Boo-Tiful Interiors: A Designer’s Guide to Halloween Décor
The fall sports are well underway, the air is chilly and the leaves have started to change – can you believe it’s that magical time of year again? The time we all decorate wild and embrace the spooky to celebrate Halloween!
As an interior designer, I love it when this season comes and I get to transform spaces into hauntingly creepy Halloween realms. I am often tasked with decorating porches and foyers or dining room tablescapes for the spooktacular events and harvest season.
With that in mind, I thought it may be fun to share some of my preferred Boo-Tiful Halloween design ideas to help inspire you this season. Together we can create a Halloween that’s both stylish and eerie.
1. Set the Mood with Spooky Lighting
Before you start adding cobwebs and skeletons, it’s essential to set the right mood with lighting (inside and out). For an eerie ambiance, swap out your usual exterior bulbs for dim, warm-toned lights or even flickering candles (see below). The flickering candles are my FAVORITE! I love the creepy/witch vibe they give off reminding me of Hocus Pocus.
Consider placing candles inside carved pumpkins for a classic and spooky Halloween glow. Chandeliers draped with fake spiderwebs can add an extra touch of spookiness to your lighting scheme. And finally, pathway solar lights with spiderweb designs or creepy skeleton candle hands (like these below) create a walkway to remember.
Check out my favorite lighting additions here:
2. Play with Dark and Moody Colors
Halloween is all about embracing the dark side, so experiment with deep, rich colors like black, dark purple, and blood-red. Incorporate these hues into your design scheme through wall paint, upholstery, or decorative accents like throw pillows and drapery. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, consider creating a feature wall with a spooky mural or wallpaper featuring haunted houses or eerie forests.
Not feeling like you want the work of creating and taking down something more permanent? Try large scale spooky posters, plastic table clothes or even shower curtains wrapped over your current artwork. Secure larger lightweight items with painters’ tape on the back of your hard frames or with tacks on the back of your canvas prints you already have resting on your buffet.
Here are some of my go-to Amazon large prints for the spooky season. Just buy them – unwrap – then gently secure over your permanent décor for easy November removal.
Want something more bloody? This creepy Bloody Handprints Table Cloth will clover all large print pictures nicely and add a horror movie vibe.
3. Frightening Fun Wall Art and Printables
Add an element of surprise by hanging eerie wall art and table top décor. Vintage-style Halloween posters, gothic mirrors, and oversized spiderweb decals or black lace can make your space feel like a haunted mansion. For an extra twist, create a gallery wall with a mix of creepy and classy artwork. My Favorite way to do this on the cheap and without going anywhere is with printables!
See some of my personal crafted printables I’ve used in the past below. Pop some of these in black frames and stagger them in varying sizes along a buffet or on shelves for some timeless yet fun Halloween pops at an inexpensive price. The links on the photos will take you to the Etsy page where we sell our Printables.
4. Up the Spooky with the Textiles
Remember that design is not all about looks; but, also about touch. Does something make you feel good touching it? Is it cozy? These are things we designers ask over and over again.
Thus, consider swapping out your usual upholstery and throws with eerie textiles like velvet, faux fur, or lace. These textures can give your space a haunted house ambiance. For a playful touch, incorporate Halloween-themed textiles like this cute as can be ghost-shaped throw pillow, a this ultra plush bat-shaped rug, or even dining room chair slip covers in a funky Halloween theme.
5. Create a Tablescape that Scares
Don’t forget about the dining table! The table is really one of the most fun areas to decorate in a home so why not spend a little extra time making it that much more festive? Dress it up with eerie place settings, black candle holders, and unique tableware. Add a touch of mystery with skull-shaped goblets, skeleton-themed dishes, and even antique candelabras.
This Halloween, embrace your inner ghoul and turn your interiors into a spooktacular, boo-tiful spectacle. With these design ideas, you can create a spell bounding beautiful space that will leave your guests (and kids) in all the Halloween joy. So, grab your broomstick and get to work! It’s time to brew up some Halloween magic!
This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my small business and family.
