68 Halloween Decorating Ideas That Are So Sophisticated, It's Scary
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Though it feels like the year flew by, we’ve finally made it to October, aka spooky season. While the costumes, candy, and scary movies are a wonderful part of the Halloween festivities, it's the decorations that really get our hearts pumping. Dressing up as the main character from the latest blockbuster (Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, perhaps?) and eating your weight in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups wouldn't have the same effect if you weren't also surrounded by chic faux pumpkins, floating candles, and unsettling animatronics from Spirit Halloween. However, while traditional Halloween decor brings waves of nostalgia and fun childhood memories, we think everyone can do a better, more elevated, job this year. These Halloween decorating ideas below are a mix of elegant picks and DIY crafts that'll make your interiors equal parts spooky and sophisticated.
So, start gathering supplies for your jack-o'-lanterns, begin purchasing candy in bulk from Costco, and figure out the theme for your house this year. These 69 amazing Halloween decorating ideas provide all the inspiration you need. As long as you start planning early, you'll have the coolest, creepiest place in the neighborhood.
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.
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, it’s the perfect decoration if you’ve been embracing Strega Nona fall.
Related Story: 'Strega Nona Fall' Is Coming for Your Kitchen
Set Up a Spooky Table Setting
If you’re 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.
Hang Floating Witch Hats
Put them inside or out—either way, these floating witch hats are sure to get the townsfolk talking. They’re stylishly creepy and can help emphasize your Practical Magic vibe or your house of horrors aesthetic, whichever Halloween look you go for.
Get Hands-On
Hang some floating ghoulish hands to make them look like they're coming out of your walls. These candleholders 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.
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.
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 customize this Halloween decorating idea with your family.
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 decoration a more fall-esque vibe. However, if you'd rather not break out the ol' hot glue gun, simply purchase these crystal ones instead.
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.
Make It Food-Focused
Every little detail counts with your Halloween decorations, 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.
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.
Put Up a Halloween Paper Garland
If you want to break out your Christmas bead garlands a bit early, add a cheeky Halloween 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.
Twist a Spooky Branch Wreath
Halloween 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.
Related Story: 36 Halloween Wreaths That Are Perfectly on Theme
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.
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 project—just be sure to allow enough time for them to dry. Follow Delia Creates' tutorial.
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.
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.
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.
Shop Thomas Fuchs Skull Ice Tongs
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.)
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.
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!
Send Test Tube Invitations
Don't limit your best Halloween decorating ideas to the big event itself. Make sure your invitations are just as spirited and fun. These DIY test tubes from Sugar & Cloth will do the trick.
Display an On-Theme Bouquet
If you're hosting a movie night, bring the on-screen horror to life with some scary decor. An on-theme bouquet surrounded by pumpkins, a skull decanter for the table, and some flying paper bats for the walls will do. Floor cushions promise extra seating—power in numbers when it comes to scary movie marathons. Find out more from Sugar and Charm.
Use a Contemporary Tablecloth
A black-and-white striped tablecloth adds a contemporary playfulness to an outdoor Halloween dinner party. Then, glue little ants to your napkin rings to be freaky but not too freaky.
Display a Fall Garland
Don't forget to spruce up the bar cart while you're at it! Learn how to make this gorgeous garland (which also works for the fireplace or as a centerpiece) from Sugar and Cloth.
Create String Art
In a similar vein, try creating string art. This project requires a hanging wood sign, colored string, nails, and a pattern. Luckily, you can buy everything you need in this kit by String Art From Heart on Etsy. Bonus: It includes easy-to-follow instructions, and no experience is required!
Fashion Fabric Pumpkins
Turn a festive fabric, like an orange bandana or black and white plaid, into a mini pumpkin. For this Halloween decorating idea, you'll need a needle, thread, fiberfill, and sticks for the stems. Get the tutorial from Sadie Seasongoods.
Hang a Banner
Skip the traditional orange decor in lieu of another hue (pink, for example) and the result can be a lot more cheerful and unique. Round out the fireplace with a DIY pennant spelling out "Happy Halloween"—or another message from beyond the grave. Get the tutorial at Good Housekeeping.
