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Fall dough bowl decor ideas and styling can be so fun! Check out 3 simple ways to easily style different sized dough bowls, all in under 3 minutes!

Are you having fun with your fall decor?  I know sometimes, even when I want to have fun decorating, I’m a little short on time.  Since fall dough bowl decor is one of my top requested things to share, I want to show you a few simple ways to style your fall dough bowl .  And guess what?

Each of these styling ideas can happen in 3 minutes or less!

It may take you a few minutes longer to gather your supplies, but if you’re short on those, don’t worry!  I’ll link up everything you need for each style too.

Let’s have some fun styling and enjoy a few minutes together with fall dough bowl decorating!

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Why do I love styling dough bowls?

I am so glad you asked!  Actually, wooden bowls are one of my favorite things to use in year-round decorating.

First of all, I just love old stuff!  (But you already know that, of course!)  There is something unique about the wood patina of antique dough bowls. I  think it is just because of how they have been used so much over the course of time that gives them beautiful color and texture.

At the same time, I love that dough bowls can have such great history.  It seems as though you can really imagine someone using this, many, many years ago, and you get to still enjoy it today.

I should also add that I use the term “dough bowl” loosely.  While some of my bowls were actually dough bowls, there are some styles of grain bins, troughs, trenchers, cooking bowls, mixing bowls, and a variety of other uses that may be lumped together as “dough bowls.”

No matter it’s actual original use, I just love using large wooden vessels as decor around my home!

Dough bowls don’t have to be antique to be beautiful, either.  There are wonderful reproductions available and I’ll link up some for you in this post too.

Where do I use dough bowls (wooden vessels) in my decor?

Also a great question!  The answer is simple: Everywhere!

First of all, I use dough bowls and wooden vessels throughout our entire home.  In the bathroom, I have a small one on my counter to hold pretty soaps; that’s really my only “decor” in the master bathroom!

My kitchen island almost always has a bowl or basket to hold fruit and seasonal items.  Long dough bowls, like THIS one, can make great table centerpieces and also work beautifully on console and entryway tables.

Actually, a small bowl can be a great plant or candle holder for a side table or night stand too!

An oversized trencher, antique grain bin, or large dough bowl can look great leaning in a corner or resting on the bottom shelf of an entryway table.

Secondly, dough bowls look beautiful empty or filled and are a perfect way to add texture, warm wood tones, and character to your decor!

Are dough bowls only for farmhouse style?

That is also a great question!  While you can often find them in farmhouse decor, they are frequently used in vintage decor, country decor, and even modern decor!  Adding some organic wood tones is a popular trend in the more modern farmhouse style and dough bowls are a perfect way to get that old, vintage look.

At the same time, adding some character and old patina goes with almost any style of decor.  I think every room needs at least one old piece!

Does my dough bowl have to be antique to look good?

No, definitely not!  While I am always partial to true vintage pieces, like THIS amazing one, there are great reproductions available.   I especially love the wood color and style of THIS one and THIS one.  You can find them anywhere from big box home stores to flea markets!

However, it’s important to remember…if you love it, that’s all that matters!

Beautiful Fall Dough Bowl Decor in 3 Minute Styles

Fall Dough Bowl Decor: Abundance

Materials Needed: Large wooden vessel, mixture of dried gourds, faux fall stems, fall scarf

Where do you place a dough bowl?

Actually, I like to use it in a lot of different places, but you can typically find it on the vintage apothecary cabinet that sits under our TV.  It is perfect for adding decor that sits low and doesn’t block the view.

This is a very, very important detail for my football-loving family.  Anyone relate?!

I also love to use dough bowls on my dining or kitchen tables, kitchen island, coffee table, and even small dough bowls on side tables.

How do you accessorize a dough bowl?

Here are the quick and simple steps you can follow to recreate this look:

• Choose a larger-sized wooden vessel.  I particularly love the look of this one and this one.
• Place fall scarf, like this one  in the base of your vessel.  Let it drape over the edges in a few places, with enough gathered places to get that casual, “effortless” look.
• Add faux fall stems like this to get some great texture and fall eucalyptus stems for a touch of fall color.  These more traditional fall leaf stems would also be beautiful!

What goes in a fall dough bowl?

• Next, add the main fall element dried gourds or pumpkins.  I love the unique and varying shapes of the dried gourds, as well as the color.  Add some large ones, as well as some small/medium sized ones.  I like to add some of the dipper gourds for extra texture and shape variation.  I especially love how the tops curl around!
• Gourds are also great to use in fall decor because they are relatively inexpensive and you can store them away to use year after year.  You get the same natural, organic look as real pumpkins, but save a lot of money on all the pumpkins that get tossed at the end of the season! (Or in my case, here in Florida, often rot too quickly!)

• Lastly, add some realistic fall stems by tucking them around the gourds.  I particularly love the whimsy of these and the unique texture of these. These little leaf stems would be a cute addition at the end too!  My other favorite faux stems for the season are these faux pear branches and the terracotta color of these pretty eucalyptus branches.
• You can also clip free greenery from your yard!  I clipped some ahead of time for this large French grain bin, let it dry out, and then it gave the look and color of fall leaves (even in Florida!)

