Ask A Minnesota Expert: How To Decorate Your Home For Halloween
Crate And Barrel
3503 Galleria
Edina, MN 55435
(952) 920-2300
www.crateandbarrel.com
What started as a part-time job in retail turned into a passion for Jessica Koehler-Gray. Koehler-Gray follows Martha Stewart's blogs like a religion and is constantly looking for fresh and fun ideas for decorating her home. Currently a student at the Art Institute in Minneapolis, she is studying design with the hope that she will one day open up her own studio. Check her out at Crate And Barrel for quick ideas on decor and lifestyle.
Light It Up
Halloween brings out a great excuse to light your candles and create a spooky mood throughout your home. While you may be tempted to go out and purchase a set of matching fall candles, the best candlelit atmosphere is created by the use of mis-matched candles in all types of shapes and sizes. Putting candles by the windows sets off a glow from inside the house to bring a sense of spookiness to those passing by your home. Inside the house, candles can replace bright lights during the evening to create a Halloween atmosphere inside as well. Remember to always be cautious with candles and blow them out at bedtime to avoid unwanted effects of the "natural" light.
Halloween brings to mind a lot of colors besides the traditional black and orange. Pumpkins and other gourds come in a variety of colors, and even jack o' lanterns are being carved out of the non-traditional white and yellow pumpkins. Embrace the lighter colors and move your internal color scheme towards a festive fall hue. For those who like to match their table settings and kitchen towels to the time of year, this is the perfect opportunity to go "Halloween" without having to hang up dreary black towels and curtains. Throw some small pumpkins around the home to really welcome Halloween to your door.
Take It Outdoors
Don't just focus on making your house the most spectacularly decorated home inside, use your outdoor space to create a Halloween theme that is fun and welcoming at the same time. Rather than just stringing some tangled cobwebs across your front yard, take the time to create an organized theme on your front porch and lawn. During Trick or Treat, neighbors will enjoy walking along lighted pathways, headstones in the grass and beautifully carved pumpkins on the porch. Play it safe and don't overcrowd your lawn with decorations; sometimes less is more.
Ornaments have made their way to October in the form of Halloween-themed trees decorated with spooky objects. Halloween ornaments can be made or bought and hung on a little tree inside the home to help get in the spirit of the holiday. At any craft store, small black trees can be purchased for this purpose. Using a little creativity here is also necessary to get the perfect setup going inside your home.
Candy Dishes For Family Treats
While there is so much to love about Halloween, it's hard to deny that the candy may be the best part. Not just for the Trick or Treaters and the candy dishes at work, treats can be placed around the home to welcome the start of the season of sugar. This also is the perfect opportunity to purchase those cute candy dishes shaped like cauldrons, zombie hands and many other fun Halloween themes. If overeating the candy is a common mishap, purchase candy you don't really like. Most candies come in great colors and fall flavors to complement your decor.