It’s Halloween season, and our team of spooks and ghouls have curated some tablescapes inspired by the classic Halloween monsters. It’s our very own monster mash! Whether you are needing inspiration for your big Halloween bash or just looking to get in the spooky spirit, check out these 8 looks that are fun and eclectic while still coordinated and elegant.

Vampire

From Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight, this undead, immortal, bloodsucking monster has been the subject of literary legend for centuries. Rooted deeply in gothic literature and aesthetic, the vampire is often depicted in Victorian garb with dark, heavy, saturated hues. For this vampire inspired look we chose a dark silver linen with black velvet floral motifs (BBJ Amara Noir). We paired this with a silver-beaded charger under our new charcoal dinner plate, along with our silver shell flatware and beautiful silver-rimmed red wine glass. A glossy blood-red napkin (BBJ Shimmer Red) adds a subtle nod to the vampire’s beverage of choice. Sticking to the gothic theme, we also chose to accentuate the table with an ornate silver candelabra and black candlesticks, and leaving a single red rose on each plate will accent the red napkins and finish the look.

Mummy

If you’ve seen The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser, then you know that mummies in western culture are often associated with treasure troves, ancient curses, and tales of warnings and revenge in this life and the life after. These are all themes that fit right in with Halloween. For this mummy inspired table we chose a natural beige linen with a subtle striped texture to mimic a mummy’s wrappings (BBJ Basketweave Natural). We thought that gold was the best and obvious choice for metallic accents, so we set the table with a gold-rimmed charger, majestic gold and silver filigree dinner plates, arezzo gold flatware, and an amber carousel goblet. We added further gold elements in a candelabra and a geometric golden napkin (BBJ Entangled Gold). For florals we chose a simple arrangement of rusty protea in an earthenware vase. 

Witch

There are a few images that are synonymous with Halloween: pumpkins, black cats, and, of course, witches! Can you really have Halloween without witches? We say no! If the wild success of the 1993 movie Hocus Pocus is any indication, the image of a spooky spellcasting broom-rider on Halloween is the stuff of social intrigue. For this witchy look, we chose a gorgeous marbled linen that brings together all the colors that are commonly associated with Halloween witches (BBJ Opal). We chose to pair this with coordinating velvet napkin (BBJ Velvet Magenta), as well as black accents to tie in the color of a witch’s hat in the form of charcoal dinner plates, a black candelabra, and black stained glass bud vases. We chose a silver arezzo flatware set to finish the place setting and decided on a collection of dried herbs and flowers in place of a traditional floral bouquet. 

Ghost

We have a myriad of classic ghost stories—Casper the Friendly Ghost, Ghostbusters, Poltergeist… The list goes on. While there are many forms in which media has portrayed ghosts (the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man being one of the most creative), the word “ghost” most commonly calls forth the image of a floating, semi-transparent white sheet with an otherworldly aura. Since this imagery is so classic, it is the direction we chose to take in our inspiration. For this look, we chose a shimmery, lightweight linen in a stark white (BBJ Twist White) and paired it with a white and silver rippled napkin (BBJ Nordic Porcelain) and silver chateau flatware. We wanted to really push the concept of transparency with this look, so we chose a clear glass dinner plate and water goblet, and we even chose to pair this look with our crystal chiavari ballroom chairs. To complete the look, add an arrangement of soft white crocus blooms.

Zombie

While we may know the zombie today by its depictions in modern TV shows and films like The Walking Dead and World War Z, the origins of the term “zombie” are attributed to 17th century West Africa, specifically Haiti, and are thought to be tied to the Vodou religion. Though literature around zombies have been around since that time, they gained popularity in the film scene in connection to popular Halloween haunts along the same time as Dracula and Frankenstein in the early to mid-20th century. For our zombie inspired look, we choose a green and ivory floral linen that resembles a zombie’s mottled skin (BBJ Meadow Laurel). We paired this with a textured ashen napkin (BBJ Moda Ash) along with ivory and gold accents in the form of arezzo gold flatware, gold band dinner plates, and a matching gold band cup and saucer. For florals, we chose a pink and yellow calibrachoa arrangement that is a subtle nod to a zombie’s search for brains.

Spider

While not necessarily a monster and certainly not strictly tied to Halloween, the spider is, regardless, a staple fixture in Halloween decor. One thing that seems common across the aesthetic of every other monster is the inescapable presence of cobwebs. Cobwebs in the corner of the room, strung across furniture, and catching the light of a flashlight is one sure way of driving it home to an audience that a place is old, abandoned, and altogether spooky. For this spider inspired look, we chose a black and white patterned linen that is reminiscent of a spider’s web (BBJ Saint Barths) and paired it with silky white napkin (BBJ Crest Snow). We chose our white scalloped dinner plate to accentuate that delicate feel and finished the place setting with our silver plaza flatware and a tall, thin champagne flute. For florals, we believe an arrangement of long, thin, and vibrant flower clusters like salvia would be appropriate.

Werewolf

The concept of the werewolf has existed since the early days of mythology, both Greek and Nordic, and has existed in western prose as far back as The Epic of Gilgamesh. The myth of the man-wolf has gained a rich history over the centuries, picking up connections to true crime, serial killings, and psychology. Like many Halloween monsters, the werewolf as we know it today became popular through film, specifically the 1941 flick The Wolf Man. For our werewolf inspired table, we started with a patterned linen in gray, beige, and black (BBJ Bowie Metallic) and paired it with a dark brown velvet napkin to mimic a wolf’s fur (BBJ Velvet Espresso). We chose to place a woven rattan charger under a gold-banded ivory dinner plate, and we chose to add a nod to a silvery full moon by pairing it with arezzo silver flatware, a crystal mug, and a round mirror tile for the center of the table. We believe a somewhat rustic floral arrangement would complement this look best, especially with the inclusion of rosehips. 

Skeleton

The final Halloween monster we have chosen to take inspiration from is the skeleton. We all have skeletons holding us up, so there is no one origin from which Halloween skeletons have sprung, but we can see skeletal imagery both in culture (like in the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos) and in the media (like the popular claymation film The Nightmare Before Christmas). For our skeleton inspired table, we chose a subtly woven ivory and white linen (BBJ Alder) that reminds us of bones and marrow. We chose to keep it simple with the accents, opting for a black and white color scheme and clean lines with a black-trimmed white napkin (BBJ Boca Black Trim), white square dinner plate, black candelabra, and silver shell flatware. You could get really creative with floral accents for this table, but we decided to highlight the Japanese lantern plant with its skeletal seed pods. Another great choice would be the seed pods of a snapdragon, which resemble tiny skulls.