Create Crystal Ball Candlesticks
With a few taper candle holders painted black and clear glass Christmas bulbs filled with spooky images on transparency film, you can easily create eerie crystal balls. Place them on your mantel or tablescape. Get the tutorial from Flamingo Toes.
Try Mini Paper Lanterns
With a printable template from Lia Griffith, you can quickly create these mini lanterns made of black metallic paper and white vellum. Stick battery-powered tea lights inside of them for a mysterious glow.
Decorate Potion Bottles
Give unique bottles or jars an aged effect to make them look like potion bottles for your next witch party. Get the tutorial from Barberella Home.
Put Together a Burlap Pumpkin Banner
Bring a little texture into your space with a banner featuring burlap pumpkins hung with clothespins on twine. Get the tutorial from Crafting Cheerfully.
Don't Overlook Your Hand Soap
Halloween decorating ideas don't get any easier than this. Simply buy some hand soap from the Dollar Store, and fill it with a few plastic spiders or festive confetti for an ominous touch. Get the tutorial from Cutefetti.
Let Candles Drip
All you have to do for this one is light some drip candles, let them work their magic, and arrange them around the house. Bonus points if you display them in spooky, black-painted wine bottles for major fright-night thrills.
Brew Some Potions
Haunted pharmacy theme? Fun! Vintage apothecary bottles serve double duty as vases for dried blooms. See more at Good Housekeeping.
Craft a Pumpkin Topiary
For a wickedly good welcome—or just some show-stopping outdoor decor—consider making a pumpkin topiary with painted plastic pumpkins, a barrel-inspired planter, lights, and hay. Get the tutorial at DIY Candy.
Hang a Light-Up Web
For this Halloween decorating idea, channel your inner spidey sense and create a giant light-up spider web in your yard using LED strip lights. Or just buy this one from Walmart, then add more webs to it to make it more personalized.
Serve Googly Eye Chocolates
Use a small black bowl to pose as a mini cauldron and fill it with edible "eyeballs," aka chocolates wrapped in bloodshot-eye motif foil, as seen in this Halloween spread styled by Sugar & Charm. Or, if you can't find those, glue googly eyes to candy wrappers.
Add Black and White Pumpkins
Line the steps on your front porch with pumpkins (paint one of them black to bring some darkness into the mix), then make a mini Halloween-themed "street sign" to put in a pot of plants. Get the tutorial from Emily Henderson.
Make a Pumpkin Vase
Turn your pumpkin into a vase for a Halloween-chic centerpiece. Beyond the pumpkin, it's perfectly Halloweenie thanks to the flowers and persimmons used to fill the vase. Get the tutorial from Sugar & Cloth.
Try Elevated Smudge Sticks
Yes, Halloween can be all about scary movies and funny costumes—or it can be about replacing bad vibes with better energy. That's where smudge sticks come in. Want to kill two birds with one stone? Set up an arts and crafts table with beautiful florals for guests to make their own smudge sticks at the Halloween soirée. Then, your guests get to partake in the DIY project and have something to take home with them. Learn the steps for how to make a smudge stick from Alicia Lund.
Design a Spider Web Bar Cart
Decorate your table with skulls and spiderwebs, then fill some jars with candy. Is it weird that we think this looks insanely chic? Get the tutorial at Sugar and Charm.
Related Story: The Battle of the Bar Cart
Create a Unicorn Skeleton
How fun is this front porch Halloween decorating idea? Sugar and Cloth spiced up a store-bought skeleton with seasonal florals, greenery, and a gold unicorn horn for a more whimsical as opposed to scary Halloween decor.
Make Candy Lanterns
You may not have a giant candelabra on hand, but you probably have some summer lanterns (and you can always just use smaller candelabras). Refresh them for Halloween by filling them up with candy and placing them on top of faux spiderwebs. See more at Sugar and Charm.
Display a Trapped Witch
Jennifer Perkins got creative with some pool noodles, a rusty old shopping cart, and a pair of black pointy-toed boots. This DIY Halloween decorating idea is the perfect balance between funny and scary, and even better, it just requires a little resourcefulness.
Fashion a Brass Ring Wreath
Throwing a sophisticated grownup Halloween soiree? Adorn the walls with this DIY wreath dreamt up by Alicia Lund. It's much more moody and romantic than your average Halloween wreath.
