Halloween Tablescape

My Halloween tablescape is not only beautiful, but has a farmhouse casual feel.

How often do you set a formal or even an informal table to dine at? I usually only set one for holidays or for company. That’s not to say I don’t always have my dining room decorated for the season. At the beginning of fall, I created a delightful autumn makeover of my dining room, but now it is 10 days away from Halloween and time to decorate for that!

Looking at this picture you are probably thinking “What is she talking about? That doesn’t look like Halloween”. I know, but let me explain. Yes the typical colors for Halloween are orange and black. Pumpkins, bats, cats, monsters and spider webs are used for decorations. Even the foods have gruesome names: mummy dogs, witches fingers, monster brains and cyclops eyes. Of course, I did all of that for countless years while my own kids were growing up. The costumes, the candy, the afterschool party with food and games before trick or treating. Now it’s time for a change!

Meet My Halloween Tablescape Inspiration…Hazel

This year I wanted a more grown up feel in my dining room yet would really make a statement. Then the inspiration hit as I was getting my Halloween witch ready. Witch you say? Let me introduce you to my very nice Victorian witch Hazel. Every year she wears a black flocked dress (not vintage), a capelet and beaded necklace (vintage Victorian) and a Victorian inspired witches hat. Hazel stands in the front hall at this time of year and outside on the porch greeting the trick or treaters on Halloween. I love the purple and green flowers on her black hat and that is how I came up with my color scheme.

dress form dressed as a halloween witch — *Hazel*

Back in the Victorian Era a dining room would be dressed to the hilt of formality. Silver, fine bone china, damask table linens and beautiful fresh floral arrangements donned the table. Although I have always loved the beauty of the Victorian period, I am not that formal. My vision was formal meets farmhouse.

Farmhouse Formal Halloween Tablescape

Thankfully my blue hydrangea bushes started turning a beautiful shade of purple! I knew they would be perfect set about in mason jars. I used a black table cloth topped with, wait for it, a lace window panel! Each place setting featured a purple charger topped with my white everyday dinner plates and black and white checked salad plates. I re-used the white pumpkin I featured in my fall centerpiece post accented with hydrangeas and purple berries.

Check every angle when setting a table. The centerpiece should not block the view of people sitting across from each other. Look to other areas in the room as well. A sideboard or china hutch a great places to also add accents that coordinate. I placed a lime green runner on my sideboard, pulled my black and white vintage plate forward, added a white bone china tea cup with purple flowers and more Hydrangeas. One can never have enough flowers!

The Art Of Place Cards

Place cards may seem like a formal addition to your table. Of course they would be for a wedding or other large event, but for a holiday dinner they can be quite fun and a nice memento for your guests to take home. When you design place cards, keep the colors and theme of your decorations in mind. This is a great project to involve your children in. I still have most of the cards my kids made for each holiday and we pull them out from year to year!

table setting for hallween — *place cards*

An Interesting Centerpiece

Create an interesting centerpiece for your Halloween tablescape. A white pedestal cake plate with purple flowers became the perfect vehicle for my pumpkin centerpiece and candles. I used a single tall tapered purple candle in a small glass holder with a layered purple candle on a glass pedestal. I added the “black lace” sticker around the belly of my pumpkin to give a hint of formality. My favorite part of this centerpiece are the purple and green hydrangeas. I added some purple berry stems to reinforce that purple coloring.

purple floral cake plate for halloween centerpiece

It’s All In The Details

Creating a memorable Halloween tablescape is all in the details. Place your flowers at different levels for added interest. Wind battery operated twinkle lights down the center of the table. These are especially pretty in the evening. Shake up the way you set the table. Wrap the cutlery in fabric napkins, or place napkins and cutlery inside a mason jar which then can be used for water. I like to have a cold bottle of Pellegrino water on the table or a cut glass pitcher of water with lemon.