When the wind starts turning cold, the smell of pumpkin spice permeates the air, and you start feeling eyes watching you from the bushes…that’s when you know Halloween is rolling around! When spooky season bursts on the scene, most people immediately focus on their porch décor; after all, Halloween is a neighborhood-wide holiday, and you want to catch the eye of trick-or-treaters! However, there’s still a whole house to decorate in honor of the season of horror—especially if you’re hosting a party!
Read on to discover seven amazing Halloween table décor ideas to highlight the center of your entertainment space.
A Spider-ful Centerpiece
What’s creepier than a spider? How about a jar full of them spilling out onto your table?
If you’re hoping to truly give your guests the ick, grab a glass vase, fill it with filmy white gauze, tulle, or netting, and toss some plastic or rubber spiders into the mix. This will make it appear as if you swept up a whole webful of arachnids and set them right in the center of your table. Want to really creep your guests out? Tip that jar on its side and let your spiders “crawl” over the lip, escaping across the table’s surface—and maybe add one or two on the seats of your chairs. After all, what’s Halloween without a few screams?
To really make this Halloween table décor idea stand out, you can sit down and paint a few of the spiders! Instead of boring old dark colors, throw on some neon stripes, bloodred eyes, or just about any colors you want—the vivid additions to the spiders’ patterns will make them even more eye-catching. If you’ve got some scientist in you, you could even hop on Google and imitate the patterns of real-life spider species that carry poisonous bites.
Alas, Poor Yorick! (Pick a Skull, Any Skull)
You don’t need to be a Shakespeare fan to show off this Halloween table décor idea. You can always snag a skull or two for the sake of dramatic effect! If you pick up a skull from your local Halloween store, you can transform them into your new favorite centerpiece by surrounding them with other plastic bones, “grave dirt” (also known as potting soil from your garden or local outdoor supply store), fake plants (that still look a bit dead, of course; maybe some thorny vines?), or even some fake blood!
Before going this route, you’re going to want to gauge just how much spook your friends are able to handle; after all, you don’t want to actually scare them off. But if they’re ready for some hardcore Halloween fun, these skull Halloween table décor ideas are sure to frighten and impress! You can even add a false gravestone if you want to create a “crypt” effect.
This is for an adult kind of party—if you’re hosting a celebration with kids, I wouldn’t recommend choosing this Halloween table décor idea! However, there are ways to make it kid-friendly. Instead of fake blood and thorny vines, grab a bunch of candy and hide it in the “mouth” of the skeleton, add a party hat and noisemaker, and you’ve got a fun skull friend who’s perfectly kid-friendly…well, mostly!
Eerie Elegance
Not a fan of scary stuff? No problem. If you want your Halloween table décor ideas to be packed with a bit more elegance, forget the spiders and skulls—time for flowers and fairy lights! You can get Halloween-themed flowers (whether real or false!) in shades of orange, black, and purple to decorate your centerpiece. If they’re fake flowers, you can add some candy to the vase, allowing your centerpiece to double as a bouquet and a candy dish.
If you want to evoke thoughts of will-o-wisps and other such phantoms, grab some fairy lights, twine them around some balls of wire, and set them on the table to give your flowers some glowing, gently eerie companions. This might be one of the softer Halloween table décor ideas, but that doesn’t make it any less fun!
Praise-worthy Pumpkins
I mean, come on—pumpkins are the classic focus of Halloween table décor ideas, right? Jack-o-lanterns are the staple decoration for this time of year, and though they’re generally thought to be a porch decoration, they’re a great choice to add to your table arrangement this year.
While you might not want to get the biggest, heaviest pumpkin in the patch, you can always find one of a more middling size to make the center of attention at your party this year! If you get a tall and narrow one, you could even mix this Halloween table décor idea with the previous one and make your jack-o-lantern into a one-of-a-kind vase for your fake flowers. (If you decide to go with real flowers, maybe stick with a real vase—jack-o-lanterns aren’t really made to hold water!)
Not a fan of carving? Don’t worry about it. You can always gather a plethora of smaller, multicolored pumpkins to pile together in the center of your table. This is a great Halloween table décor idea because it’s not limited to just Halloween—you can leave these pumpkins as your centerpiece as long as they last! Pumpkins are never going to go out of style in the fall season.
Glow-in-the-Dark Ghouls
If you’re throwing a party with plenty of kids—or some adults who aren’t afraid to have some fun—I suggest going out and buying a bunch of glowsticks. Bracelets, necklaces, “lantern” arrangements, you name it! You can set them out in a bowl on your table and allow your guests to take as many as they want…or you can set a limit if you so choose. Just know some kids—and maybe even some adults—are bound to double dip!
Once everyone’s snagged a glowstick or two—or five—turn out the lights, turn on some Halloween music, and start showing off your best Monster Mash! The glowsticks are a fun way to put on a ghoulish effect without creating something too scary for kids to enjoy. Guests of all ages are sure to get a kick out of this Halloween table décor idea. And the best part? Anything left in the bowls will keep your table lit up all through the night!
A Cauldron to Cackle Over
I’m honestly surprised I don’t see more people trying out this Halloween table décor idea, especially considering what a big part of Halloween witches are. And what is a witch without her classic cauldron to cackle over? Snagging a cauldron from your local Halloween store or other such place is a quick and easy way to transform your table for the season; no longer a table at all, but the center of a witch’s hut!
You can put LED lights in the bottom to make it glow, or add a small smoke machine to get it bubbling over. You can use it as a vase for your flowers or a candy dish for your guests to pick from…if they dare! A cauldron is particularly versatile, which makes it a perfect pick out of all these Halloween table décor ideas. You can use it in a hundred different ways to really spice up your display, and it’s low-maintenance—so long as you don’t start brewing a potion in it!
Creepy Candles
Last but not least on my list of Halloween table décor ideas, let’s talk about candles! Candles aren’t just a popular fall decoration for cozying up your home with the smell of pumpkin, cinnamon, and other autumn scents—they can make a great tool for setting up the proper ambiance for your Halloween bash! If you feel like saving on electricity this Halloween, fill your apartment or house up with plenty of candles and use them as your lighting source. Make a big arrangement in the middle of your table, and you’re sure to get plenty of oohs and ahhs!
A couple tips—either get candles that all smell the same, or be very careful to pick mild and/or complementary scents that won’t overwhelm your senses with a wall of smell. The last thing you want is to start causing migraines. Another tip? Try to get candles of varying sizes and wicks to break up the monotony of sameness; visually, candles of varying sizes and shapes are going to make a better centerpiece than a host of the same candle over and over.
Wrapping Up Halloween Table Décor Ideas
There you have it, friends—my list of my favorite Halloween table décor ideas! Each of these ideas is sure to make your Halloween party the most memorable on the block this year, and you’ll definitely have people asking what you have planned for next year! No matter what kind of Halloween enthusiast you are, whether you’re a jump-scare addict or just fond of the aesthetics, you’ll find something that will work for you on this list! Happy Halloween!
Looking for more Halloween décor ideas? Check out our Halloween section for more inspiration for this year’s holiday season!