No Halloween house would be complete without a pumpkin – but nowadays a simple carving just won’t cut it.
You don’t even need to get the knife out to make a pumpkin feature – a tin of acrylic paint and vinyl letters are enough for a contemporary, chic look that might not be scary but will certainly impress (as well as saving you cut fingers and lots of mess).
Alternatively, why not make party pumpkins by using spray adhesive and glitter? They’ll bring a bit of sparkle to any Halloween get-together.
Look around the shops and you’ll see that skulls are having a moment, meaning these Halloween decoration ideas don’t need to be put back in the cupboard as soon as October’s over.
If you’re aiming to scare, then surreptitiously placing skulls around the house is a simple but effective way to go – the more gruesome the better.
But for something more subtle, try some of the fabulous skull accessories you can buy on the high street. There are all sorts available, from candleholders to lights.
First impressions are everything, so don’t forget about your outside or entrance space.
For an elegant look, make a pumpkin wreath from putka pods. These dinky little dried fruits look just like mini pumpkins (you can buy them online) and will really put your visitors in the Halloween mood.
For a more traditional party, there are plenty of ways to make sure your house gets people spooked from the moment they arrive. Try hanging skeletons (fake, of course…) from trees or making foam tombstones to line the grass.
One of the most effective Halloween decoration ideas is to dress your windows with spooky silhouettes. There are plenty of templates online to help you with the best shapes and scenes.
If you’re having a Halloween dinner party no doubt you’ll be spending most of the night at the table, so your tableware will have to look the part.
Decorate cheap white plates with spider or skull stencils and ceramic paint (make sure it’s food and dishwasher safe) and spray empty glass bottles matt black before adding your own gothic labels for your special ‘potions’.
Use decorated pumpkins as centrepieces and add some elegant black and gold candelabras to really complete the look.
You could even create lace-printed candles to add to the effect by painting lace with non-flammable paint and then rolling a candle across it to transfer the pattern.
If you want to really freak people out, there are plenty of unique Halloween decoration ideas you can try.
This ‘head in a jar’ trick is simple but scarily chilling, while a bathroom murder scene is sure to cause some nightmares – and all it takes is a cheap shower curtain and some fake blood.
Halloween decoration ideas – time to get creative!
These are just a few of our favourite Halloween decoration ideas, designed to make your house look either hauntingly beautiful or sickeningly scary.
We’re sure you can come up with some great ideas of your own too – so put your imagination to the test and get creating!