How to Create a Modern Halloween Tablescape

No haunted house is complete without a spooky tablescape. Delight dinner guests with this creepy-chic twist on traditional Halloween decor.

By: Jennie Andrews

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This Halloween, take cues from nature and stick to an upscale, neutral palette. No dinner party planned? Decorate anyway! Especially if you have a formal dining room, try making your dining table a focal point for your holiday decor, leaving it up throughout the season. The chic, modern style of this table is the perfect nod to a spooky season without going overboard. To create a unique holiday table setting, pull together items mostly from your closet, some from thrifting and some from foraging nature, and then pair them with just a few “splurge” items that ramp up the style factor.

Overhead shot of place settings on a Halloween table.

Modern Neutral Halloween Tablescape

HGTV stylists give seven tips for creating chic, modern and spooky Halloween dinner table decor.

Photo by: Jennie Andrews Styling by Jennie Andrews

Jennie Andrews Styling by Jennie Andrews

Materials Needed:

stretch spider's web
thrifted or old cloth napkins
black dye
black chargers
white dinner plates
halloween dessert plates

skeleton hand
amber vases or bottles
foraged and dried greenery
mismatched vintage silverware
life-sized skeleton

1. Dip Dye Old Napkins

Pull out those old stained cloth napkins and dip-dye them black. This is a great way to reuse something worn out in your closet. They don’t match? No worries! The dip-dye ties it all together and creates the illusion of a matching set. Follow package instructions specific to your fabric.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

2. Cover Table With Spiderwebs

Pull-apart spiderwebbing is a creepy and creative replacement for a traditional tablecloth. You may even have some lying around from Halloween's past, but it is also super affordable to buy. Starting at a corner, pull the web and wrap it around the edge of the table. We secured ours with thumbtacks hidden under the table edges. For an extra layer of texture, add a bit of black cheesecloth as a runner.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

3. Keep Place Settings Classic and Neutral

Classic white plates are… well, classic. Used on this Halloween table, they are no exception. Layer with an inexpensive black charger (that you can use year-round) and if you want to splurge on one thing, splurge on a festive Halloween salad plate. They are so sophisticated layered onto plain white plates, they cost a lot less than buying an entire set of Halloween plates and they take up a lot less room in storage. Want an even cheaper option? Opt for a black and white Halloween napkin. They can only be used once, but they mimic the texture and look of the plates for a fraction of the cost.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

4. Add Silver

Dig out grandma’s old silver, but don't you dare go near it with polish! Tarnished metal looks much more spooky than its gleaming counterpart, making it a perfect choice for Halloween. Don’t forget goblets, candlesticks and vases too. Mix and match and use what you have. If you get lucky, you may also stumble across silver at estate sales, flea markets and thrift stores.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

5. Add a Special 'Touch'

Add a dose of whimsy to the table with skeleton hands used as silverware holders. For dinner parties, they can also hold place cards.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

6. Decorate With Amber-Colored Glass and Dried Botanicals

Amber glass is easy to find. Look no further than the beer aisle of your local grocery store. Thrift stores are also often full of amber bottles. The amber color looks lovely paired with the black-and-white place settings, adding a warm and inviting hue to the monochromatic scene. Use a variety of sizes, from larger vases to small bottles. Fill the vases and bottles with dried (or even dead) grasses and botanicals for a slightly spooky vibe. Dead black-eyed Susans pulled from the yard were among our favorite additions.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

7. Light Candles and Seat the Guest of Honor

Bewitch the scene by turning the lights down low and light real candles. Nothing says Halloween like the flicker of tapers, especially on a beautifully decorated table. Finally, don't forget the guest of honor. A posable skeleton seated at the head table is delightfully ghoulish.

Jennie Andrews

Photo By: Jennie Andrews

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8. Enjoy a Frightening Feast

This Halloween tablescape might be ultra-sophisticated, but it is also ultra-easy to pull together using mostly things you already have. It's such a treat to have such a frightfully festive table throughout the spookiest season.