As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, it’s time to bring those cozy fall vibes into your home, starting with one of the most functional and visible spaces—your kitchen island! In this blog post, I’ll share six creative ways to style your kitchen island for fall. Whether you’re into elegant neutrals, vintage-inspired decor, or simple DIY projects, you’ll find something that speaks to your autumn aesthetic. Let’s dive into these six stylish looks!
1. Lantern + DIY Vase + Funky Pumpkin
For this first look, I’m all about combining different textures and shapes to create visual interest. Start with a lantern, which adds height and a warm, ambient glow to your island. Next, incorporate a thrifted vase that I DIYed (check out my DIY channel for the tutorial!), filled with vibrant florals from Temu. To top it all off, I added a funky flower pumpkin that brings a whimsical and fun touch to the setup. This look is perfect if you love a cozy, inviting space with a bit of personality!
What You’ll Need:
- Lantern
- Thrifted DIY vase
- Florals from Temu
- Funky flower pumpkin
2. Wooden Tray + DIY Vase + Gold Candle Holder
For a more elegant look, I styled this wooden thrifted tray that I DIYed as the centerpiece. The tray keeps everything organized while adding warmth to the island. I used a DIY thrifted vase with fall babies’ breath from Temu, which gives a soft, natural touch. To enhance the fall glow, I added a large gold candle holder with a battery-operated candle—perfect for a safe and stylish ambiance. Lastly, a vintage green pumpkin ties the whole look together with its lovely color and texture.
What You’ll Need:
- Wooden thrifted DIY tray
- DIY vase
- Fall babies’ breath from Temu
- Gold large candle holder with battery-operated candle
- Vintage green pumpkin
3. Wooden Tray + Two Vases + Fall Leaves
For the third styling option, I reused the wooden tray from HomeSense and the same DIY vase with babies’ breath from Temu. This time, I added a large vase filled with fall leaf stems from Dollarama. These stems give a pop of fall color and a natural touch. I also included a thrifted DIY Pottery Barn-inspired leaf decoration that I made on my DIY channel—such a fun project! To complete the look, I added a beautiful fall candle for a cozy finishing touch.
What You’ll Need:
- Wooden tray from HomeSense
- DIY vase with fall babies’ breath from Temu
- Large vase with fall leaf stems from Dollarama
- DIY Pottery Barn leaf
- Fall candle
4. Round Tray + Large Vase + Tapered Candles
This fourth style is all about using height and layering textures. I kept the same round wooden tray and large vase, but this time I added fall stems from Dollar Tree—such a beautiful find! To bring some elegance, I placed gold tapered candle sticks from Temu and added Dollar Tree battery-operated candles. For a fun pop of color, you can switch the candles out for brown or burgundy ones to really complement the fall palette. Lastly, I used a wooden pedestal stand from Bouclair and topped it with a lovely DIY pumpkin.
What You’ll Need:
- Wooden round tray
- Large vase with fall stems from Dollar Tree
- Tapered gold candle sticks from Temu
- Dollar Tree battery-operated candles
- Wooden pedestal stand from Bouclair
- DIY pumpkin
5. Paper Mâché Bowl + Green Apples
Sometimes, simplicity speaks volumes, and that’s exactly what this fifth look is all about. I reused the same vase and flowers from the previous style but skipped the tray this time. Instead, I brought in a DIY paper mâché bowl and filled it with fake green apples. Of course, real apples would work wonderfully, especially since we’re in apple season! This minimalistic approach keeps your island clean and clutter-free while still giving it a beautiful fall touch.
What You’ll Need:
- DIY vase with fall flowers
- DIY paper mâché bowl
- Fake (or real) green apples
6. Vintage Thrifted Bowl + Fall Olive Stems
For the final style—my current favorite that I have in my kitchen—I went back to using the round wooden tray but swapped out the flowers for fall olive stems from Temu. I also brought in a vintage thrifted bowl and filled it with fake apples and pears. To finish the look, I added a pumpkin candle and this lovely vintage orange pumpkin. I also included a fun candle stopper from Dollar Tree for a unique and whimsical touch.
What You’ll Need:
- Wooden round tray
- Black vase with fall olive stems from Temu
- Vintage thrifted bowl
- Fake apples and pears
- Pumpkin candle
- Vintage orange pumpkin
- Dollar Tree candle stopper
Watch the Full Styling Video Here!
I’d love for you to check out the full video where I walk you through each of these looks step-by-step. You can see how each piece comes together and find out how easy it is to style your kitchen island for fall.
And there you have it—six different ways to style your kitchen island for fall! Whether you prefer a simple, minimalist look or something layered with vintage charm, there’s an option for everyone. Don’t forget to experiment with what you already have at home and give some of these DIY projects a try. Let me know in the comments which style is your favorite!
Thanks for reading, and happy fall decorating!
Life with sonja 
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