Decorate Your Home For Halloween Without Breaking The Bank
Halloween is one of those holidays that unite people of all ages and walks of life. After all, who would ever give up the opportunity to drop basic reality for an evening of costumes and mystery? Choosing your costume may be at the top of your to do list, but don't forget about your home. Whether you plan to host a Halloween gathering or just want to get into the spirit, try sprucing up your home to reflect the creepiest time of year. Here are some easy decorating tips that won't break the bank.
1) Show off your artistic talents with pumpkins. Pumpkins are practically synonymous with Halloween, so incorporating them into your decorating aesthetic is a must. Head to a local pumpkin patch (or grocery store) and pick up these affordable items. Use glitter, paint, markers or any styling material to bring those Jack o' Lanterns to life. If you plan to illuminate your pumpkins, try LED lights instead of candles for safety.
2) Create a Halloween candy buffet. Tempt your household and guests with a grand candy buffet. Use serving bowls or stackable serveware to house all of your Halloween treats. You can even incorporate plastic pumpkin containers or other Halloween-related décor to store candy corn, candy pumpkins and other holiday favorites. Once you decide on what to display, place your showpiece in the foyer or dining room.
3) Make cobwebs. Add spooky cobwebs to your interior for some textural fun. It is an easy do-it-yourself project. All you really need is a big supply of cotton balls, scissors and tape. Stretch each of the cotton balls to their limit and layer them together on walls and ceilings. You can even cover old mirrors and entryway furniture to make your home look aged.
4) Stay classy with fall foliage. No one says that Halloween must have ghosts and goblins. For a classic approach to decorating, head outdoors and stock up on warm-hued leaves. Place them inside clear glass vases or serving bowls and introduce them as centerpieces throughout your home.
5) Create Halloween hanging décor. Do you love a good seasonal craft? If so, round up the family to make Halloween-inspired wall décor. Create ghoulish characters out of construction paper and suspend them on a branch with string or fish wire. This can become a hanging display for your foyer or a wall of scariness above doorways. Alternatively, lose the branch and tape them directly to the ceiling.
6) Make spooky silhouettes. Another fun do-it-yourself craft is to create your own silhouettes to add visual interest to bare walls, windows and floors. Use butcher paper and trace out your body outline with chalk to reflect a murder scene. For a timeless wall or window silhouette, trace your body profile on butcher paper, paint with black paint and cut out to hang.
7) Showcase haunted paper bag luminaries. White paper bags can really go a long way with a little Halloween character. Draw out or trace classic Halloween characters onto each bag and place an LED candle inside each for illumination. Line the sides of your hallway with these luminaries or place them throughout your haunted abode for an extra splash of décor.
8) Create blood-written signs. If you plan to host trick-or-treaters, then you are going to need a few signs to amp up the spookiness. Using white poster boards and some red paint, craft up haunting signs like "beware of ghost" for your front door. For a bloody effect, encourage hand prints around each sign.
9) Don't craft? Try printable Halloween décor. Not all Halloween decorations require a trip to your local craft store. There are many pre-made decorations that you can print from the comforts of your own home.
10) Go creepy with your edibles. Did you know that water, food coloring and a head of lettuce in a vase can look like a specimen jar? For Halloween, think outside the box with uncommon food displays.
Tanvier Lee is a New York based lifestyle decorator, stylist and freelance writer. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
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