Conjure up a Dramatic Halloween Table Setting

One of the reasons I like the Halloween season so much is because it comes with many opportunities for creative decorating ideas and DIY projects. My absolute favorite way to display the theme is to set the table using spooky accents and seasonal colors. Think pumpkins, dry leaves, chillis, candles and black drama filling the air. That’s what my Halloween party is all about this year.

Whether you’re looking to to mark the holiday with a big, elegant Halloween dinner or special meal for two, this table setting idea has everything you need.

Here are my top tips for creating a Halloween table:

1. A Halloween table setting is different from any other decorative arrangements you might make during the rest of the year so don’t be scared to break the rules, choose unconventional solutions and create something unique that will impress (spook out!) your guests. We all love white pumpkins but we’ve seen them too many times. Play with the setting and try something new!

2. Think of your table – How does it look? Can its texture add drama to your table setting? If so, leave it unvovered and use a runner in the middle.  Play with the setting. Somethimes the wrinkled, messy look can give you a more interesting result than a smooth option.

3. Theme decorations —  Choose your color palette. My aim this year was to incorporate seasonal, earth colors, so I used reds, oranges and hints of brown, following recent interior trends. Think about what can you use to bring color to the table. Do you already have something at home that you could use, or can easily get? In my table setting, I used  pumpkins (of course!) and dried botanicals that I collected on a walk, and arranged them across the black runner.

4. The next step is to select the tableware and it has to match your theme. I used black plates and neutral, elegant glassware, which goes with any setting!

5. The last elements are accents for the table place settings — the little decorations on each plate. I combined dried leaves in shades of orange with dried white petals and tied them together with a brown ribbon. I placed one on each beige napkin to contrast with the black plate.

The completed tablescape, set against black wall, creates a mysterious atmosphere that is perfect for Halloween, wouldn’t you agree?