Gothic Dinner Party for Halloween

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I don’t typically decorate for Halloween; I decorate for fall. And, it usually stays the same from early September until the Christmas tree rolls out at the end of November. I am not a huge fan of Halloween, we don’t have kids, and dressing up tends to be too much pressure so I usually opt out of the entire thing.

I’ve shared this story before but for those who may not know it, I will share again. Last fall, I decked out my porch with white and green pumpkins- no orange in sight. I didn’t realize it bothered my husband until he showed up after work on Halloween evening with rubber masks and cheap orange jack-o-lanterns from the local Kroger. He explained that he was scared that the neighborhood kids wouldn’t think we were “doing” Halloween if they didn’t see “Halloween” on the porch. I don’t think candy-hungry kids discriminate against the color of pumpkins but I kept that to myself haha.

That memory did play a key part in my front porch shift this year.  (You can check out last year’s porch next to this year’s porch HERE). And while I still didn’t go nuts inside, I did take on October with my mind made up that I would bring a little Halloween inside, too. And that’s how I arrived at my Gothic dinner party for Halloween.

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My grandmother’s crystal footed bowl and brass candelabras were my inspiration starting point. My mom asked if I was going to use red roses – “Uh, yea! Totally! That was my plan all along!” (Thanks, Mom.). While I wanted the elegant touches to be the focal point, I couldn’t resist incorporating a more traditional, dark Halloween vibe when I found these black glass goblets at HomeGoods (similar HERE). I found some black, woven place mats that I laid on top of some of my gold chargers, reminiscent of a spider web.

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While there aren’t any spiders present, spider webs helped to make the ambiance just a little more spooky. The last Halloween touch was the black leaf garland running down the center of the table; the rest of the table was a result of raiding what I already had on hand.

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In honor of family coming to visit next week, instead of my traditional place cards, I had a little fun with creating Halloween-y names for each of our guests. I turned small etched glasses with gold rims upside down to encase a single red rose bud at each place setting. I’m not sure if it reminds me more of the rose from Beauty and the Beast or like tiny beating hearts, but I suppose either would work for my theme 😉

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I would have loved a white, lacy tablecloth but came up dry trying to locate one at the last minute.

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I was stoked to see how well my brass candle holders (HERE and HERE) and gold flatware (HERE) complimented the candelabras. These are my favorite new fall accessories and I will be using them all over the place 😉

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And while I loved the result of my gothic table for Halloween during the day…

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… at night is when it became one of my favorites.

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You can check out a different take on a Halloween table by visiting Ashley at House of Five. Here’s a sneak peek of what she is sharing on her blog today 😉

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GET THE TABLE LOOK

*click the arrows and scroll to shop*

GET THE DINING ROOM LOOK

ADDITIONAL SOURCES
*affiliate links used | where items are no longer available, similar items have been provided*

12-Light Chandelier | Mirror: Homegoods – (SIMILAR) | Dining Table:  (84″ in Salvaged Brown) | Buffet: (72″ in Distressed White) | Curtain Panels: (98″ in White) | Rug: HomeGoods- Calvin Klein wool (SIMILAR) | Lamps: HomeGoods – (SIMILAR) | Silver Tea Service: Family Heirloom – (SIMILAR) | Paint: Lauren’s Surprise by Sherwin Williams | Flooring: Nottaway Hickory in Weathered Saddle

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27 Comments

  1. 10.11.16
    Betty Bakk said:

    Love red roses at Christmas, now I can add Halloween to my list. Love your beautiful table and subtle Halloween decor!!

    • 10.11.16

      Betty, thank you and yes! I have to credit my mom for that idea 😉

  2. 10.11.16
    Joni King said:

    So, so ‘classic-scary-spooky’! Very creative Kelley Nan! I love it!

    • 10.11.16

      Joni, thank you! A bit different but I loved it!

  3. 10.11.16
    Lisa Lee said:

    Fun…..and elegant!

  4. 10.11.16
    Haneen said:

    KELLEY!! You made me proud, girl!! Love every bit of this!!!! Spooky and GORGEOUS! You never disappoint! Xo

    • 10.11.16

      Haneen, thank you!! I seriously thought of you the whole time! xoxo

  5. 10.11.16
    Shauna said:

    SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! Kelley, this is my FAVORITE table you’ve done! Those candelabras are in my shopping cart right now! You are just so dang good and talented!
    love ya!
    xoxo

    • 10.11.16

      Shauna! Thank you so much! I just found those similar candelabras last night- they are 2′ tall so they should make a statement!

  6. 10.11.16
    Sharon said:

    Gorgeous!!!! Kelley you have gone to the dark side and I love it!! So elegant and mysterious! Halloween Glam done to perfection!❤️✨✨✨

  7. 10.11.16
    Roseann said:

    Great twist on Halloween! Love the black and red. Using brass candelabras is genius ! It reminds me to save and store decorative items and NEVER throw/give a way things that I may not be using at the moment. Thanks for the inspiration Kelley!

  8. 10.11.16
    Becky Seebach said:

    I love your twist on Halloween decor this year. Those roses though. So great. Also, loved your blog on cleaning and the Hope’s Perfect line. I’m a huge fan of their products. I kinda wish they did a bathroom line too. Anyway, great job and great blog.

  9. 10.11.16
    Bree said:

    Kelley! I love every single bit of it! I don’t do Halloween either (and I do have kids so that should make you feel even better haha) but if I did, this would be it!!! So glamorous and spooky all at the same time!!! I’m in love!! Xoxo

  10. 10.11.16
    Gretchen Thomas said:

    Gosh…I love this so much! I don’t recall you that you have ever introduced red into your new home…it is so unexpected and refreshing! Just look how you have incorporated your existing things to make them look new again. Scary, eh? Happy Happy Halloween! I would love to be sitting with you at this table!

  11. 10.12.16
    Jennifer said:

    Classy, fun, and so creative! Love it Kel!

  12. 10.13.16
    Summer said:

    LOL I love the name cards you came up with! This is so gorgeous and I love that you used your grandmothers pieces! Well done my friend! ☺️????❤️️

    • 10.13.16

      Summer, thank you! I loved creating this one!

  13. 10.15.16
    Tamara said:

    Kelley I honestly think this is one of my favorite tables of yours! This is the kind of Halloween table I want to be at! And I LOVE the night shots!

  14. 4.2.17
    Max said:

    Beautifully written.