40 Halloween Table Decor Ideas That Are Actually Chic
It'll be a graveyard smash.
Halloween isn't just a holiday for children. In fact, it can be just as fun for adults, so if you want to get in the spooky spirit, try these Halloween table decor ideas and host a scary soiree. Obviously, costumes are a must. You can even suggest going the potluck route so you can focus your attention where it matters most: the tablescape. Ahead, we rounded up some incredible decorations from around the internet that will surely inspire an idea or two.
From creepy glassware that's gripped by a metal skeleton hand to serving bowls shaped like spider webs, there are plenty of good ideas to consider for your table. So get in the Halloween mood and dress up your table as scary as your costume. The best part is that even though these ideas are all DIY friendly, plenty of them are shoppable, so if you don't consider yourself very crafty, you can still create an eerie setup that will creep out your guests. That said, they aren't so scary that they lose the much-coveted chic element. Some, dare we say, are even quite cute!
So break out the pumpkins because the end of October is near. Once the celebration is over, feel free to store your table decorations until next year's party. As soon as word gets out about your stylish (but still scary) Halloween-themed dinner party, everyone on the block will be begging for an invite. Don't wait, though! Bringing these inspirational ideas to life takes time.
Incorporate Ceramics
Whether you make your own ceramic pumpkins as a fun fall activity or buy them, the decor piece will easily elevate your Halloween table. With openings in the design, they'll add to the ambiance if you place real or faux candles inside.
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Serve Drinks in Eerie Glasses
Upgrade from tried-and-true plastic cups to an elevated glass version, like this skeleton hand one that's perfect for serving potions Halloween-themed drinks. Plus, you can easily reuse them throughout the year when you're missing the holiday.
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Display a Carved Pumpkin
Carved pumpkins don't have to be confined to your front porch. Whether you turn one into a house or give it a scary face, it can easily act as a nice candle-lit centerpiece. Place it on a rustic cutting board along with a few fall-colored taper candles for a dreamy display.
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Make It All About Candy
If you plan to have a dedicated dessert table at your Halloween party, toss candy and other goodies into spider web baskets. Decorate the rest of the table with mini pumpkins, tiny spiders, festive cups, and a fun tablecloth.
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Don't Forget Other Tables
The table you eat at isn't the only table you can give a little festive love to come Halloween. Consider decorating your side table, coffee table, console, or credenza with everything from cobweb-covered poison apples on a shiny tray to a collection of skull heads.
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Let Your Tablecloth Do the Work
A festive tablecloth, like this skull one, can instantly make your dinner table look Halloween-ready. Pair it with solid-colored dishes and other simple accessories for an easy yet chic look.
BUY NOW HomeGoods Skulls Printed Tablecloth
Add Googly Eyes
For a goofy take on chic decor, simply arrange a few mini pumpkins and gourds on a rustic wood slice and add googly eyes. Kids and adults alike will certainly get a kick out of the not-so-serious look.
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Go Green
Drippy candles, unidentifiable foods, brooding florals, and a few Halloween motifs sprinkled in…. Yep, this table decor is ticking all the boxes and then some. And we love the offbeat color scheme. Everyone knows green and purple are witchy and zombie-chic, yet orange seems to get all the love. Here's a little reminder that it's fun to switch things up.
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Opt for Subtle Fall Decor
Keep things sophisticated with unexpected colors that don't scream Halloween but still feature that fall aesthetic. A rich, blue tablecloth makes neutral plates pop. Add fresh flowers for even more color and stick to an earthy palette with your plates and napkins to even it out.
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Get Creative With Pumpkins
Whether you get your hands on a carved wooden pumpkin, try to make one yourself, or go for these faux ones, they'll look stunning next to anything else you decide to place on your table for Halloween. And if your style is more simple, you can easily display them alone with a few faux leaf and berry accents.
BUY NOW Wooden Pumpkins
Use Mini Cauldrons
Mini cauldrons! It doesn't get any cuter than that. Whether you choose to serve drinks, soup, or dessert in them, mini cauldrons are the perfect Halloween table decoration that also serve a purpose. Pro tip: Bring your tea light votives to the next level by wrapping them in black lace as a contemporary take on witchy black flame candles.
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Mix Fall Motifs, Patterns, and Colors
Keep things classic and sophisticated with harvest motif plating, metallic accents, an orange paisley tablecloth, and gingham napkins for some pattern mixing, and, of course, an elaborate fall-hued floral centerpiece. On this table styled by Robert Rufino, the feathers enhance its dramatic beauty even further.
BUY NOW Autumn Leaves Plate
Create a Handsy Cheese Plate
Keep things subtly spooky by placing a skeleton hand on your charcuterie spread. Style it like this one from Sugar & Charm.
BUY NOW Design Toscano Skeleton Hand Bottle Opener
Opt for White Pumpkins
Not into orange and black? Forget them! If you want it to feel more elegant, go for white instead of orange pumpkins. Or try an even more unconventional pop of color, like light pink. See more of this pretty tablescape at Sugar and Charm.
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Choose an On-Theme Decanter
If you're hosting a scary movie night, let the on-screen horror inspire your Halloween decor. If you don't want something as obvious as a skull, something smoky and moody will do.
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Go Graphic
A black-and-white striped tablecloth adds a contemporary playfulness to an outdoor Halloween dinner party. Glue little ants to your napkin rings to be freaky but not too freaky.
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Don't Neglect the Rest of the Room
Don't forget to extend the fall and Halloween-themed decor to the rest of the dining room! In this space by Emily Henderson, the cabinet gets the autumn treatment with pumpkin-shaped jars, red nesting bowls, and a rooster motif pitcher. The dried floral wreath above it doesn't hurt either.
BUY NOW Nova Deruta Rooster Pitcher
Go Farmhouse Chic
Welcome to the big kid's table. This is where we'll be when the trick-or-treaters come knocking. Keep your table rustic and pared-down, then add pops of color with purple placemats and orange napkins. And let the food double as decor (figs are always a good call).
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Display a Broomstick Chandelier
Have you ever seen a more epic Halloween table? From the broomstick and black cat chandelier to the black fringed tablecloth, gourds, and black candlesticks, this dining room is fully decked out. The romantic pink and red centerpieces make for a nice contrast that softens and elevates the themed decor.
BUY NOW Natural Witch's Broom
Make Flying Bats
Frame a doorway leading to your dining room with flying paper bats for a super simple but fun Halloween vibe that lives beyond the table. Then create a seasonal centerpiece surrounded by mini pumpkins. "The best thing about a Halloween arrangement is it can be sparse, dried, and organic as it adds to a haunted house feel," says Sugar and Charm.
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Hadley Mendelsohn is the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.
Jessica Cherner is House Beautiful’s associate shopping editor and knows where to find the best high-low pieces for any room.
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