All Things Halloween

Devilish Décor Ideas - Inside and Out

Set the stage for a spooktaucular Halloween Party throughout your home with some eerie Halloween decorating ideas. I have been able to transform my home into an enchanting candlelit cottage that looked amazing on a shoe string budget.

Here's my 5 simple steps:

1) Look at your home though guest eyes starting at the curb. Lighting is key! I always help to identify my home with something welcoming at the base of my driveway or curbside mailbox. My favorite is lanterns lite with candles that lead my guest down the walk, up the porch stairs and to my door and remember your front door is the portal to your home so dress it to the nines!

The lawn: I love displaying little playful witches dancing their way around the garden. Whether your goblins are store bought or you take the creative route, witch's and ghosts always bring a smile to my guest faces,so whatever theme you choose continue the haunt all the way to the front door!

Easy and Inexpensive: Using some Styrofoam balls for the ghost heads an old sheet (or gauze) and a craft stick or yard stick creating ghosts is simply and fun. Try grouping them or scatter them about they're always spooky.
Now for creating your little witches, just start at a Goodwill store, flea market or junk store and purchase some old used plastic dolls at different heights and the rest is "anything goes". A little face paint, some black gauze/sheet or fabric for their clothing and a witch's hat made of heavy plastic or vinyl just pinned to the head makes the perfect witch. Even creating a lawn pumpkin patch with hay from a feed store and different size pumpkins and orange lighting sets the perfect presentence. Just have fun and even get the kiddies involved!

2) Once your guest enter the fun begins! Starting at my front door I have candles (some real and some battery operated depending on safety) I love decorating my chandeliers too! I purchase tulle in black & orange and adorn the chandeliers with it. I also love using black and orange Christmas shinny ornaments hung with black ribbon from the chandeliers for a more elegant touch. Sprinkle a little Halloween everywhere from Halloween throw pillows to black furniture throws, the skies the limit so don't be afraid to experiment. Another tip is creating little creepy vignettes for your guest to sit at using two chairs (dinning is perfect) a borrowed small table and lamp from another room and even some creepy crawls for the table makes for the perfect vignette. Think about lots of eye candy and visual stimulation!

3) Choose a Focal Point! For me it's unusually my fireplace that works the best because after entering my home it's what drawers you in. In the photo above I used a simple approach as not to detract from Griselda! The mantel is layered with lots of black gauze,feather boas, spiders, vines and everything but the kitchen sink. If it's black I use it...lol
The photo is bad but on the mantel ends I have large glass apothecary jars filed with more black & orange shinny Christmas balls and Halloween ribbon. The bell of any ball is always the candles inside and on top the mantel they truly do light the way into the next dimension. Even a large skull and bones made their way to the fireplace, but my favorite has to be the antique Yellow Glass Eyed Owl Andirons I purchased off Ebay some years ago that really bring this look full circle.

No Fire Place you Say? - No worries, just pick or choose a place towards the center back area of the main party room and go to town! Create a vignette using furniture pieces or even an old rocking chair or a bench. Make it cozy and inviting so people will want to linger or perhaps, "sit for a spell".

4) Goblins Grazing Grounds - Grazing around the food table is an understatement...lol Yep, where you have the eats you'll find the Peeps!

Start with linens by choosing your table cloth, napkins (cloth or paper) and drink ware. I personally like to set up dishes, napkins and silverware on both ends of the table to allow a constant flow of movement.
The second step is the most important step! Create visual interest on your table starting with your centerpiece. From floral arraignments to gruesome "night of the living dead" creatures, have fun and create big!
The evening before my party I plan where each dish will be placed. This will allow my candle placement, creepy crawlers and crawling electronic hands to be perfectly placed..lol There's nothing like having a bloody hand trying to grab you while you're reaching for a finger sandwich! Have fun!
I also love using glow sticks around the table top for interesting colored lighting or a Witches Cauldron filled with hot ice to add to the eeriness. Big Black Crows and Paper Bats hanging from the Dinning Room Chandelier is a must to add to the mood.

Third - Do think height when it comes to displaying your eats! I like to use pedestal cake plates, inverted bowls and even black spray painted boxes to get that staggered look.
Once your table is planned then observe other areas of the room that need attention. I love to dress mirrors by draping them with black fabric like they did one hundred years ago when a family member died. During the Victorian Era when a loved one passed away it was believed that in order to prevent their soul from being trapped in the mirrors they would drape them in black fabric. This was also during the time when loved ones were laid out in their homes for people to come by an pay their respects. Wild but true.
Another wonderful idea that I plan to use this year is draping black tulle and a morning wreath around the case opening leading to the dinning room for a little added drama and darkness.
Have fun and plan early this will ensure the creepiest table scrapping!

5) Music & Entertainment - Music is a must and one of my all time favorite Halloween Party CD' is the Rocky Horror Picture Show CD. People love singing along to the songs! I also have a few cd's of recorded music that is perfect for the party that include "Monster Mash" and The Worms Crawl in and The Worms Crawl Out song...lol Anything fun and creepy!
As for Entertainment I am so about gathering the troops together for a late night stroll through a near by cemetery that does not have closing hours. Of course we're respectable and I even call our local police dept. to clue them in on our intentions so that they will know we are there.
One year we had a five vehicle caravan and had the time of our lives (no pun intended), but if that's to creepy, then come up with something fun and interesting like a Halloween Trivia Question Game, or costume contest, anything to engage your guest. I also love giving my guest numbers when they arrive and before the night drawers to a close I pull a number and the winning ticket receives a bag filled with goodies! Last year my lucky guest received two beautiful Velvet Halloween Throw Pillows! Anything fun or even a basket of homemade Halloween Cookies in a ceramic Halloween Bowl.
Everyone loves party favors so this is another fun thing you can do, again, be creative and make something memorable and start a tradition.