Whip Up a Scary Dessert
Your desserts can double as decor, too. Make these Halloween dirt cups (aka chocolate pudding topped with Oreos, chocolate chips, Belvita cookies, and edible flowers) from Sugar and Charm.
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.
Make a Zombie Throw Pillow
This fun little throw pillow may look like an ambitious DIY project, but Sugar and Charm assures it's not. In fact, this Halloween decorating idea doesn't even require any sewing!
Create a Haystack Buffet Table
Make a buffet table like Sugar and Charm's by stacking hay and covering it with fake spiderwebs. Then, hang some string lights, surround the spread with pumpkins, add a Halloween-inspired bouquet, and call it a day.
Showcase Moody Flowers
Paired with inky black stemware and napkins, this moody floral arrangement by Alicia Lund sets the scene for an elegant, grown-up Halloween dinner party.
Add Paper Bats
Frame a doorway with flying paper bats for a super simple but fun Halloween vibe at home. Learn how from Sugar and Charm.
Display a Jar
Fill an apothecary jar with bright orange leaves—or if you're really feeling generous, Halloween candy! See more at Casa Watkins Living.
Recycle Picture Frames
Fall foliage looks much sleeker on your door than it does scattered across the lawn. This wreath's square base changes up an otherwise traditional fall decoration. And you can keep this Halloween decorating idea up on your door through Thanksgiving! Get the tutorial at Country Living.
Related Story: 40 Best Places to Visit in the Fall for Peak Foliage
Display a Creepy Console Table
Start your party decorations at your entryway. With the help of some glue dots, eerie silhouettes can greet guests when they first walk in. Get the tutorial at Country Living.
Make Smoking Cocktails
To find a balance between glam and gore, make some pretty and smoky cocktails that lighten the mood amidst the more morbid, Halloween-centric decor. These purple gin and tonics from Sugar and Charm are just witchy enough without being kitschy (perfect for anyone sick of the orange and black color combo, too).
Use an Octopus Ladle
This DIY octopus ladle from Sugar and Cloth looks elaborate, but it's surprisingly easy to make. Not necessarily the "cutest" of all Halloween decorating ideas, but that's not really the point.
Stack Odds and Ends
Draw the eye up on your fireplace mantel by decorating it with themed objects, like broomsticks and witches' hats.
Repurpose a Skull
They're way less scary when you top them with a flower or plant. Maybe equally as scary when stuffed with greens. That's one way to get 'em on the table! See more at Julie Blanner.
Get Fall Ready
If you want to take more a general fall approach instead of making your front porch too Halloween-centric, take note of this house at Pearson Farm. Add a ton of pumpkins (bonus points for using apple crates as a pedestal) and then hang your fall wreath with a bright ribbon.
Make Lace Ghosts
Haunting, huh? These lacy creeps are probably the chicest a ghost has ever looked. Bonus: This Halloween decorating idea is super easy to make! Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.
Light Up Your Porch
Pave the way for trick-or-treaters with a set of lanterns modeled after the falling leaves. Follow the free template for idiot-proof carving. Get the tutorial at Good Housekeeping.
Create Pumpkin Place Cards
For a Halloween dinner party, get creative with your name cards. These pretty painted pumpkins and pumpkin vases were created by Tell, Love, & Party. See how she made them here.
Fill Up the Hearth
Who says jack-o'-lanterns are only for the porch? Group plain and painted pumpkins in the fireplace for a festive living room display. Get the tutorial at Good Housekeeping.
Related Story: 47 No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas to Try This Halloween
Make a Rainbow Pumpkin Wreath
Who says bright colors end with summer? Paint mini pumpkins in your favorite bright colors and use them to make a wreath. As long as there are pumpkins involved, it's still seasonally appropriate. Get the tutorial at Lovely Indeed.
Line Up the Spiders
Frankly, spiders are only welcome around the house when they're in the form of an adorable, fuzzy garland. Get the tutorial at Design Improvised.
Light Up Your Stairs
Cover cans with black paint and poke holes to create a message fit for your Halloween-loving house guests.
Display Sequin Polka Dot Pumpkins
These pumpkins are all the glam, none of the gross scooping out the insides. Get the tutorial at Sugar & Cloth.
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