Last Updated on March 3, 2024 by Kimberly Crawford
Create a spooky sense of fun around the house for Halloween that has an adult feel yet still is full of whimsy.
Decorating for Halloween too often takes a childish turn with plastic jack o’lanterns, green witches, and cheesy knickknacks. But this doesn’t have to be the case, turn up the class and scare the pants off your friends in a mature way.
Cobwebs
Cobwebs are a great way to create a spooky feel in any home but they need to be done correctly or they look cheap and clumpy. The secret to getting store bought cobwebs to look good is pulling and stretching them until they’re filament thin.
Framed Frights
Replace regular framed photographs with more frightening fare. Look for images of famous haunted or spooky spots such as the Bates Motel, the Stanley Hotel from The Shining, a graveyard, or a few tombstones. Or go another route and print some curses, spells and other witchy concoctions onto parchment paper and frame them.
Black and White
Skip the orange and the green and stick to a black and white theme. Even black and white items that are not Halloween related take on a more festive tone when mixed with a few freaky accessories. One way to easily add black and white Halloween décor is to purchase Styrofoam or wooden pumpkins and spray paint them black or white.
Crows and Blackbirds
Look for black birds to tuck into out of the way places or let them take center stage. It’s a more subtle Halloween touch and adds a slight sense of spooky to the room.
Iron on Skeletons
Look for free clip art on the computer that resembles simple black and white bones or skeletons. Print this clip art onto iron on paper and then iron the images onto inexpensive décor like cloth napkins, guest hand towels, and throw pillows.
Spooky Lamps
Purchase inexpensive or thrift store lamps and spray paint them black. Pick up some lampshade frames and paint them black as well. Replacing regular lamps with simple black bases and just black frames gives them a skeletal appearance.
Another way to add a little interest to lamps is to cut spooky shapes out of black construction paper or felt and then stick them inside of a lampshade with double stick tape. This will create creepy images on the shades that make them look like custom made shades.
Antiques
A couple collections of antiques used as focal points can come off very eerie, especially if they’re dressed with some cobwebs and a few cleverly placed little black spiders.
The key to creating a spooky Halloween setting that is mature in nature is to really pay attention to the details and create one area that is a tableau and homage to the season.
