How do you make a coastal fall dough bowl?

Start with a long wooden dough bowl and add a base layer of dried wheat stalks, boxwood, and potpourri-style filler. Place coastal-colored pumpkins in blue, white, and seafoam, then tuck in driftwood, starfish, sand dollars, and sea glass floats. Finish with a handmade coastal fall sign as the focal point and fill any gaps with smaller shells or mini pumpkins.

Where can I find blue and white pumpkins for a coastal fall dough bowl?

The best places to find coastal-colored pumpkins in blue, white, and seafoam are HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls. They typically appear in late August and sell out quickly, so shop early. At around $4.99 each they are a great deal.

What size signs work best in a dough bowl?

6x6 inch and 8x3 inch signs work best in a dough bowl. They are small enough to nestle among the pumpkins and accents without overwhelming the arrangement, but large enough to be a clear focal point. Anchored Soul Designs makes coastal fall signs in both sizes, hand-painted on real wood in 15 colors.

Can I use a dough bowl for more than one season?

Absolutely! A dough bowl is one of the most versatile decor pieces you can own. The same bowl can be styled for spring and summer with shells and sea glass, switched to coastal fall with pumpkins and driftwood, and transitioned to Christmas with a sign swap and some greenery. One bowl, multiple seasons.

What is coastal fall decor?

Coastal fall decor blends the relaxed, breezy feel of coastal style with the warm, cozy energy of fall. Instead of traditional orange and red, it uses blues, whites, cream, sage green, and soft terracotta. Think blue and white pumpkins, driftwood, sea glass floats, starfish, and handmade coastal signs styled together for a fall that feels like the beach.

Easy Coastal Fall Dough Bowl

I use this giant dough bowl on my dining table and switch it up for every season. And I am absolutely in LOVE with how this coastal fall version turned out, so I'm sharing all the details!

Love this idea? Save it to Pinterest so you can find it later!

Watch this video of each step, then see below for links and resources! (I've updated photos with new sign designs, so in the video you'll see an older one, which is still available through our custom fall word sign listing.)

Why Coastal Fall Works

Coastal fall is one of my favorite decorating styles because it bridges the gap between summer and fall without giving up either one. Instead of orange and red, you lean into blues, whites, creams, and soft sage greens. The pumpkins are still there, the cozy textures are still there, but everything feels lighter, breezier, and more like the beach.

It's also incredibly versatile. The same dough bowl arrangement I style for fall can carry me all the way through Thanksgiving, and with a sign swap it transitions beautifully into Christmas. One bowl, multiple seasons.

Switching from Summer to Fall

Here was my summer dough bowl before I made some changes!

Summer coastal dough bowl before switching to fall decor

I left it with just coastal and spring elements all through spring and summer and it served me well, but I was ready to kick it up a bit for fall!

I found this dough bowl on clearance after Christmas one year. It was a Target Threshold line Christmas item, but it isn't Christmassy at all! I cut off the long handles and stained it darker to better suit my style.

How to Create a Coastal Fall Dough Bowl - Step by Step

Here's exactly how I put mine together, from the base up:

Start with your dough bowl. A long, shallow wooden bowl works best. The natural wood tone grounds the whole arrangement and complements both coastal and fall elements.
Add a base layer. I use dried wheat stalks, boxwood pieces, and potpourri-style filler to create a natural, textured base that fills the bowl without taking up too much visual space.
Place your pumpkins. Vary the sizes and colors. I use a mix of large seafoam and white pumpkins from HomeGoods, plus small painted foam pumpkins I made myself. Cluster them toward the back and center.
Add coastal accents. Tuck in driftwood pieces, starfish, sand dollars, and sea glass floats around and between the pumpkins. These are the elements that make it feel coastal rather than just fall.
Add your sign. This is the focal point. Prop a handmade coastal fall sign at the front of the bowl, leaning slightly forward. It ties the whole arrangement together and gives it a finished, intentional look.
Fill in the gaps. Use smaller shells, mini pumpkins, or additional filler to fill any gaps and make the arrangement feel full and lush.

What I Used

I filled my dough bowl with items I already had on hand, plus one of my signs. Here's the full list:

A coastal fall sign from Anchored Soul Designs
HomeGoods pumpkins in seafoam and white (check TJ Maxx and Marshalls too - they sell out fast!)
Dried boxwood pieces from our front yard
Wheat stalks (I get mine at Publix every fall - great quality at a great price!)
Real fishing floats from a vintage shop in California
Driftwood collected from various beaches
Starfish and sand dollars
Potpourri-style filler with varying textures
Mini foam pumpkins from Michael's that I painted, dry-brushed, and added stick stems to

Where to Find Everything

Dough Bowls

Shopping at small local home decor boutiques or an antique mall, you're sure to find a great dough bowl at a decent price. But if you want to shop online, this one is my favorite. It's the most similar to mine and not a ridiculous price.

A few more options:

Fishing Floats and Coastal Filler

I've found great fake fishing floats and coastal filler at Kohl's over the years. Here are some great online options too:

Driftwood

Your best bet is visiting a lake or the beach and snagging some free driftwood, but these are great options if you can't get there quickly enough!

Starfish and Sand Dollars

If you're a coastal lover, you probably already have a collection. If not, here are some great options, including resin ones if you'd rather not use real!

Pumpkins

I purchased the larger pumpkins from the HomeGoods family of stores - TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Marshalls! They've been a bit hard to find, so scoop them up if you see them. At $4.99 they are a great deal and SO cute! I may have a few... okay, maybe 8... so far. I'm just LOVING them in several different places around my house!

HomeGoods even featured my photo of my dough bowl on their Instagram feed! That might even be how you found me! Read the full story here.

HomeGoods Instagram feature of Anchored Soul Designs coastal fall dough bowl

Anchored Soul Coastal Fall Signs

Of course I couldn't resist styling mine with more than one sign option! Any of our 6x6 or 8x3 signs make a great option for dough bowls or any type of tray. Click on any photo to go straight to that sign!

See all our coastal fall signs here.

More Ways to Style Your Coastal Fall Dough Bowl

Once you have your dough bowl set up, the fun really begins. Here are a few more ideas for keeping it fresh all season long:

Swap the sign as the season progresses. Start with "autumn" or "harvest" in September, switch to "grateful" or "thankful" as Thanksgiving approaches, then swap in a coastal Christmas sign to carry it right through December.
Add candles. Tuck a small pillar candle or a battery-operated taper into the arrangement for evening ambiance. The warm glow against the seafoam pumpkins is stunning.
Layer in seasonal greenery. Fresh eucalyptus, dried pampas grass, or even a few sprigs from your yard add life and movement to the arrangement. Replace as needed throughout the season.
Try it on a console or entry table. The dough bowl doesn't have to live on the dining table. An entry table or console is a beautiful spot, especially if you can style it with a mirror or artwork behind it.
Go smaller for a tiered tray. The same concept works beautifully in a tiered tray with smaller signs and mini pumpkins. Our 6x6 signs are perfect for this.

The beauty of a coastal fall dough bowl is that it's never really finished. It evolves with you through the season, and that's exactly what makes it so fun to style.

I'd love to see your coastal fall dough bowl! Tag me on Instagram or Pinterest so I can see how you styled yours. And if you found this post on Pinterest, make sure to save it so you can come back to it all season long!

- Stacey

1 comment

Thanks for the coastal decoration ideas. My home is all beautiful coastal colors in every room. Very calming. Idea for possible signs. Seas the Day, Sea-renity,

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