Nothing heralds the start of fall in Dallas like the arrival of pumpkins. From the stunning displays at the Dallas Arboretum’s Pumpkin Village to the cascading mounds of pumpkins on porches in Highland Park and Preston Hollow, the seasonal gourd is everywhere. And they can be a surprisingly versatile addition to your home decor. We tapped some local experts for ideas that will give your guests pumpkin to talk about. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)
Use a pumpkin to display a gorgeous fall bouquet.
Avant Garden floral designer Michael Frazier favors pumpkins as a fall-inspired “vase.” He suggests either carving out a pumpkin and placing a glass cylinder inside for your floral arrangement, or using a foam cage attached to the top of the pumpkin with wire. “You can find foam cages in several different sizes, so you can make a large statement for a big pumpkin or something smaller for a smaller-sized pumpkin,” Frazier shares. “I loved using dyed lisianthus and variegated dahlia in this piece [above] mixed with other seasonal favorites.”
David Villanueva, head designer at Nicholson-Hardie home and garden center and nursery, also uses pumpkins as the base for fall floral arrangements. “I love designing pumpkins with succulents on top of them,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll use real pumpkins, but I also love using faux pumpkins so that they last longer.”
When Villanueva creates an arrangement with a real pumpkin, he refrains from cutting into it — when you do, you risk the pumpkin deflating before you have a chance to really enjoy it. If cutting the pumpkin is part of your plan, do so close to the time you want to display your arrangement; it will be fresher. But Villaneuva prefers to hot glue a foam base to the top of the pumpkin to create the illusion of the arrangement spilling out. For added sheen, first spray your pumpkins with a clear lacquer. “I love the way it makes them shine,” Villanueva says.
Paint patterns to complement your home decor.
Consider pumpkins a canvas for designs and patterns inspired by your decor. Local calligrapher Elizabeth Bohannon, owner of Noted by EB, came up with the idea to paint pumpkins in a blue-and-white Asian-inspired aesthetic that matched a set of ginger jars she had in her home. “I am obsessed with all things blue and white in the chinoiserie style,” she says. “It’s all over my house. I started noticing a few years ago on my Instagram feed that the trend had really come back in style. [These pumpkins are] a great way for my style and fall decor to blend together.”
Bohannon likes to place the painted gourds on her porch, nestled among traditional pumpkins, or on the mantel to complement her chinoiserie pieces — but the options are endless. “They work as a cute fun touch of fall in the bathroom or as a pop of color in the kitchen,” she says. Bohannon uses acrylic paint to adorn both faux and real pumpkins; for these particular designs, she chose faux pumpkins so she can reuse them year after year.
Love the look but not into a DIY approach? Commission a painted pumpkin from Bohannon; Avant Garden also paints blue-and-white pumpkins in-house. And brands including Ballard Designs, Wayfair and MacKenzie-Childs have painted pumpkin pottery in their fall decor lineups.
Pumpkin painting is always a hit with children, adds Villanueva. “I would first paint the pumpkin with a white primer, a flat white paint, and then give them a paint brush and paints.” After the paint dries, he sprays the pumpkin with a clear lacquer to seal it. You can display the designs around your own home or gift them to family members. “Kids love creating something special for grandparents,” he notes.
Add an initial, your house number or even your photo.
Pumpkins can be a fun way to show off who you are and what you love. Bohannon has painted just everything on pumpkins, whether its someone’s initials, their last name, a college team or a house number. She tops her designs with a bow, which you can select to match your decor. If you want to try it yourself, pick up basic acrylic paint and ribbon at a craft store, then either free hand or use a stencil to create your personalized pumpkin.
Villanueva recommends a photo pumpkin for a truly personalized touch. “Xerox some photos of the kids and use Mod Podge to place them all over the pumpkin. It’s a great conversation piece, and you can get the whole family involved,” he says. “You could also take pictures of someone’s house and decoupage it on a pumpkin for a great [housewarming] gift.”
Spray-paint your pumpkins for an easy-to-achieve statement.
Spray paint opens up a rainbow of possibilites, whether you’re going for a monochromatic look for your pile of pumpkins or you want to mix it up. Best of all, it’s a technique that anyone can do.
Choose a copper metallic hue to elevate a traditional autumn look. For a moody feel, Avant Garden’s Frazier spray-painted a pumpkin in matte black. “I wanted to use floral that would stand out again the black pumpkin, so I used orange crush roses, double tulips, pumpkin rose hips and purple hellebores,” he says. You can also opt for colors that aren’t typically used in fall decor — baby blue or bright pink, for example — to really stand out. That’s the color approach Nicholson-Hardie used for a set of succulent-topped, spray-painted mini pumpkins.
To spray-paint your pumpkin, add a few coats and let it fully dry before placing it on a surface for display. Acrylic spray paints are ideal, as they dry quickly and can be added on in layers. Pro tip: If you want your pumpkin stem to be a different color, remove and spray it separately, then hot glue the stem back on. Seal your pumpkin with a clear spray paint.
Create a festive tablescape.
Pumpkins make for a striking addition to a tablescape, whether you arrange monochromatic Cinderella pumpkins down the center of your table or adorn pumpkins with a pattern or color that matches your dinnerware. “There are all sorts of things you can do to make [pumpkins] part of your tablescape,” Villanueva says. “You can design mini ones as place card holders or do simple things like layer them on a table. I love to take a few extra dinner napkins and decoupage them to the pumpkin. That way it helps to tell the design story and becomes part of the centerpiece. I’ve even done this with extra scraps of wallpaper.”
For an easy way to add flair, Villanueva recommends using small pumpkins or other gourds to fill up a vase or an heirloom vessel. “Grab something you already have, like Grandma’s punch bowl,” he says. “You probably have pieces around your house. Let’s use them.” He suggests spraying the pumpkins with a clear lacquer before placing them in your bowl or vase. White pumpkins look great styled this way. Consider popping some pinecones in your vase, too.
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