The Clever Fall Centerpiece Anyone Who Loves Apples Will Adore

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Fresh autumn fruits like apples aren't just nature's candy — if arranged right, they're just the raw materials you need to make a gorgeous and affordable fall centerpiece. The simplest versions of this type of table decor usually consist of assorted apples piled high in a fancy bowl. However, with a little arranging and the help of some basic tools, your fall apples could stack up to form a fragrant pyramid atop a vase. Instagram creator @flipdaddie revealed this trick, using kebab skewers to secure apples in a beautiful topiary you can customize with different apple varieties and embellishments.

When gathering your materials, you want to take care to choose the best-looking apples for this arrangement – the prettiest apples among the pretties, if you will. Qualities to look for include a deep red or duo-toned (like yellow and red) color, freckles, and a firm feel. A few apple varieties that would fit this description include honeycrisp, red delicious, and Fujis. If you want extra pops of color, add a few yellow delicious or green Granny Smith apples to your stash.

You'll turn the apples into a pyramid with a set of skewers, such as HOPELF Store 6-Inch Natural Bamboo Skewers, and a decorative wide-mouth vase of your choice. The SEUYUCL 5.8-Inch Distressed Wide Mouth Vase, for instance, would be a fun, neo-vintage option and a good choice if your style leans toward country or rustic decor. Finally, put some floral greenery or fresh mint leaves in your cart when you're out shopping for this DIY. The green touches will gussy up the topiary, making it look more like a fruit tree.

To get started, pierce the side of one apple with a skewer, and then pierce another apple with the opposite end of the skewer. Press the skewers deep inside the apples. You should have what looks like an apple dumbbell. Next, place the "dumbbell" over the mouth of the vase so the apples sit opposite each other on the edge of the mouth. Make another skewer of apples. Cross the new dumbbell over the first apple skewer, sitting the apples next to one another. Repeat this process until the mouth of the vase is covered in a ring of apples. Start a second layer of skewered apples, placing them on top of the bottom layer. Repeat the process until you have two full layers of apples. Create an additional layer as needed, and finish by putting a few remaining apples on the top sans skewers. Slip some leaves and decorations in between the apples for a touch of green.

There are arguments for making this stunning DIY fall centerpiece with real apples and arguments against it. Any time the skin of an apple gets pierced, the fruit begins to go bad almost immediately. In light of that, if you use real apples for this arrangement, just know that they'll only be good for about a day before the apples will start to smell, rot the other apples, or attract flies. If you're concerned about using real apples, use prop fruit like Lorigun 20-Piece Red and Green Foam Apples. Unlike real apples, these will last throughout the fall holidays. If you're using fresh apples for this, throw out the blemished ones before you construct the topiary.