These Understated Dried Flower Arrangements Are Perfect for Fall

Get wind of some welcome news: When you're decorating for fall, nothing looks fresher than dried botanicals, especially when they've been preserved and tinted in chic colors. (That's right, fall décor doesn't have to be all oranges and purples!) Take your pick at the flower shop or crafts store—these sprigs, sprays, and pods look delicate, but they'll give your home lasting style.

The best part about dried flower arrangements? They last forever. Do the work upfront and your home is set for the holidays and beyond. Here, we'll take you through different set-ups and types of dried botanicals to help you create your own show-stopping arrangement at home.

For a gorgeous, expansive arrangement, such as the one pictured here, use extra-sticky tape, like the bowl tape florists use, to secure reusable dry floral foam to the bottom of an urn or footed compote. (A flower frog with pins works, too.) Then stick in stems here and there, so larger leaves contrast with smaller and wispier bits. Insert darker elements, like scabiosa seedpods, for a dash of drama. You can find the dried flowers we used here at retailers such as drieddecor.com, bloomist.com, and save-on-crafts.com. We sourced our terra-cotta footed bowl from Frances Palmer, but you can also find gorgeous and affordable options at floralsociety.com.

When it's time to change up your arrangement, remember these sprigs and blooms look lovely tucked into the ribbon of a present or affixed on a card. Go wild and in the meantime we have some inspiration to get you started.

Created by Naomi DeMañana.

Equal parts farmhouse tradition and ombré obsession, this whirl of a wreath ripples from rust to beige to gold to blond. Wire small single-color bundles onto a circular metal form, working from bottom to top (light to dark). For an abundant, untamed look, tuck in longer straws and fronds, and finish with a thin velvet ribbon.

Shop Now: M&J Trimming Velvet Ribbon #02416, $1.75 per yard, mjtrim.com.

So maybe you didn't have time to traipse through a meadow to forage fodder for your tabletop. This setup is the next best thing. The key to its breezy but modern feel is to stick mostly to one variety per vase (the mashup of white stoneware also stands out nicely on a rust tablecloth), and line them up loosely. The spare palette will work all winter; for a change of scenery, just swap out the vessels. These centerpieces can reach skyward without blocking anyone's view, thanks to grasses like bunny tail and timothy that are tall, thin, and airy enough for conversation to flow right through.

Shop Now: West Elm Pure White Ceramic Bottle (second from far left), $29, westelm.com; West Elm Pure White Ceramic Egg Vase (second from right), $12, westelm.com; West Elm Frayed Edged Napkins, in Belgian Flax, $19 for 4, westelm.com. Frances Palmer "Sam" Pot (far right), $550, francespalmerpottery.com. Food52 Bodega Stackable Glasses, from $30 for 12, food52.com. Crate & Barrel Jett Flatware, $70 for a 5-piece setting, crateandbarrel.com. CB2 "Crisp Matte" White Dinner Plates, $8 each, cb2.com. RH "Sinclair" Side Chairs, in Brown Oak Drift, $235 each, rh.com. M&J Trimming Velvet Ribbon (#02416), " $1 a yard, mjtrim.com.

Stage a laser-free light show, one where candles flicker through ferns to cast a gentle glow. Dot hot glue along the dried leaf's spine, then gently press it around the exterior of a glass hurricane. Shown here (from left): asparagus fern, umbrella fern, and Italian ruscus. The cloud-like beauty in the background is frosted explosion grass.

Shop Now: Frances Palmer White Earthenware Five-Spout Flat Tulipière (far left), $850, francespalmerpottery.com.

Bleached or dyed dried botanicals offer all the texture and personality of live foliage, with the bonus of unexpected hues. Yes, you can find them in hot pink, emerald green, and electric blue. But we're partial to a neutral, more natural approach.