Halloween...with a little taste.
When it comes to Halloween, the word "classy" is not usually one that comes to mind. However, if you find yourself longing for something more tasteful and elegant admidst the sea of unabashedly tacky October offerings, then it's time to take a fresh approach to things. Design room d cor for a Halloween dinner setting by borrowing from traditionally upscale decorating and high-class gothic aesthetics.
Paper Lanterns
As a more elegant substitute for plastic Halloween string lights, consider black and orange paper lanterns, large or small, individual and strung together. These have a modern holiday look, but have a classier texture than plastic or vinyl decorations. With selective shopping, you can find lanterns that look downright elegant, such as black paper with silhouette cutouts inspired by Halloween scenes.
Flower Arrangements
Flower arrangements are classy at any time of year; the same is true in the autumn, when you can suggest Halloween with the right selection of flowers. Simple black and white roses, or blood-red roses in a black vase, are a haunting suggestion of elegance appropriate for an old-fashioned haunted house. For a more homey arrangement, combine wildflowers, such as orange sunflowers and other yellow, orange or fall colors, in a pumpkin-shaped vase.
Tablecloths
Create a table dressing of quintessential Halloween colors, but with a dressy look, by laying a fine black, lacy tablecloth cover (one with plenty of open space through which to view another tablecloth below) over a plain orange cloth. This design will look classy even if the orange cloth you find isn't the finest. Alternately, if you're going with the "goth" look, use a blood red table cloth beneath the black lace.
Colored Jack o' Lanterns
Carve your jack 'o' lanterns from white pumpkins, rather than orange ones, to give them an unusual, clean and classy look. This design works well if you're going for a black, white and red aesthetic with your Halloween decorating. Alternately, paint an orange jack o' lantern black using acrylic paint, then light it up to glow orange from within (this effect is best with soft indoor lighting). These make a good table centerpiece or decoration for lining the floor at the edge of the room, against the wall.
Victorian Gothic
Use other Victorian Gothic, "haunted mansion" style decorations to suggest class and old-fashioned luxury in a manner that's still classically Halloween. Decorate the table and areas around it with black lace, red silk, and austere and silver looking antiques, like candelabras or skull-shaped candle holders. Create a witch's "spellbook" by placing a large, antique book open to the middle on a stand. Make fake spell book pages on your computer word processor to place over the open pages of the book. For an authentic effect, age the printed pages by soaking them in tea.
Tags: black lace, black white, Halloween with, orange cloth, This design, Victorian Gothic