Fall Dough Bowl Decor: Simplicity

Materials Needed: Small dough bowl, faux greenery stem, small faux pumpkins

Consider this your reminder that fall decor can be the most beautiful in its simplicity!  Is there really anything better than a vintage bowl full of white pumpkins?!

I picked up this vintage bowl on the World’s Longest Yard Sale.  What an interesting vendor and interesting stop!  He drove a hard bargain, but I just couldn’t pass up a stack of these antique bowls.  The unique wood coloring of the European vintage pieces is always a favorite for me and I especially love the imperfection of this one!

Even if your decor style is less “chippy” and even more of a modern style, embrace the imperfections of these old pieces.  A repair or patch on an antique dough bowl, or in this case, a broken spot, just adds to the authenticity and history of the piece!

Actually, even when I am buying new pieces that are made to look old, I still look for the one that has the most “imperfections”!

What do you put in decorative bowls for fall?

Here is the process I used to style this smaller fall dough bowl:

• Lay a faux greenery or fall stem in the bottom of the bowl.  I love the look of this one or this one (and it can be used year round!)  Slightly bend the stem so that it lays smoothly against the curve of the bowl.  For interest, allow the greenery to be at one side of the bowl!

• Here’s why this fall dough bowl styling is so quick and simple!  Just place your small, faux (or real) pumpkins around the bowl.  Consider placing them with the stems going different directions, some on their sides, etc., for a casual look.  Depending on the size of your bowl, these faux pumpkins have a great look!  For that price, grab two bundles so you can use them on shelves, arrangements, and mantels too!  For a little larger pumpkins, I love the look of these for a larger bowl and they come in both the soft and more traditional fall colors, too.

Fall Dough Bowl Decor: Harvest

Materials Needed: Round dough bowl, fresh or faux stems, oversized gourd

I’ll be the first to admit.  This is the largest dried gourd I’ve ever found and I just had to have it.  Also, I found this really large one online.  You could get the same look with a large pumpkin in your choice of fall colors too!

Let me tell you about this dough bowl, first, though!

This is the first dough bowl I ever purchased!  About 16 years ago, we were so blessed to get to take a trip to Italy.  I didn’t know a lot about antiques, just that I loved them.  We stopped in a little antique shop in Rome and I fell in love with this huge, round dough bowl.

It *just* fit in our suitcase and we lugged it around through the rest of Italy and part of Switzerland before it finally made it’s way to our tiny little home in Florida!  Actually, I really didn’t even have a table big enough to style it at that time!

I just loved it and to this day, it’s still a favorite to decorate with!

When you find those “must have” pieces, it is worth investing, if you’re able to.  There have definitely been many, many pieces that I’ve had to pass up, but I am always grateful for those special pieces that I can use year-round, no matter the design trend or style!

You may not have a round dough bowl this large and that is perfectly fine!  I just got lucky enough to end up with a huge round dough bowl and a huge round dried gourd!  You can get the same look with a much smaller bowl, like this one, and a gourd, like this one, too!

How do you style a dough bowl for the fall?

Here is one of my favorite ways to decorate with mine!

• Cut some branches from my yard.  Cornstalk pieces (or dead banana branches like this) also work great.  You can use leafy faux fall stems like this too!
• Lay the branches around the base of the bowl, taking care to not make it too symmetrical.  We are going for more of a casual, organic look!

• Lastly, place your large pumpkin or gourd in the middle.  You can even consider doing a stack of pumpkins or gourds!  I love how this arrangement looked last year!

• For a finishing touch, place a few textured gourds or pumpkins around the base and tuck in more greenery or leaves until you get the fullness you want.
• Investing in some realistic faux pumpkins is another great way to have decor that you can use year after year!

Where can I find a great dough bowl?

Here are a few favorites that I rounded up for you!

This larger dough bowl has just the right amount of imperfections to make it absolutely perfect!  Whether empty or filled with one of the 3 minute arrangements above, it would add so much character to any coffee table or dining table!

I love this small bowl because it is definitely not small on interest!  I love the patina and it would be the perfect base for a fall candle or bowl of fall vase filler!

This long bowl makes a perfect centerpiece for a rectangular table.  Simply place a few stems and line up some mini pumpkins and votive candles for a simple centerpiece!

A gigantic trough is definitely an investment piece, but I just had to include one because I love using mine so much.  The size allows for endless styling possibilities.  I have a similar one that I found at Rehab Vintage Market.  It is so fun to decorate with because it can make such a great statement piece, even with simple decor.

This is a reminder that decor doesn’t have to be complicated or take a long time.

I hope this gives you a few ideas of ways to get your home ready for fall…even on a busy day or when you have a few minutes to do something creative!  Being creative, even if it’s only for a short time, is good for your heart and mind!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)