Halloween hosting tips from our co-founder

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, which means one thing: parties. Lots of them. If you've ended up as host, don't panic and definitely don't panic-buy.

Our co-founder Anushka Mahanti shared her Halloween hosting tips with Country & Town House this week. Here's the full version, with a few extras she didn't have room for. Every piece we mention is on Express Delivery. [3-4 days]

Anushka's golden rule: buy what you'll use on 1 November

Before the tips, the principle.

"If you won't use it on 1 November, don't buy it. Plastic skeletons and foam cobwebs have a lifespan of about four days before they're in the bin. Put that money into the things that make a house feel good all winter: candles, proper lamps, linen in autumn colours, a better bar setup. Those pieces will host Bonfire Night, Christmas and every Sunday lunch after." Anushka Mahanti, co-founder, FableRoom

Everything below follows from that.

1. Swap the big light for layered lamplight

Nothing flattens a party faster than overhead lighting. Anushka builds light in layers instead, so the room has depth and everyone looks better for it.

"Think in three heights. Table lamps at seat level for warm pools of light, wall lights at eye level for the middle layer, then candles on top for movement. A lamp with a warm, amber glow is the best Halloween buy there is, because it does the same job in February."

The Tansy Terra Glow Metal Table Lamp (£56) gives you that orange glow at seat level. The Evara Metal Wall Lamp (£50) handles the middle layer, and the Fleur Black Wooden Table Lamp (£37) brings a little darkness to a side table.

Shop: All table lamps

2. Scent the house before guests arrive

Scent is the cheapest atmosphere you can buy, and the most overlooked.

"Light your candle or set out a diffuser a good hour before anyone arrives, so the smell is already there when the door opens. For Halloween, go spiced and smoky, not sweet. Clove, cinnamon, orange peel. It should smell like a parlour, not a sweet shop."

Our pick for the night: the Midnight Parlour Soy Wax Candle (£35) in the room you're hosting in, with the Midnight Parlour Reed Diffuser (£39) by the front door.

Shop: Candles & diffusers

3. Halloween decor without the plastic: borrow the palette

You don't need a single pumpkin decal to make a room feel like late October. A palette does the work.

"Burgundy, olive and black are the Halloween colours I actually want in my house. Cushions and throws are the easiest swap. I start with a velvet cushion in a pale neutral, layer a deeper jewel-toned velvet in front, then drape a dark throw over the arm. A touch of terracotta stops it all feeling heavy."

Start with the Cyrus Velvet Cushion (from £31) and the Sorrel Velvet Cushion (£31), then finish with our best-selling Jerry Cotton Blend Throw (£35). None of it comes down on Sunday.

Shop: Cushions & throws

4. Home bar ideas: put the bar where the party is

This is Anushka's favourite tip, and the one most hosts get wrong.

"If the drinks live in the kitchen, so do you. Set up a small bar in the room where everyone actually is. Batch one dark cocktail before guests arrive, plus one alcohol-free option that's genuinely good, not an afterthought. Then you get to enjoy your own party."

The Ivo Croco Print Leather Portable Bar in Brown (£249) carries bottles, glasses and tools in one go. Short on space? The Eva Mini Portable Bar in Black (£179) does the same job in a smaller footprint. Add the Rex Shagreen Print Leather Cocktail Set in Grey (£179) for the shaking and stirring.

Shop: Hosting & bar

5. Halloween table setting: serve everything on a tray

Part theatre, part practicality.

"Trays give you that slightly Addams Family drama, especially in dark croco leather. Serve at different heights so the table has some shape to it, and put everything on a tray. When the night's over, clearing up takes five minutes."

The Lore Croco Print Leather Round Tray in Olive (£69) sits right in Anushka's palette. Give the table some height with the Linden Navy Stoneware Serving Bowls (£84 for two), lay the Svana Digital Print Table Runner (£44) down the middle, and fold the Vayana Merrow-Edge Napkins (£30 for six) into the Rowe Leather Napkin Rings (£19 for four).

Shop: Table linen · Serveware

The morning after

Here's the test of a good Halloween: what's still out on 1 November? With Anushka's approach, almost everything. The lamps stay on, the velvet stays on the sofa, the bar moves to the sideboard and the tray goes back to holding your keys. Nothing to box up, nothing to bin.

Happy hosting.

Halloween hosting FAQs

How do you host a Halloween party for adults at home? Keep it simple: low, warm lighting, a scented room before guests arrive, one batched cocktail plus a good alcohol-free option, and a bar set up in the main room so you're not stuck in the kitchen.

How can I decorate for Halloween without plastic decorations? Use colour instead of props. Swap in cushions and throws in burgundy, olive and black, add candles at different heights, and choose pieces you'll keep using through autumn and winter.

What colours work for a Halloween table setting? Burgundy, olive and black do the heavy lifting, with terracotta as an accent. Dark trays and navy or black serveware add drama without looking themed.

What drinks should I serve at a Halloween party? Pre-batch one dark cocktail before guests arrive and make one alcohol-free drink that feels just as considered. Two drinks done well beat a full bar done in a rush.