As the spooky season progresses, Halloween draws nearer with every passing day. While costumes, candy, and scary movies are exciting, itโs the Halloween decorations that truly ignite our excitement at House Beautiful. Whether youโre dressing up as a character from the latest hit like Beetle juice or indulging in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, the real magic lies in being surrounded by elegant faux pumpkins, floating candles, and eerie animations from Spirit Halloween. Though traditional Halloween decor sparks nostalgia and childhood memories, this year calls for an elevated, sophisticated approach. Below are Halloween decorating ideas that combine chic style with DIY creativity, making your home & living room both spooky and stylish.
1. Conjure Up a Ghost Tablecloth
Picture this: Your Halloween Decorating Ideas are staking out the snack table when all of a sudden, a creepy ghost face pops out and scares them all. OK, while this ghost tablecloth wonโt actually pop out at people, itโs still giving a super unsettling vibe that every festive home should have at this time of year. The best part is itโs super easy to create just follow the steps on The House That Lars Built.
2. Build a Miniature Haunted House
Miniatures are all over our TikTok FYPs, so it only makes sense for you to build your own haunted miniature house for Halloween. You can make it as creepy as you like, and maybe even model it off your own house to really add to the spookiness factor. Follow the tutorial on The House That Lars Built and get to crafting.
3. Put Up Huge Spiders
This Halloween decoration isnโt for those who scream at the sight of every spider unless thatโs exactly who youโre trying to scare. Commit to the bit and attach these creepy crawlers to the outside of your house and make it look like thereโs a horde inside. If you like the look of this one, check out The House That Lars Built for tips on how to place them.
4. Create Full Moon Paper Lanterns
Bring the night sky to your living room with these eerie paper lanterns that are meant to look like the full moon with bats swarming around. While this option from Walmart also has a tastefully creepy blood spatter on the lanterns, you could easily make these yourself with some white paint, black construction paper, tape, and fishing line. Get as detailed or stay as simple as you want.
5. Cook Up a Potion
Get creative in the ways you add ambient light to your home this Halloween and choose a bubbling cauldron that emits a purple glow. With the cauldron and some magic, itโs the perfect decoration if youโve been embracing Strega Nona fall with Halloween Decorating Ideas.
6. Set Up a Spooky Table Setting
If youโre setting up for a Halloween party, a themed table setting is a festive and fun way to do so. This ceramic, food-safe cauldron is a great place to start and can house anything from candy to soup to punch.
7. Hang Floating Witch Hats
Put them inside or out either way, these floating witch hats are sure to get the townsfolk talking. Theyโre stylishly creepy and can help emphasise your Practical Magic vibe or your house of horrors aesthetic, whichever Halloween look you go for.
8. Get Hands-On
Hang some floating ghoulish hands to make them look like they’re coming out of your walls. These candle holders are so unique, and you can get so creative in how you use them. They don’t just have to hold candles. Use them to hold your Halloween garland or suspend bowls of candy around your home so something sweet is always within reach.
9. Design a Spooky Village
Holiday villages are not new by any means, but you’re more likely to see a Christmas than a Halloween one. Well, not anymore! Start planning your creepy village full of haunted houses early so it has everything you need. Start with this eerie yet beautiful chateau, then go from there.
10. Set Up Spooky Candles
Halloween and moody candlelight go hand-in-hand, so combine both of them with these adorable ghost candles. Set them up around your house as spooky surprises, or follow a candle painting tutorial to customise this Halloween Decorating Ideas with your family.
11. Hang Sparkly Spiderwebs
Give your faux spiderwebs an elegant twist by using hot glue to create the look of water droplets on them. They’ll catch the light beautifully and give the Halloween Decorating Ideas a more fall-esque vibe. However, if you’d rather not break out the ol’ hot glue gun, simply purchase these crystal ones instead.
12. Float Some Candles
There are so many ways to hang candles from your ceiling, giving your home a witchy vibe. Simply buy fake, battery-powered tapered candles, tie some fishing line to them, and use little hooks or sticky putty to hang them from the ceiling. Or buy these pre-tied ones that are also remote-controlled.
13. Make It Food-Focused
Every little detail counts with your Halloween Decorating Ideas, especially if you’re the host of your friend group’s costume party or scary movie night. Get a coffin-shaped charcuterie board and request that everyone bring their favorite cheese with an accoutrement to display on your spooky new board.
14. Paint Leaf Ghosts
Make use of your fall foliage by turning fallen leaves into miniature spooky ghosts. All you need is white acrylic paint and a black permanent marker to make cute wall decals, tablescape decorations, or name tags.
15. Put Up a Halloween Paper Garland
If you want to break out your Christmas bead garlands a bit early, add a cheeky Halloween Decorating Ideas element to make them fit in. Cut out spooky season-themed shapes like ghosts, pumpkins, and spiders to make your holiday decor last through the changing seasons.
16. Twist a Spooky Branch Wreath
Halloween Decorating Ideas wreaths often lean toward treat rather than trick, but if you prefer scary Halloween decorating ideas, look to your yard for materials. Made from broken tree branches (real or fake!) and a coat of black spray paint, this scary wreath can work either indoors or out.
17. Assemble an Eyeball Wreath
With a bunch of Ping-Pong balls and googly eyes and equal amounts of patience, you can wow visitors and trick-or-treaters with this stunning wreath. Get the tutorial at The Love Nerds.
18. Spin Spiderweb Placemats
A festive addition to any Halloween dinner party, these spiderweb placemats require only two materials (really): wax paper and puff paint. They’re ideal for a busy weekend or last-minute projectโjust be sure to allow enough time for them to dry. Follow Delia Creates’ tutorial.
19. Paint Realistic Googly Eyes
No matter where you live, you’ll be able to scrounge up a few rocks. Next? Paint. Even if you wouldn’t consider yourself a talented painter, you can certainly master a few creepy eyes. Arrange them on a free table and cover the whole thing with a layer of wispy fuzz.
20. Make a Broomstick Pendant Light
Now, this is a Halloween dinner party for the (spell)books. This dining room is fully decked out from the broomstick and black cat chandelier to the black fringed tablecloth, gourds, and black candlesticks. The romantic pink and red centerpieces make for a nice contrast that softens and elevates the themed decor.
21. Bake Creepy Cakes
Let dessert do the talking. These cakes double as cute Halloween decorating ideas, while the skeleton serveware is actually chic enough to live beyond the grave of October 31. And while that cake decorating looks pretty intense, it’s actually as easy as hitting the print button. Get more details from Sugar and Charm.
22. Paint Your Pumpkins
Opt for pinks, peaches, and burgundies in your centerpiece rather than the classic warm orange-y fall palette. Then paint your pumpkins a neutral hue! (Faux pumpkins work, too.)
23. DIY a Chalkboard Fireplace
Alicia Lund swathed the interior of her decorative marble fireplace in two coats of Benjamin Moore’s chalkboard paint. Then, she drew a fun Halloween scene for a nice backdrop.
24. Make a Marigold Garland
Perfect for displaying at any point during fall, a DIY marigold garland like this one by blogger Alicia Lund will add a pop of color to any area in your home. All you need are thread, scissors, needles, and flowers. Bonus: They’ll also make your home smell good!
25. Show off Baskets of White
Keep it bright and ghostly with all whites and light neutrals. An all-white color palette makes fall staples like pumpkins, baskets, and mums feel elevated and elegant.
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