How To Make A Pretty Halloween Tablescape With Instructions

Are you looking for a subtle yet spooky Halloween tablescape? My kids love Halloween, and I decided it would be fun to decorate our breakfast nook with some Halloween accessories and some simple DIYs. If you’re looking for some sweet and simple DIY Halloween table decoration ideas that aren’t over the top, you’re in the right place! 

My girls really love Halloween, but I confess it is not my favourite season to decorate for. I am not a fan of orange everything, skeletons, witches, ghosts, and all that scary Halloween jazz. But I DO like crafts and making my girls happy! So I figured there must be a way for all of us to get what we wanted.

I came up with some really cute ideas for our breakfast nook that satisfied my girls’ Halloween cravings and my love of neutral, simple spaces.  If you don’t believe these are compatible goals, read on to see how we did it!

My Cricut Maker was the star of the show! I used it to make some simple wall decor art for the space above our bench on one end of the room. For a quick season like Halloween where I really only want to decorate on theme for a few days, I didn’t want to do anything too elaborate. 

I decided that removable decals were just the thing. This way, when I am done with Halloween, I can just remove them easily and the wall looks the same as it did before, instantly! 

So, I used my Cricut Maker to create some butterfly decals using black vinyl. I know that most people would choose bats for this purpose. But I wanted something different and a bit lighter and cheerier. Black butterflies still give Halloween vibes without all the creepiness! If you don’t have a Cricut, you can just purchase some removable black butterfly wall decals instead for the exact same effect.

I made butterflies in different shapes and sizes. Then, I put them in a random-not-random diagonal line that intersects the mirror on our breakfast nook wall.  I love how these butterflies add a little bit of whimsy to the space and tie in all of the black and white that I am going to show you with the tablescape, next! 

For the tablescape, I was going for a Cottagecore, Glam look. Does that sound Halloween-y to you? Have faith! I think I pulled it off.  I started with a white lace fabric tablecloth. Then I added some white textured charger plates for interest. I topped these with plain white plates and added some black and white plaid napkins that I already had. 

Then I got a little more Halloween-y! I added two black and white plaid napkins, but with a twist. I bought dollar store tea towels in the colours I wanted. Then I added black spider Cricut decals for a touch of spookiness. If you don’t have a Cricut, you can just buy some cute black spider decals and stick them to the tea towels of your choice. Just be aware that not all decals will stick permanently, so your decals might create a temporary look that lasts for just one season, which is perfectly fine. 

Halloween centerpieces are a bit tricky! But I did find a look that I’m really happy with. I started by creating a pretty mirror to use as a base.  First I bought a mirror and white doily at the dollar store. I used glue to stick the doily to the mirror. Then I used black spray paint to cover the area around the doily. It has a great Victorian, horror-novel vibe that I just love. 

Then I added a stack of old books wrapped in black and white striped ribbon. At this point, something didn’t feel quite right but I wasn’t sure what it was yet. So, I moved on to the rest of the place settings and hoped inspiration would hit. Sometimes you just need to take a little break, you know? 

I added gold cutlery to the white plates and chargers for some colour and to up the glam factor. I love my gold cutlery and there is rarely an occasion that they don’t show up for!

Then it was back to the centerpiece. Next to the stack of books, I placed an Everlasting Candle, which gave me exactly the right vibe. I added a small faux pumpkin in a shiny gold colour, which added interest and texture and really pulled the gold items on the table together. 

It was at this point that I realized I didn’t like the books on the table, so I changed them out for a large white pumpkin instead. This brought my centerpiece to the next level! I was so happy with this little tweak. If something doesn’t seem right to you, don’t be afraid to make changes until you love what you’ve created.

You could use many different things in your own Halloween table centerpiece. A Halloween-themed table runner would work well underneath it.  Candle holders with tall white candles on a tray would be beautiful with a variety of different gourds and miniature pumpkins. Spooky (jack-o?) lanterns, spider webs, a skeleton hand, or a skull centerpiece would REALLY make a statement too.  Use your imagination! 

As a finishing touch, I used upcycled mason jars for my glassware. I went this way because they are a very neutral element that does not make the table too casual or too fancy either. I wanted the black and white to really stand out, and this type of glassware fades into the background nicely. This was also my reasoning when I chose white dishes as well.

This was such a simple table to put together! While I created this look for my breakfast nook, this idea is definitely scalable for a larger dining room table too. I love the black and white colours, and my daughters really love the whole effect and thought it was just the right amount of Halloween added to the room. I hope you found some Halloween table decor ideas here that you can bring into your own space and make the trick-or-treaters in your life smile!

Tag me @thediymommy with your own DIY Halloween table decorations. I would love to see what you put together! 

Happy Halloween everyone!

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