All Hallow’s Eve is coming! Looking for all the tricks you need to make the perfect haunted house? Then search no more! If Halloween is your favourite season then your going to love these boo-tiful ideas we’ve curated just for you.
From tricks to treats—and even a few frights—there’s everything you need to create the perfect setting for an extra-special, extra-spooky celebration that will entertain all the ghouls on your guest list!
We’ve scrolled through Pinterest, tapped through Instagram and read all the magazines we could get our hands on! We made notes, studied themes and put it all together in a giant cauldron to compile a magical list of everything you need to complete your Halloween House transformation in 2023.
These are so good it’s scary, don’t say we didn’t warn you!
OUTSIDE
THE GRAVEYARD GARDEN
GRAVESTONES
Set up faux tombstones with spooky inscriptions in the garden. These could be cut from cardboard or mdf. Paint the shapes with a base layer of grey and once dry, use a sponge to dab on areas of black to create texture and give an aged look.
SKELETONS
Pose skeleton decorations in various positions, as if they’re coming out of the ground. This looks really effective with some piled-up compost in front of faux gravestones, use different body parts for maximum drama! Alternatively, old broken dolls can help create a scene straight out of a horror movie!
MISTY NIGHT
Everything is creepier at night, especially with a little fog looming about. Create an eerie atmosphere with a fog machine for a truly spooky graveyard aesthetic.
GLOWING EYES
Got a feeling of being watched? Place battery-powered LED eyes in bushes or trees to spook passers by. You can also use torched with cardboard cut-outs to create the same effect.
HAUNTED PATHWAY
Illuminate your garden path with pathway lights shaped like ghosts or pumpkins.
DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE; FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE.
Looking for a different theme? Create a traditional witches’ coven in your garden! Display a cauldron with bubbling dry ice for a witch’s brew effect, and place rocks around the cauldron to pose as seating. Add in a few broomsticks, a couple of old books and some bottles/jars filled with odd items (display bottles filled with coloured water and glow sticks for a potion effect) and hey presto – a magical scene! Hang bats from nearby trees for added spectacle.
THE WINDOWS
SILHOUETTES: Use black paper or cardboard to create spooky silhouettes like witches, ghosts, or bats.
CANDLELIT WINDOWS: Place battery-operated candles on windowsills for a haunted mansion look.
SPIDER WEBS: Decorate windows with fake spider webs and plastic spiders, the bigger and hairier the better!
BLOODY HANDPRINTS: Nothing says Halloween quite like a blood-curdling scream! Create bloody handprints using red paint or fake blood on windowpanes to freak out your guisers!
THE FRONT DOOR
WREATHS: Create a spooky wreath with black feathers, plastic spiders, and orange ribbon.
WELCOME SIGN: Hang a Halloween-themed welcome sign or banner on the door. ‘Keep Out!’, ‘Knock if You Dare!’ or a simple ‘Trick or Treat!’ all look great!
PUMPKIN STACKS: Stack pumpkins or jack-o’-lanterns on either side of the door.
GIANT SPIDERS: Attach giant spider decorations to the door or the surrounding area.
CREEPY CURTAINS: Use tattered or lace curtains on the door’s windows for an eerie effect.
INSIDE
GENERAL DECOR
TABLE CENTREPIECES: Create a spooky centrepiece with pumpkins, candles, and faux spiders. Candelabras strung with black beads on black lace doilies set with orange candles are the perfect balance of elegance and eerie.
FLOATING GHOSTS: Hang white sheets draped over chicken wire from the ceiling to create floating ghost decorations.
BATTY BANNERS AND GHOSTLY GARLANDS: Hang Halloween-themed banners or garlands in your living room or hallway.
SPIDERWEB CORNERS: Stretch fake spiderwebs across corners and add plastic spiders for effect.
AROUND THE FIREPLACE
PUMPKIN PATCH: Arrange a group of pumpkins and gourds on the hearth. Faux or real, you can never go wrong with this classic Halloween decoration. This year’s trends sees knitted and velvet pumpkins soaring in popularity once again.
SPOOKY MANTEL: Decorate the mantel with black candles, skeletal figures, and spiderwebs. Black birdcages complete with skeletal birds or a fake raven look boo-rilliant!
FAUX FIRE: If your fireplace isn’t in use, place LED lights or candles inside for a fiery glow.
POTION BOTTLES: Like in the witch’s scene, display bottles and jars filled with items such as shells, feathers and twigs along with bottles filled with coloured water. Add glow sticks for an even more authentic potion appearance.
LIGHTING
CANDLE LANTERNS: Use candle lanterns with spooky designs to create an eerie ambience.
STRING LIGHTS: Hang orange or purple string lights indoors and outdoors for a Halloween glow.
JACK-O’-LANTERNS: Place lit jack-o’-lanterns around your home’s exterior for a classic Halloween look.
Remember to add your personal touch to these ideas to create a unique and spooktacular Halloween decor setup that suits your style and preferences.
Happy decorating!