How to Decorate Your Table for Halloween

Consider Your Setup

What event will you be hosting? Who will be coming? And where in your home will you set up? If you’re hosting in the dining room, the bigger the table, the better, so if you have an extendable version, open out its leaves and give yourself room to have some fun. If your table is more compact you can still get creative, just on a smaller scale. You may want to consider building upwards – rather than outwards – with floral arrangements, for example. Then, think about your crockery and cutlery. You needn’t buy whole new sets (unless, of course, you would like the excuse), as these will simply be the basis for your dining set-up – the decorations will add the drama. To encourage people to get into the spirit of things, we would suggest taking the approach of sharing dishes, so that everyone can socialise and help themselves rather than focusing on their own plates.

Layer Layer...

Once you have laid the plates, placed the glasses and set the cutlery, you can start assembling the fun elements of your tablescape. A Halloween feast is the perfect opportunity to get creative, and whether you are a small party or large, we encourage a more is more attitude. However, start with less, and start low; begin in the centre, then build it up and out. Remember that you can always add more, and if you feel you’ve gone too far, you can also take away. Trust your design instincts.

Create Your Centrepiece

To steer clear of anything too ghostly, but still encapsulate the feeling of autumn, look to what’s growing at this time of year in the natural world. It might be the only month of the year where you can indulge in pumpkins galore. If you struggle to get your hands on the real ones, or want a little more variation than the classic orange pumpkin found in supermarkets, go for squash-shaped ornaments: the gnarled and curvaceous gourds make for a wonderful centrepiece that is both beautiful and magical in its connotations. Of course, opting for faux pumpkins has the added benefit that they will be reusable the following year. Berries, conkers, pine cones, dried leaves and flowers are other brilliant additions for a tasteful table.

Bring the Drama

To infuse some mystery and drama into your decorations, don’t forget twinkling candlelight, especially in the form of tapered candles. They will bring some height to your table while the dripping wax will add to the spooky spectacle. There are many options out there for coloured candles which will yield an even more bewitching atmosphere.

Botanical Colouring

Black may be your first thought when it comes to All Hallow’s Eve, and touches of the shade can add a wonderful theatrical effect, but too much may overwhelm your table and dampen your opportunity to play creatively with colour. We recommend looking to October’s natural tones to influence your colour palette – evergreen hues, the burnt oranges of pumpkins, and the deep purples of artichokes. Dark tones will add a sense of moody luxury to your creation. Above all, make sure you have fun and embrace the spooky season in all its ghoulish glory.