7 Spooky Ways to Decorate Your Home Easily for Halloween

As the nights draw in and the thermostat drops, you’d be forgiven for feeling a little resentment for the autumnal months - the weather turns on us and the days of summer feel like a long-lost memory. Our advice to get through the season? Embrace the holiday spirit and turn your home in a cosy haven filled with comforting textiles and scents that will make you forget what it was like to go outside without several layers on.

As we enter October this means one thing - it’s time to prepare for Halloween. Things might be a little different this year with Trick or Treating deemed unsafe and parties out of the question, so there’s even more reason to turn your home into a seasonally spooky scene.

We know what you’re thinking - rotting pumpkins and fake spiderwebs aren’t going to make your interior decor scheme shine. Thankfully, getting in the spooky spirit doesn't mean you have to forfeit good taste. There are plenty of classier options that can be integrated into your interior design to achieve a spooky vibe without looking like an actual haunted house. Check out our Halloween house decoration ideas and prepare to be well and truly spooked.

1.    Pumpkin up the porch

There’s no better place to start your Halloween decorating than your front porch. Show your street that you are well and truly in the spooky mood and make the most of autumn’s rusty hues in your display. Use assorted pumpkins and beautiful leafy foliage to set the scene. Don’t forget the centrepiece - a beautiful homemade wreath will complete the look. We suggest using a simple woven willow base that can carry you through to Christmas; begin with orange leaves, acorns, baby pumpkins and pinecones, and then as the seasons change, mix it up with red berries and holly to get things feeling festive.

2.     Create an autumnal tablescape

Tablescapes are a simple yet impactful way to bring the spirit of the season into your home and will look fantastic if you’re hosting intimate gatherings this season. Begin with your foundation - set a runner or tablecloth on your table (dark hues are best if you’re getting into the Halloween spirit) and then build from there with candlesticks and foliage. Once you’ve mapped out your centrepiece it’s time to have fun. If you’re creating something playful for the family add in pumpkins galore, Halloween confetti, fake cobwebs and skulls. You can even purchase some dry ice to create a really impressive centrepiece for All Hallows Eve. For a more adult look, swap the spooky props for seasonal dried flowers and small, colourful gourds.

3.     Set the lighting

If there was ever a moment to dim the overhead lights, it’s Halloween. If you're hosting a small dinner on the 31st try skipping the usual living room lighting in favour of candles and soft low lighting.

Try painting wine bottles with matt-black spray paint and insert black or orange candles for an undeniably spooky feel. If you want to create a truly creepy vibe, melt red wax over the top of white candles, allowing the wax to drip down the sides - the bloody effect will make your guests squeal.

You can find small pumpkins and all kinds of gourds in the shop nowadays. They tend to be too small to carve but serve as fantastic decorations for this time of year, and they work especially well as candle holders. Carve out a hole at the top and insert a tealight to create a unique addition to your centrepiece.

4.     Design contemporary pumpkins

Pumpkins are the undisputed star of the season and although kids love carving them it doesn’t take long until they start rotting and filling your home with a rather unpleasant smell. A more stylish option, which is still great for the kids, is to paint your pumpkins.

Choose smooth undamaged pumpkins for painting, and stock up on acrylic paints to use on your unusual canvas. You can trace out your design using a permanent marker - avoid using a pencil or anything with a sharp nib as this could damage the pumpkin.

Your options are limitless, whether it's pure white on baby munchkins or neon colours on large pumpkins, paint can help create a truly contemporary Halloween scene.

5.     Don’t forget the fireplace

Is there anything better than cosying up by the fireplace on a wet and windy autumn night? Well, it’s all the more appealing if the mantel is looking seasonally stylish with some grown-up Halloween decorations.

Use stylish velvet pumpkins in a range of autumnal colours to create a truly classy display. Add in a mix of dried gourds, squash and a garland of chestnuts, and add a bunch of berry branches arranged in a vase or jug to really set off the look.

6.     Embrace Undead… Flowers

When it comes to Halloween, floral arrangements might not be at the top of your list, however, a mix of dark red flowers and greenery will set off your Halloween look perfectly.

Why not embrace the spirit of the undead with dried flowers?  Dried displays are really on-trend right now, and by using options such as helichrysum and wheat you can create something that truly compliments the colours of the season.

7.     Set up a spooky bar cart

Even if your Halloween gathering is limited to just six people this year, there’s still good reason to set up a boozy bar cart. Adorn your bar with your new dried flower displays and dark spirits and mixers for your Halloween themed cocktails. Orange garlands and fairy lights also work wonders to create that seasonal feel.

We hope you enjoy our Halloween decoration ideas and have a fantastically spooky All Hallows Eve!