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Halloween decor is fun—but it can get cheesy fast. Especially when fake blood, cartoonish jack-o’-lanterns, and gauzy spiderwebs can be truly scary to our refined editors’ eyes. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of gourd-shaped votives, why not go for a spheric terracotta-hued candle? Or rather than a melamine platter that says “Boo!,” consider a made–in–New York dish adorned with a bat. Our advice is to seek out items that are less kitsch and more chic, crafted from durable materials instead of plastic and paper. That way, you’ll not only want to keep these accessories on hand for next year and beyond, but they should last that long, too.
And because any holiday is really all about hosting and entertaining, we’ve also picked out the best spooky-lite tableware around no matter if you’re celebrating with a grazing table-style aperitivo hour, a family-friendly trick-or-treating pregame, a scary movie snack buffet, or nothing at all. Ahead, check out our moody (yet design-driven) finds for everyone.
Front-Yard Frights
For a spine-tingling first impression, dress up your front door with items that toe the line between eerie and sophisticated. We’d skip the 12-foot-tall skeletal giant and opt instead for life-size feathery friends you can perch on branches, fences, or railings with zip ties. Shoppers describe the set as “beautifully detailed” for an “added layer of spookiness.” Other tasteful treatments include illuminating an entryway with distressed pillar candles, elegantly foreboding wreaths or ribbons, and candy bowls bewitched by bats.
Spooky Interiors
Less haunted house, more a whimsical take on the TikTok trend witchcore (i.e., a mix of Practical Magic and dark academia) is how we plan to play up our interiors for Halloween this year. Gothic elements don’t have to mean cobwebs and skulls. We prefer subtle additions such as black accents in satin, velvet, rattan, and wrought iron. Replace the bowl full of candy eyeballs with an assortment of John Derian–inspired matchboxes tucked inside a Medusa-esque Alessi catchall. Feeling up to a DIY? Try filling the space above your fireplace or dining room table with a hoard of floating candles.
Séance Tableware
For a séance-inspired tablescape, we encourage leaning into the spooky vibes. Start with a foundation you can use year-round (like this linen check number from Schoolhouse) and staple pieces (such as suggestive Splatterware) you might already have on hand, before layering in the fun stuff. Our favorites include raven candleholders, snake-charmed vessels, Addams Family–approved appetizer plates, and even a set of severed-hand cocktail napkins.
Monster Mash Must-Haves
Who wouldn’t want to toast with chilled champagne or bottled beer from the cold depths of a cauldron-esque ice bucket? If you’re in need of more festive wares for a frightfully good time, our preferred picks run the gamut from blood-marbled serving sets to skull-shaped fire starters. For fright-infused spirits, we recommend a skeleton-clasped cocktail shaker and subtly menacing glassware topped off with equally spooky cocktail picks. The finishing touch? A spread that’s equal parts delicious and devious—ahem, a wrinkly rind of cheese reminiscent of brains and a jar of bloody good black cherries.
