Table Setting Ideas for Fall & Halloween

Transform your dining table into a hauntingly elegant fall feast with these curated inspirations.

Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at betweennapsontheporch.net.

About this

A show-and-tell post from a trip to Pottery Barn, where the author photographed several styled fall and Halloween table settings and shared what she liked about each. The tables range from rustic lantern centerpieces and ruffled napkins to blue-and-green china, pumpkin plates with a "BOO" motif, and whimsical animal salt cellars and butter knives. It closes with a playful Halloween prank to pull on a friend and a link to more fall tablescape inspiration.

The plan

Shop early for seasonal pieces — the author predicts the pumpkin plates will sell out weeks before Halloween

If you don't live near a Pottery Barn, order online and sign up for their emails to catch free-shipping days and sale announcements

Some popular Pottery Barn items never go on sale, so buy them when you see them

When guests sit down — When guests sit down, move a tall or bulky centerpiece to the sideboard or off to the side so people can see each other, then bring it back afterward

Check multiple retailers for seasonal wares — Pier 1 carried similar pumpkin plates

Swap out just the salad plates on a basic setting to make the table look like a brand-new set of china

Decoration ideas

Rustic lanterns used as a warm, rustic centerpiece — the author reads the setting as summery but says it would work for winter too

China and napkins styled to feel wintry against a warm, rustic lantern centerpiece

Glitzy napkin rings that could carry the same table into a New Year's setting

Hydrangea blooms as a fresh centerpiece — the author plans to plant hydrangeas in her backyard (Limelight, Little Lime, Endless Summer, Annabelle, and Pinky Winky were recommended to her)

A silver pitcher with the word "Drink" engraved into the side, described as an Alice in Wonderland "Drink Me" touch

Ruffled napkins — the author called them cute

Swan salt cellars on the blue and green table setting

Blue and green china setting that could work for fall, paired with napkin rings the author liked

Small pumpkin-shaped plates with a word that reads as "BOO" (the author first read it as "1300")

Little black mice holding bowls, used as salt cellars — the author was surprised they were salt cellars because the mice were hard to spot in the photo

Small owl butter knives displayed on a little black tree, spotted by a reader

An all-neutral table setting with a pop of color if you need one — one commenter suggested using the lanterns with the green and blue setting

Large centerpieces are the author's preference for looks, though she moves them for dinner and sometimes replaces them with a smaller flower piece

Activities

Take an early-season shopping trip to Pottery Barn (or browse their website) to preview fall and Halloween table settings for inspiration

Re-theme a store display table — one commenter, a Pottery Barn design consultant, said that's a favorite task of the staff, though it adds up cost at home even with an employee discount

Halloween prank from the post: sneak up behind someone and yell "THIRTEEN HUNDRED" in your spookiest voice