Halloween decorating ideas

Mix up your mantel

For Halloween in particular, the mantel is a great place to change up your home's décor. It's ideal for showcasing decorations like candlesticks, autumn garland, and eerie accents like black cheesecloth draped over a mirror. Remember the mantel's bottom as well. Large lanterns or ghost figurines, like this one, can be used as floor-based décor.

Include a few subtle eerie touches

Your home may be festive without going overboard, and your decorations can have a theme that is anything from whimsical to classic. Small pumpkins on coffee tables, a festive catch-all dish like the spider pictured here, or seasonal artwork for your walls or frame TV are all examples of indoor décor. If you're unsure where to begin, pick up some pumpkins during your next trip to the grocery store and arrange them on your doorstep or throughout your house.

Remember the kitchen

Although you might assume that decorations are just appropriate for your home's major living spaces, the kitchen is frequently forgotten when it comes to seasonal décor. Since we frequently congregate in the kitchen, why not decorate it as well? Put decorations on your kitchen counters or replace your utensil holder with a more festive one. In her kitchen, designer Melissa Parada added spiders and a tiny witch's broom to create an unsettling look on the walls.

Be a bit batty

Adding tiny cutout bats to your wall is an easy yet highly powerful Halloween décor technique. These bats may live anywhere, even in bedrooms and on mantels. Allow time to decorate with these little bats—they each need a tiny bit of wall adhesive or tape, which can be a bit time-consuming. But the result makes the work worthwhile. In addition to a few other items of stylish Halloween décor, such as the skull and ravens on the coffee table, designer Kara Bowman also incorporates bats behind the sofa. With the addition of black taper candles, this living room is the ideal setting for a spooky movie night.

Enjoy decorating your outdoor space

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of Halloween is decorating the outside of your house. Trick-or-treating is a big part of Halloween, so feel free to go crazy and decorate your front yard or porch. Start simple by decorating your door with a colorful wreath and collecting a couple pumpkins. Next, think of including illumination, such as orange and purple string lights. Add larger decorations, such as gravestones, skeletons, or other signage, to create a Halloween scene if you want to go all out. Remember to include some sound to make the trick-or-treating experience particularly memorable. Streaming services offer playlists with a Halloween theme, sometimes with eerie sound effects.

When to decorate for Halloween?

First things first: when is the best time to begin Halloween decorating? Your Halloween décor timeline is influenced by a number of things, including neighborhood vibe and personal taste.

Generally speaking, the first week of October is a good time to begin decorating. You'll get a month to appreciate your eerie home in this manner. Additionally, decorating the outside of your house will let trick-or-treaters know that your house is prepared for them on the 31st. Decorate in the middle of the month if you would rather have a shorter timeline. Additionally, you may observe when your neighbors begin decorating and follow their lead. As early as September, enthusiasts can begin! However, it's important to remember that there are no hard and fast laws. Follow your own and your family's instincts.

How to reuse decorations for Halloween

When you take out the Halloween decorations from the previous year, you could want to give them a new creative spin or repurpose them. Here are some suggestions to get you going.

Pumpkins made of plastic are ideal for DIY projects. They can be adorned with acrylic paint or sprayed with new hues.

You can turn a skull into a disco ball by adhering reflective tile strips to it if you have the time and patience. Without a doubt, it will bring style to your home.

Wreaths are another great, do-it-yourself décor option. Make an autumn wreath into a Halloween wreath by adding spooky accents. Think of utilizing orange and black ribbons, small plastic spiders or figurines with a Halloween motif, or perhaps a string of orange and purple lights.

Where to buy halloween decorations

You should undoubtedly notice a lot of Halloween décor in stores by this time of year. Early September is when Halloween decorations typically start to show up on store shelves. Big box retailers, party stores, bargain stores, and even craft stores carry décor. Online merchants are also excellent for decorating for Halloween indoors and out.