I decided to do something different for Halloween. I made it a black & white affair.
But don’t worry. No ball gowns or black ties necessary unless of couse it’s part of your costume.
This year I’ve decided to go black and white for an upscale look without all the fuss.
I’ve got a few simple tricks up my sleeve for a beautiful table in no time flat.
My inspiration came from the plethora of pumpkins that I’ve collected throughout the house during the fall season.
I have a pumpkin problem, what can I say? I adore pumpkins.
My table uses white pumpkins with polka dot holes drilled through them as the centerpiece. Years ago I saw Martha Stewart talk about using a drill to carve holes in pumpkins and I have found it to be my very favorite way to “carve” the magical orbs that I seem to collect every year. What I really love about this centerpiece is that they end up giving off a most lovely glow of orange, a subtle accent of the traditional color of the holiday.
Look how easy it is to make this beautiful centerpiece.
Begin with a white pumpkin or pumpkins.
I cut the hole in the bottom of my pumpkin to keep the sweet integrity and character of the pumpkin.
Scoop out the seeds and toast them if you like. My dear friend Amy of She Wears Many Hats has a wonderful recipe for toasting pumpkin seeds click here to get it.
Once you’ve cleaned out all of the seeds, you’ll need an electric drill and a one inch drill bit.
Now it’s time for the fun part. Mwahahahhahahahaha.
Simply drill as many holes as you like all over the surface of your pumpkin. (But don’t drill too many or you’ll be able to see the candle inside.)
It’s easy and slightly messy, the slower you drill the less pumpkin you’ll have flying all over your kitchen.
Or if you were in a mad dash like me, you’ll have pumpkin flying all over your kitchen, in your hair, on your shirt, up your nose…
Next grab a glass votive and a candle,
put it on a small plate (to protect your tablecloth) light the candle and place the pumpkin over the top. Nothing tricky there, right?
Aren’t they just precious?
Next I wanted the table to have a subtle Halloween feel. I found this fabulous black web tablecloth that I found at my grocery store but you could even use a black tulle to give a similar effect.
I placed it over a soft grey tablecloth to accent the webs.
Next I set the table with some festive black & white dishes.
I used chipboard letters painted in black glitter paint as the place cards.
I found some black & white glasses to add into the mix for some blood red kiddie cocktails with black plastic spider ice cubes. Or an adult version.
A black boa wreath with a crow perched in the middle makes for a spooky decoration that can hang on a door in a window
I just hot glued the black boa to a styrofoam wreath and wired the crow in the center.
Doesn’t get an easier than that does it?
In no time at all, my dining room has been transformed into a festive, sophisticated, black & white Halloween treat.
Elegant meets easy.
Dinner anyone?
Wishing you a spooky but splendid Halloween!
~Wenderly
I absolutely adore this. Those holey pumpkins are the perfect centerpiece, and that place setting is just lovely. 🙂
Damn, you’re good. Really good.
Gorgeous! Can you come and do my house next? Of course, you’ll have to clean up a bit to find the dining room table under all the school clutter!!
I cannot process the coolness I’m looking at. No…I really can’t.
I. LOVE. THIS.
Wendy those are GORGEOUS!!! Love love love the pumpkins!!
Those white pumpkins are gorgeous! I’ve always wanted to make a centerpiece like that.
yep, what Bev said. i just love the ‘polka dot’ pumpkins, super cute!
Gorgeous! I love the polka dot pumpkins too!
awesome post! I want to be there
Oh I just LOVE the black crow wreath! And the white pumpkins are gorgeous! Thanks for the great ideas.
Love the black and white look, and those pumpkins are so cool looking – I think I would have pumpkin flying all over if I tried this! When’s dinner?
Truly Pinterest-worthy. Thank you!
I love those pumpkins! What an awesome setting! Gorgeous.
May I please come to your gorgeously decorated Halloween dinner party. I promise I won’t drink too much and I wash and dry all the dishes by hand. I’ll even sweep the floor…wash it too if you want.
P.S. Do I sound to desperate…sorry, just would love to see this in person 🙂
I think going with a clean and simple color palette looks clean and elegant, and usually it’s much easier to coordinate! Looks beautiful!
Can you come do my house next. You got the knack! I do not have any decorating knack….plumb lost it.
I love those pumpkins – what a cool idea, Wendy!
I love everything about this table – but those pumpkins are absolutely perfect!
This is my very favorite way to carve a pumpkin. I did dots one year using my melon baller to scoop out little circle of the outside flesh. It left just a bit of the orange intact and it glowed. I’m going to try your drill method, though. And I love your whole table!
love everything, it looks so pretty! Happy Halloween 🙂
love the pumpkins ! happy halloween
This is gorgeous! I love the polka dot pumpkins, and it all looks so inviting and lovely. Wishing you a wonderful Halloween! xo
wow you are very talented. I love love love the pumpkin decorations! well done and hope you had a blasts
How beautiful, Wendy!!! I love everything about this tablescape!
What a gorgeous table. I love those polka-dot pumpkins!
What a dramatic scene this makes! You have such wonderful ideas, Wendy.
Beautiful table-scape! Can we be neighors, please? The pumpkins are so festive.
I adore these pumpkins! I never thought to do polka dots but I just love them. I have a pumpkin problem too, it’s a good one to have : ) I also love those glasses there in their little case… so elegant!
I love everything about this – it’s gorgeous! I have been meaning to try out a drill on some pumpkins, but haven’t actually done it yet. Yours are so beautiful – I love the small white pumpkins you used.
I LOVE those pumpkins! They are soooooo cute!
So fun! I wish I would’ve seen this last week. Great ideas! Now give us some for Thanksgiving and Christmas, won’t ya? ; )
What a beautiful table…love the way you carved your pumpkins too. That web tablecloth is gorgeous!!! I did a “different” halloween table scape this year too. Pop by and see it. The post is called, “A Tangled Web” . Have a super weekend! I’m your newest follower!
WOW !!!! GORGEOUSNESS !!!!!!
Oh! Love this pumpkin idea! Going to try it, but with a battery operated little candle! Thank you! Helen