How to Make DIY Halloween Centerpieces for the Table
Grace your tablescapes this season with everything from creative candy corn flowers to candy and pumpkin vases.
Oct 08, 2022
Halloween is arguably the most DIY-friendly holiday on the calendar. Between costumes for kids and adults, spooky décor, and parties decked out with frightfully ghoulish embellishments, there are countless opportunities to express your creativity and craftiness.
One of my favorite ways to celebrate the season is with colorful, over-the-top Halloween centerpieces. And with flowers that show off the vibrant colors of fall and the sugary treats we all have lying around the house this time of year, we have plenty of materials at our disposal to make some eye-catching pieces to be the focal points for our festive tablescapes.
DIY Halloween candy centerpieces: Candy vase
I love the purple, lime green, orange, and black color combination that's prevalent for the holiday, so when I saw Halloween M&M's in the store, I bought a few bags. Just another reason to buy candy!
To create this look, I used a nested vase, which allows the filler to rest between the walls of two containers. You can make your own by putting a narrow vase or glass inside another large glass container. Ideally, both glasses should be the same height, but if they're not, then the inside glass should be slightly shorter than the outer one. For the floral, I used shamrock spider mums and purple statice. Not only do they look great, but both flowers are hardy and will last about two weeks.
DIY Halloween table décor: Papier-mâché pumpkin vase
When I'm going for a more retro look, I break out this original papier-mâché pumpkin from the 1950s — it's my favorite Halloween table decoration. If you don't have a decades-old, trick-or-treating pumpkin handy, just reuse one of the plastic baskets your kids take with them around the neighborhood on All Hallows' Eve. It creates a similar — albeit not quite as spooky — look that positively screams Halloween.
With a few cuttings from your fall garden — here, I used dahlias and asclepias — this old pumpkin becomes the happiest jack-o'-lantern in town!
DIY candy corn flowers
Planning a kids Halloween party? This candy corn arrangement is a sweet addition. It's great as a centerpiece or as part of a Halloween-inspired dessert bar! Not only will guests love the final “treat” but the kids can help put this together prior to the festivities.
Materials needed
- Approximately two dozen yellow carnations, two dozen orange carnations, and a dozen white carnations.
- 1 brick of floral foam
- 1 waterproof dish or tray
Instructions
- Thoroughly soak the floral foam and stand it up vertically on the tray.
- Cut your carnation stems to about 2 to 4 inches in length.
- Starting at the base of the foam, insert the yellow carnations all around the sides, using the longest stems at the bottom to make the base of the "candy orn" wider.
- Repeat with the orange and white carnations, creating the shape as you move up the foam.
- End with a single white carnation at the top to form the point of the candy corn.
You can take the basic directions for this floral candy corn arrangement and scale it up or down depending on your desired finished size. If you plan to display it on a mantle or foyer table, this arrangement can also be done as a one-sided design.
What materials do I need to make DIY Halloween centerpieces?
It depends on the design, but the favorites use items you likely already have around the house this time of year. For the candy corn flowers, you'll need about two dozen yellow carnations, two dozen orange carnations, a dozen white carnations, one brick of floral foam, and a waterproof dish or tray. Other ideas use fall flowers like dahlias, asclepias, shamrock spider mums, and purple statice, plus seasonal candy and a fun container.
How do you make a Halloween candy vase centerpiece?
Use purple, lime green, orange, and black for the color scheme and Halloween M&M's for the filler. Use a nested vase: place a narrow vase or glass inside a larger glass container so the candy rests between the two walls, then fill the inner vase with flowers. Ideally both glasses are the same height. If they are not, keep the inside glass slightly shorter than the outer one.
What flowers hold up best in a Halloween centerpiece?
For a candy vase, shamrock spider mums and purple statice are hardy and last about two weeks. If you're cutting from your fall garden, dahlias and asclepias are a good choice for a pumpkin vase too.
How do you make a candy corn flower arrangement?
Soak a brick of floral foam, stand it up vertically on a tray, and cut your carnation stems to about 2 to 4 inches. Start at the base with yellow carnations all around the sides, using the longest stems at the bottom to widen the base. Work up with orange and white, and finish with a single white carnation at the top to form the point. You can scale it up or down, and make it a one-sided design if it’s going on a mantle or foyer table.
What can I use if I don’t have a decorative pumpkin for a centerpiece?
If you don’t have a vintage trick-or-treating pumpkin handy, reuse one of the plastic baskets your kids carry around the neighborhood on Halloween. Add a few cuttings from your fall garden, like dahlias and asclepias, and it works well for Halloween.
AUTHOR
Julie started her career in the floral industry over 30 years ago in a small, family-owned flower shop. From floral designer to author and lifestyle expert, her insight has been instrumental in developing the 1-800-Flowers.com brand. Representing the company’s floral lifestyle vision, Julie has shared her talent and passion in numerous television appearances and national magazine features. She is an active fundraiser and longtime friend of IGHL, a group dedicated to facilitating a more independent life for developmentally challenged adults.
