31 Quick and Clever Centerpieces to Help You Win Halloween

Something's Brewing

A table that seats 16 requires a big, bold centerpiece. Start with a black table runner and cauldron, then add coordinating stems from the crafts store. Witch hats, crows, and candles complete the look.

Ombre Pumpkin Display

Who says Halloween is just for kids? Invite your girlfriends over for a fun brunch celebration, complete with eye-popping ombre pumpkins and a painted burlap runner. These bright colors pop on a plain white table adorned with spooky faux spiders and spider web-inspired place settings.

Just Peachy

Taking its cue from a fall-theme napkin in quiet pastels, this table veers toward elegance in its display of raw raffia and salmon-color placemats, peach plates, and brass vases. Ivory netting and an array of pumpkins set the color intensity down the table center, while black accents in the form of crows and witch hats interrupt the soothing fall palette for a bit of unsettling appeal.

Bucket of Pumpkins

This easy centerpiece display is easy to whip up before a party and is so inexpensive to make! Grab a black plastic cauldron from your local party supply store and fill it with mini pumpkins. To match the centerpiece to your Halloween party theme, spray paint faux or real pumpkins in coordinating colors and attach embellishments like these fun monster eyes.

Editor's tip: You don't have to fill the entire plastic cauldron ($2, Party City) with pumpkins! Fill the bottom with crumpled newspaper and place a few pumpkins on top.

Creepy Candle Display

You don't have to buy bright orange Halloween decorations to create an elaborate centerpiece; a collection of moss, bones and vintage candlesticks will do the trick. Hit the thrift store for mismatched candle stands, then line them up down the center of the table and fill in with spooky accessories to complete the look.

Naturals and Neutrals

Feathery plumes of wheat-tone pampas grass are the star attraction of this formal dining table. The neutral elements, including pumpkins and chunky candlesticks, can stay out all fall long, while a gold spider, black-and-white check runner ($8, Target), and matching pumpkins introduce a contrasting Halloween scheme in a classy nod to spooky season.

Eye Candy

Stagger bowls of Halloween candy down the center of the table for a bold (and tasty!) Halloween centerpiece. Vary the types of candy, and add in larger pieces (like spooky edible eyeballs and plastic bats or bugs) that make the whole arrangement stand out.

Crepe Paper Pumpkins

Create a gorgeous (and inexpensive!) Halloween centerpiece by covering paper mache pumpkins with crepe paper party streamers. We'll show you how to use a homemade bleach mixture to give your crepe paper a unique pattern before attaching the streamers to the pumpkins. Add to a large tray and accessorize with leaves, pinecones, or other fall accessories to complete your display.

Paper Pumpkins

Sometimes there's room for lots of style but only one star. A display of honeycomb paper pumpkins fills the center of the table. Their oversize scale and varied shades of brown and muted orange contrast the simplicity of black plates with a hammered glaze, while green and gray paper leaves add accent color.

Skull Centerpiece

Voila! An easy Halloween party centerpiece. Simply place a faux skull in the center of your table and surround it with black rubber snakes and faux spiders.

Jack-o'-Lantern Halloween Centerpiece

Miniature jack-o'-lanterns make a big impact when arranged on footed cake stands and displayed on a vintage tray. Place battery-powered candles ($26, The Home Depot) inside each hand-carved pumpkin, and let your guests enjoy the glow.

Monotone Magic

A graceful spiderweb tablecloth with a black lace layer sets an elegant foundation for an all-black grouping of functional pieces, such as matte black plates and gold-accented flatware. Branches stretch down the table center and surround an assortment of candlesticks in varying heights and votives wrapped in lace. The flickering candlelight adds sparkle to the gloomily chic scene.

Mini Pumpkin Centerpiece

It's no secret that Halloween decor can go from trendy to tacky in the blink of an eye. This floral fall table centerpiece from goes for sophistication while still honoring the season. Just place small white pumpkins on a platter and accent with bittersweet branches and seasonal flowers.

Spooky Halloween Terrarium

Put a spooky, kid-friendly spin on a trendy terrarium by filling a glass jar with rocks, dried moss, twigs, and soil. Finish by topping this natural foundation with small pumpkins for a naturally pretty Halloween table centerpiece.

Ghost Book Pop-Ups

A stack of old books forms the stand for this spooky centerpiece. To make, cut two basic ghost shapes from pages in the middle of a book, leaving the bottoms attached to the pages. Fold up each ghost and secure with a touch of tape. To complete, use a hole punch or marker to make eyes for this haunting centerpiece.

Pretty Pumpkins

Pumpkins come in many colors, so let yours dictate the color scheme of your Halloween centerpiece. Though the table surface is weathered with crackling paint, polish takes over in the place setting and from flowers arranged in an unexpected light-color pumpkin. The real shock comes from spiders spray-painted gold and scattered to blend in with the formal nature of the centerpiece.

