One of the reasons I like the Halloween season so much is because it comes with many opportunities for creative decorating ideas and DIY projects. My absolute favorite way to displaythe theme is to set the table using spooky accents and seasonal colors. Think pumpkins, dry leaves, chillis, candles and black drama filling the air. That’s what my Halloween party is all about this year.

Whether you’re looking to to mark theholiday witha big, elegant Halloween dinner or special meal for two,this table setting idea has everythingyou need.

Here are my top tips for creating a Halloween table:

1. A Halloween table setting is different fromany other decorative arrangementsyou might make during the rest ofthe year so don’t be scared to break the rules, choose unconventional solutions and create something unique thatwill impress (spook out!) your guests. We all love white pumpkins but we’ve seen them too many times. Play with the setting and try something new!

2. Think of your table – How does it look? Can its texture add drama to your table setting? If so, leave it unvovered and usea runner in the middle. Play with the setting. Somethimes the wrinkled, messy look can give you a more interestingresult than asmooth option.

3. Theme decorations — Choose your color palette. My aim this year was to incorporate seasonal, earth colors, so I used reds, oranges and hints of brown, following recent interior trends. Think about what can you use to bring color to the table. Do you already have something at home thatyou could use, or can easily get? In my table setting, I used pumpkins (of course!) and dried botanicals that I collected on awalk, and arranged them acrossthe black runner.

4. The next step is to select the tableware and it has to match your theme. I used black plates and neutral, elegant glassware, which goes withany setting!

5. The last elements are accents for thetable place settings— the little decorations on each plate. I combined dried leaves in shades of orange with dried white petals and tied them together witha brown ribbon. I placed one on each beige napkin to contrast with the black plate.

The completed tablescape, set against black wall, creates a mysterious atmosphere that is perfect for Halloween, wouldn’t you agree?