A Ghostly and Glam Halloween Party

From glittery ghouls to golden pumpkins, this isn’t your average Halloween party. Drawing on the bold, dramatic style of this black and white dining room, this fete is all about elegant touches and unexpected accents. Interior designer Georgette Westerman designed the dining room to stand out. “There was so much brown in the house that black and white seemed to be the perfect colors to diffuse the brown,” she says. “I knew we could use black and white throughout the house and use a fun accent color in each room to jazz it up.”

Festive Halloween tablescape prepared for dinner guests. — A good centerpiece is layered with fun. Fresh pumpkins and gourds anchor the tablescape. Small trinkets such as a ceramic pie bird along with fancy pumpkins bedecked in rhinestones make the centerpiece one of a kind.

Bright floral centerpiece next to a pumpkin under a glass cloche. — Take a simple pumpkin a step up with a cloche covering.

Say it with Pattern

The draperies set the stage for the high-fashion vibe of the Halloween party. “The arabesque pattern by Kravet fit the Mediterranean house perfectly,” Georgette says. “The chairs had to be upholstered in a stain-resistant fabric, but for the back of the chair we wanted to add some flair. The black and white stripes complement the drapes and draw your attention.”

Bright orange skull covered in glitter and a strand of vintage pearls adorn a table as party decor. — Glitter and pearls add sparkle and whimsy to any gathering.

Georgette chose a mirrored sideboard for the dining table to keep extra entertaining supplies concealed and organized—and still keep the room bright and open. For the party a quatrefoilshaped mirror is replaced by a set of black-and-white floral dishes, which take on a gothic quality in this setting, and a metal spider-web serving plate.

Various pumpkins and gourds create a centerpiece around a small vintage owl. — Change up the levels and draw the eye to charming details like this vintage owl.

How to balance two bold styles? “When mixing patterns you want to make sure they don’t compete with one another—they should complement each other,” she adds. Don’t be afraid to ask for samples to give each combination a test run to ensure everything works together.

Hidden Surprises

The secret to memorable gatherings is having small treasures for guests to discover. The tablescape is layered with unexpected touches from vintage milk glasses, which provide ghostly color, to rhinestone-embellished pumpkins, which add the glamorous edge. Owls play a secondary theme with ceramic statues—even a diminutive owl pie bird—dotting the table for a bit of whimsy.

Centerpiece made up of a white porcelain owl figurine, a milk glass vase filled with a gourd and a gold metallic pumpkin. — Unexpected touches make this tablescape stand out.. The vintage milk glasses provide ghostly color and the metallic ceramic pumpkins add flair.

The Golden Touch

“We wanted the room and the table to sparkle. Gold features do just that,” Georgette says. “You can use gold for your chargers, plates, napkins, napkin rings or vases—but make sure to pick and choose your gilt elements so as not to overwhelm and over-style the table.