Halloween Glam

A stunning display of black candles and gold votives gives this tablescape a sophisticated but spooky vibe that's perfect for a grown-up Halloween party. Add in a variety of metallic pumpkins and fuzzy faux spiders around the table to tie the look together.

Skull Centerpiece

Spray-paint Halloween props with black chalkboard paint, then outline them with chalk for a frightfully aged skull centerpiece. Fill the cauldron with a decorative bottle, handpicked beverage, or a tasty Halloween cocktail. Don't forget to add the creepy skeleton skull for extra-spooky vibes.

Skull Planter

A seasonal flower arrangement takes a skull vase from spooky to Halloween-chic. Surround the centerpiece with an assortment of black faux pumpkins or paint your own craft pumpkins with acrylic paint.

Little Monsters Centerpiece

Create a kooky cast of characters for your dining room table. Use orange, black, white, and green spools of thread for the mini monster bodies. We used black felt cutouts for the eyes and mouths for most of the creatures. Repurpose old jewelry boxes with scrapbooking or wrapping paper for fun pedestals for the spool monsters.

Orange Flowers Centerpiece

A footed white dish is both fancy and festive when filled with an array of orange-hued flowers. Use florist's foam to hold the arrangement securely in place. Bold blooms create one of our favorite fall centerpieces.

Editor's Tip: Slip a few black roses into the mix, or place miniature pumpkins at the base of the decoration—painted black if you'd like—to make the orange flowers really pop in this Halloween centerpiece.

Halloween Glass Vases

Glass block vases become one-of-a-kind Halloween centerpieces with die cuts and spooky scrapbook paper (available at crafts stores). To make, use spray adhesive to attach the papers (spray the back of the paper, not the glass, to avoid streaks). Place sand and tapered candle sticks inside the vase for a haunting glow.

Editor's Tip: Use clear plastic blocks in lieu of glass vases. Be sure to nix the candles or opt for battery-powered ones.

Black-and-Orange Pumpkin Display

Make a bewitching centerpiece with black-and-orange pumpkins. Carve out a large pumpkin to hold a vase. Spray-paint your pumpkins with a black matte-finish paint. Once dry, scrape away the painted surface in lines or in the form of a sunflower or another design.

Candleholder Goblets Display

Thrift-store glasses become centerpiece-ready with a coat of black spray paint. Choose textural goblets for the most detail, set them upside down to spray-paint, and use tape around the tops of some to keep the tops clear. Touch up any edges with a black permanent marker after the goblets dry. These painted goblets are for display use only.

"Boo" Embroidery Hoop Centerpiece

Basic embroidery hoops set a spooky scene on a Halloween table. To make, stretch black costume fabric or lace across the painted hoops; trim extra fabric. Next, spray-paint planters for bases, then add enough florist's foam inside to secure a painted dowel inserted in the middle. Finish with black-and-white patterned paper atop the planters and a hauntingly fun message spelled out in painted wooden letters. Use hot glue to secure the dowels and wooden letters.

Candle Stick Centerpiece

Pumpkins painted white and covered in glitter stand out when placed on stark black stands. Adhere glitter using double-stick tape or an adhesive spray to get just the right amount of glitz for this Halloween candlestick centerpiece.

Halloween Gourd Centerpiece

Use rugged old cabinet legs as eye-catching bases for this Halloween gourd display. Elevating some gourds and leaving others on the table, as well as varying the size of gourds, adds quirkiness to this Halloween centerpiece.

Editor's Tip: Tie ribbon onto the bases in knots or bows you want to inject color to this neutral centerpiece.

Floral Jack-o'-Lantern Halloween Centerpiece

A smiling jack-o'-lantern becomes the perfect Halloween vase when you place a container of water and flowers inside. A simple carving (or scraping) that forgoes the typical wide mouth will help the inside container stay hidden. Use a white pumpkin and orange flowers for extra pop.

Pumpkin-and-Candle Halloween Centerpiece

Nuts, pumpkins, and a large candle dress up a small woven mat in this simple-yet-sophisticated Halloween centerpiece. Fallen leaves tucked into the display add natural fall flair to the decoration.

Editor's Tip: For a more kid-friendly decoration, use candies, painted pumpkins, and a battery-powered candle so curious fingers don't find a flame.

Pumpkins on White Dishes

Simple white dishes display multicolor pumpkins in this elegant Halloween centerpiece. Use footed bowls, small plates, and candlesticks at varying heights to create an eye-catching display.

Pumpkin Owl Centerpieces

Go ahead and bring a few of these cute little owls inside to create a clever arrangement for your table's centerpiece. White pumpkins and sunflower seeds create a simple rustic and adorable owl centerpiece that everyone will love.