halloween gathering with a cheese platter

Dark and Moody Inspiration- Part II

With my dark and moody Halloween tablescape all set for the occasion, it was time to style the coffee table with some appetizers and holiday details. Want to skip the seated dinner plans entirely? No problem! Just order in and cuddle up by the fireplace for a cozy wine (or any drink of your choice) and cheese party with your girlfriends! I'm always ready for a cheese platter, whether it's an added bonus to dinner nights or just an indulgence in itself! It gets so tempting when you place me next to a well-curated cheese platter, because I just can't resist the urge to eat everything. I'd be all over a cheese cake trend for weddings and events! Soft Brie is my go-to cheese, so I always start with that on the list. Putting together this simple cheese platter was easy as pie! This is just to get you started on the idea as you add your own choices and textures to create a colorful and flavorful palette full of variety. ​​

​Ideally, a perfect cheese platter has a mix of soft, creamy, and hard cheeses, paired with meat, fruits, crackers, and/or jams of different textures and tastes. A few of my favorite choices for garnishing and paring are nuts and raisin trail mix, quince paste from Wegmans, the Original Club crackers from the grocery store, and assorted fruits. Some days I like to keep it simple and use items that are handy, so I can enjoy my cup of tea (Yes, I substitute wine for tea). Of course, if I want to go the fancy route for a full on party, I go for colorful chips and some fresh pita bread and/or crostini. 

The coffee table has decorative pumpkins in ruby red and sapphire blue that matched and complemented the garnet, dark purple, and aubergine on the dinner table setup. Flowers and candles always make the mood and elevates any space or location! I added some dark roses in garnet and white to draw in the color palette from the table scape. The black and silver crawling spiders, the skeleton trapped in the glass cloche dome (spooky!), and black ravens around the house and bar-cart (next posts!) bring a subtle hint of the ominous. I found the crawling, magnetic spiders at Bath and Body works, and I had to have ‘em! The skeleton and the black raven are decorative pieces from last year. You can also add assortments of decorative gourds around the house to quickly create a festive feel during Halloween, transitioning into the Harvest season!

Little details go a long way! I hope you found some inspiration for your next event. With the cooler days ahead and sweater weather, all I want is an excuse to snuggle up and party indoors to enjoy the company of friends and family. Thank you so much for reading and visiting! Next and last post of this series is a "bar" cart and mantel makeover for the movie night!

Part I: Dark and Moody Tablescape Inspiration - Halloween and Beyond
Part II: Halloween Gathering with A Cheese Platter - Dark and Moody Inspiration

Product Links below:

Bon Appetit Slate Lazy Susan

Petrified Wood Coaster Set of 2

Silver Trim Marble Coasters Set Of 4