You love the idea of throwing the best Halloween bash in town — but first, your home needs to look the part. This can seem overwhelming if you have a limited budget or when you struggle to come up with creative ideas. Thankfully, it’s possible to transform your home into Halloween central even if you’re typically not a party-throwing genius.
On the hunt for ideas that will help your Halloween party stand out? These spooktacular decorating ideas will ensure that your extravaganza is talked about long after everyone’s finished their trick-or-treat candy.
Halloween Treats
Yes, trick-or-treating delivers huge pillowcases full of candy, but that shouldn’t be the only delicious option on Halloween. Those who are too old to trick-or-treat will be glad to find delicacies that serve a decorative purpose — to the point that they look too good to eat! Whether you feel ambitious enough to hit the kitchen or prefer to simply visit your local bakery or grocery store, you’ll definitely want to have these treats on hand:
- Cupcakes resembling witches, ghosts, or monsters
- Mini bundt cakes that look like pumpkins
- Graveyard dirt pudding cups
- Thematic guacamole or taco dip
- Carrots and hummus arranged to look like a jack-o-lantern
- Orange and black yogurt-covered pretzels
- A giant bowl of candy corn
“Halloween Treats” by pvera is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Pumpkin Punch Bowl
Beyond food, beverages provide a great opportunity to add color or style to your party even before you put decor on the wall. Pumpkin punch bowls are especially fun, whether they’re spiked for an adult party or alcohol-free for the kids. Shaped like pumpkins, they can hold brightly-colored beverages such as orange sherbet punch. Orange cups or napkins complete the effect.
Cobweb Tablecloth Covers
Put the finishing touch on the dining area with help from thematic tablecloths or covers. Cobweb covers are great for a spooky design, as they make your tables look like they’re actually covered in spiderwebs. DIY options are available when you feel crafty, but you can also purchase cobweb covers from your local party store.
“cobweb in the bird table” by Vicky Brock is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Eerie Lighting
Set the mood with spooky lighting that gives visitors the creeps. This could be as simple as dimming the lights, but special effects are worth adding when you’re ready to up the ante. Feel free to give these creative lighting tricks a try:
- Use weatherproof floor lights outside. These create a spooky atmosphere for both trick-or-treaters and guests as they enter your party
- Add black lights to bring a ghoulish feel to your party
- Invest in gels. These can be added to nearly any white light to deliver a dose of color.
- Battery-operated candles are surprisingly affordable and can instantly add a sense of ambiance where it’s needed most
- Try multicolor LEDs. Use a remote to change the color at a moment’s notice. These products often provide a variety of special effects worth experimenting with, especially if you create an in-home haunted house
- Paint some wine bottles, insert some candlesticks, and tada – you’ve provided fun candle lighting for your party
“Eerie lighting on a tree” by Bods is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Scary Wall Murals & Decals
Removable wall murals and decals are great when you’re short on time but still want to make a statement with your Halloween party decor. A range of visually impactful decals are available, so don’t hesitate to select something that matches your vision of the perfect event. Use them for subtle decorations or as a backdrop against which attendees can take photos.
“Vintage Halloween paper place mat” by riptheskull is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Daunting Doors
Don’t neglect your home’s doors as you decorate for your party. The front door provides a great introduction to your event if you’re unable to dedicate a lot of time or effort to decorating outside. If your Halloween bash occupies multiple rooms, doors can also set the tone as guests transition from one area to the next.
“halloween 2006” by paparutzi is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Spider webs are an obvious option for Halloween doors, but other styles are also worth considering. Halloween wreaths, for example, can be constructed from moss, leaves spray-painted black, creepy masks, or even candy wrappers for a more cheerful event.
Frightening Foliage
Bring the outdoors in with a unique take on plant life that will add another level of spookiness to your bash. This idea is easy to pull off on your own: purchase fake plants from your local craft outlet or dollar store, along with black spray paint. Feel free to accent with orange or bright green to make these plant-based decorations pop. These can be placed throughout the party to bring a cohesive look to the occasion. Don’t forget to decorate an especially spooky plant to use as a centerpiece.
“Halloween Tree” by H_Elise is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Spooky Gallery Walls
If your walls are already adorned with family photos, a simple swap will take them from delightful to dreadful: use off-center, spooky images instead. You are also welcome to invest in new frames; these can even be spray-painted if desired to match the frightening foliage mentioned above.
Ghost Piñatas
Piñatas aren’t just for birthday parties. Since Halloween candy is a central component of the holiday, the piñata provides a fun and decorative means of delivering sweets without trick-or-treating. Crafty types are welcome to try DIY piñatas, but these Halloween accessories are also available in a variety of party stores. Either way, be sure to display the piñata prominently so that guests stick around long enough to try their hand at cracking it open.
“spent ghost” by adotmanda is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Creepy Cardboard Frames
Encourage guests to show off their Halloween costumes or face paint as they pose for photos. They’ll love showing off their looks while using creepy cardboard frames. Ideally, these will be thematic; a pumpkin carving party, for example, should include lots of jack-o-lanterns on the frame, while a haunted house event might focus on spider webs or blood. Encourage attendees to share any pictures they take with your cardboard frames on social media, where you can reflect on your Halloween memories long after your party has concluded.
From wall murals and decals to cardboard frames, Cardboard Cutouts Standees offers a variety of options for leveling up your Halloween decorations. Equipped with our unique products, you’ll have no trouble decking out your home for a party to remember. Contact us today to get started.
