still providing visual interest,” the designer notes. “You can play with texture and tone without grand, sweeping ballroom style and the sustainable materials can generally be returned to nature later.”
- Good linens. Merriam once used remnants of a custom Brunschwig & Fils fern print for table runners. “Our favorite is chartreuse velvet,” she adds. “Mismatched napkins add a casual yet curated feel and the smallest accent on the napkin, whether a piece of silk ribbon or a tiny piece of fern, can make the biggest impact.”
Even an amateur can pull it off. “Just layer moss and tuck in candles or silver bowls of chestnuts from the supermarket,” says the designer. “Potted ferns, cyclamens, or winter bulbs (paperwhites and amaryllis) from the garden center are the perfect nature finds if you don’t live near the woods.”
Your guests will linger over coffee and pie, looking into the botanicals and the glow and musing about the past, future, and present.
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