Spooky scary skeletons! In just five simple steps you can recreate a spooktacular Halloween tablescape at home, creating a special evening for your family or friends.
1. Pick a memorable Halloween theme
I've always wanted to create a skeleton themed table, but there are so many spooktacular themed tablescapes (bats, witches, pumpkins, oh my!). Skeletons have a special meaning in my family considering my dad is an X-Ray technician, so I thought it would be a fun theme to bring to life especially as I'm spending more time at home this year.
Picking a theme give you a focal point to center all your party elements around, from food to decor and invitations. As the crux of the party, it enables you to really create something impactful for family, friends and guests.
2. Build a spooktacular backdrop!
Backdrops can really transform the space and create a spooktacular atmosphere. You may have seen this trending style of backdrop featuring fringe made from plastic tablecloths but did you know you can make one yourself?! Transparently it was time consuming but I was able to make two after a few hours and four plastic tablecloths from Part City - it's also pretty inexpensive!
You'll need plastic tablecloths featuring the colors of your choice, an exacto knife, fishing line or durable ribbon and a foil fringe curtain. Each strip is about an inch wide and the trick is to unwrap the tablecloth the long way but keep it folded to easily cut the strips. Once all the strips are cut, create a loop and feed the strip through to attach to the ribbon. This is the awesome tutorial I used incase you need visual directions!
The beauty about this backdrop is not only the foil accents but also that you're able to stack them for a backdrop or create more of a garland feature by hanging them across the ceiling or room.
3. Set an graveyard worthy centerpiece
What made this tablescape so simple is I just used skeleton bones I picked up from the craft store and laid them down the center of the table! The varying sizes adds different dimensions for an impactful visual. Placing each skeleton piece on top of black tulle also creates a mystical effect while letting you hide some bones for a whimsical look.
When organizing the bones it's okay to layer them for additional shadows and more of a 'graveyard look.' I also used a skeleton head in the center and built around it with the reaming parts and pieces. For extra height, included two haunted black sparkly trees that seamlessly broke up the table - but spooky flowers can work as well!
4. Weave in your theme throughout the table
To ensure a cohesive design, weave in a themed tablecloth, salad plates and chargers to further play up the skeleton focus. Home Goods or Christmas Tree Shop are great places to start for more cost effective holiday options, especially if you won't use the plates very often. If you're looking for a little bit more of an investment and high quality products, Pottery Barn and William Sonoma are great places for beautiful pieces, but have a higher price tag to them.
I found these gorgeous skeleton places and the shimmery tablecloth at Home Goods just before Labor Day weekend and knew they would be perfect for the vision I had for the table. When shopping at Home Goods go several weeks (and even months) before the holiday you're looking to entertain for because they are really wonderful about offering merchandise well in advance for holiday seasons. However once you see it, and if you love it, make sure to get it there because you likely won't see it again!
5. Always take a step back to see what you're missing!
Attention to detail really helps elevate your gathering, so make sure every now and then to take a set back while you're setting up the tablescape to scan for areas or details you may be missing. Thinks to look for are the balance of having enough space but not too much for the centerpiece, that plates are aligned (use your thumb to measure from the bottom of the table) and items are facing the right way and layer nicely. It's always great to walk away for a few minutes so you can return with a fresh set of eyes!
