I’ll admit, I’ve haven’t always been into the whole decorating-for-Halloween thing. I usually opt for Autumn decor (you know… the warm scented candles, fall foliage, sticks, branches…the whole shebang!) kind of bypassing the creepy vibes altogether. This year, I decided I wanted to incorporate some chic Halloween decor into the mix because, I actually really enjoy the Halloween festivities. Count me in for the Halloween parties, haunted house excursions, pumpkin carving and scary movie marathons with the hubby, I love it all!
So naturally, I thought I’d add a little spook to the fall decor I already have, but my goal was to do it tastefully. I didn’t want to go overboard with it because after October 31, it goes bye, bye! I Googled and searched Pinterest but was unable to find ideas that catered to the minimal level that I was searching for. I wanted touches of spook if you get what I mean. So I started with what I was gravitating towards the most, chic Halloween vibes. The Halloween decor needed to fuse with the aesthetic of my home.
Enter, gold skulls! I figured that this was a great place to start, they aligned with the chic Halloween decor I was going for and they were very inexpensive. I found these gold skull candle holders at the At Home Superstore. If you have one in your area, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s like Hobby Lobby, but on steroids. So, back to the skulls, these make the perfect accent to a coffee table or console table. Add a small tealight or votive candle and it sets a spooky ambiance in your room. In addition to the votive holders, I found a bronze skull with black butterflies for the coffee table and this black candle for a elegant touch. While this candle is not a traditional “fall scent” like the ones I typically gravitate towards, its warm scent is just as cozy.
To go along with the skull theme, I added some plush throw pillows to my couch. I found these skull pillows while browsing at another one of my favorite home stores, HomeGoods. These babies were a whopping $13 for the set, talk about a deal and my stepdaughter “is so obsessed” as she says, so if the 13 year old approves, they must be trendy, right?! I added a creepy postcard-themed pillow for a pop of color as I wanted to break up the black, white and gray trend that I seem to always gravitate towards.
The console table in our dining room was the main focal point for the Halloween decor as this is centered in the middle of our home. So you can imagine my excitement when I found this Namaste skeleton at Michael’s for $6 (talk about a deal!) I guess that’s the benefit of shopping later in the season, everything is at least 50% off. I figured he’d sit perfectly between my pillar candles because duh, he’s meditating! And on the other side, I placed my wooden raven statue. I mean, what’s more ironic than a raven sitting next to a stack of books (hello, Edgar Allan Poe fans) Now if only I could’ve found a copy of The Raven at the used bookstore, how perfect would that have been?
Speaking of the books, I went to Goodwill and searched the shelves for a few hardback books (preferably with black covers) to stack on the table. I needed a little something to add dimension to the table top and this was an effortless way to do so. It just so happened that the ones I found were ironically creepy in nature, well minus the one titled “Why Are Flamingos Pink” (I couldn’t help myself.) I added these little potion bottles ($1 at Michael’s) and voila, let the spookiness commence. I’ve created a checklist below on a few items that are perfect for adding a little spook to your home in a very chic way. Also, I linked some similar products below.
How to Add A Little Spook to Your Home
- Hit up the dollar store for some cheap decor that can be easily upgraded with some gold or black spray paint (did you see my little clip on bats and sparkly spider)
- Add vintage books to a coffee table to add dimension, the spookier, the better
- Hit up HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby or Michael’s for some festive candles and candle jars
- Incorporate pops of orange and black in subtle ways – throw blankets and pillows are the perfect way to do this
- Place mini pumpkins throughout the house (pumpkin patches usually have these for cheap)
- Add a faux raven (or three) on shelves and bookcases – I did a plastic (and sparkly) spider from the dollar store
- Skull votive candle holders can literally be placed just about anywhere – as you can see, I did this!
- Candles, candles and more candles – opt for candlesticks or pillar candles of varying heights. You can find a ton of jars and candlestick holders at Goodwill (I like to paint them black)
As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to decorate for Halloween. After all, simple is sometimes the best way to go (and much easier to pack away. Am I right?) So tell me, do you decorate for Halloween or do you just focus on a fall aesthetic?
