Celebrate the season with these Halloween house decorations

Is it time to cast a spell over your home with some spooky Halloween decorations? If so, get ready to transform your home and delight your inner child. From string lights to whimsical wreaths, there’s no better time of year to show off your creativity than Halloween. And once you have your Halloween house decorations from this year, every year after that will be a snap!

We’ve rounded up some cute and simple Halloween decoration ideas to delight trick-or-treaters, party guests, and family members alike. Don’t be fooled — Halloween isn’t just for kids. You can create subtle and sophisticated Halloween decorations for any space.

Finding the right Halloween house decorations 

The best Halloween house decorations will depend on your style and taste. For example, a Halloween party or haunted house will be a lot different than adding a touch of spooktacular style to your home for the season. Consider what your ideal Halloween house would look like, and make a note of things you’d like to avoid.

Below, we’ve organized our Halloween decorating ideas into sections to help you find the options that work for you. Check them all out or skip ahead to the one that fits your ghostly vision to make Halloween decor a breeze. 

Decorating for a Halloween bash 

If you’re hosting a Halloween party, get your guests in the spirit as soon as they arrive. Plan on Halloween-themed treats and decorations throughout the party area. You might also want to include Halloween decorations around the rest of your house to keep with the theme when guests depart to the restroom or a quiet space to accept a call. 

Start by deciding which rooms to transform for the Halloween party. The living room, kitchen, and dining room are common. Depending on your vision for the party, you might also include the front porch and even your yard. 

Most Halloween party decorations are pretty easy to set up. Here are some great ideas to inspire your bash: 

• Start at the door: A Halloween-themed doormat and some Halloween lights around your front porch can get your guests in the spooky spirit. You could even add yard decorations like skeletons or inflatable ghosts for spooky fun. 
• Themed snacks: Parties revolve around food, so set out some Halloween-themed treats on a dining table or sofa table topped with a black tablecloth. The options are endless, with no shortage of Halloween recipes. For example, you might try peeled grapes in a bowl labeled “eyeballs,” cupcakes with spiderweb icing, or classic caramel apples. 
• Include party favors: A bag of party favors for every guest will set your spooktacular bash apart. Add candy, plastic spiders, glow sticks, cute ghost or mummy figures, and anything else that catches your eye. Try setting up the goodie bags on a chic entryway table for guests to grab as they leave. 
• Set the mood: You don’t need to go all-out on Halloween party decorations, but you’ll want to set the mood. Consider making a centerpiece with a bowl of fruit punch with dry ice in it to create a spooky fog. Or add an actual fog machine in the main party room. Spiderwebs and other Halloween party supplies are also easy to put up around door frames and tables to create a fun scene. And don’t forget the Halloween music! 

From the front door to the party area, these tips will keep your guests happy. With party favors, snacks, music, and guests in costumes, you’ll have a Halloween bash to remember for years to come. 

Setting up a haunted house 

Setting up a haunted house is a bit different than decorating for a Halloween party. Still, we recommend our “Decorating for a Halloween bash” section above for extra ideas. With a haunted house, you want to set the spooky mood in the yard and continue raising the creepy factor with each step inside. 

Much like planning your party decor, you’ll start by deciding how much of your home you want to transform. Next, pick a path from the entrance to the exit that guests will walk through. The entry could be the path from the sidewalk into your front yard, front porch, or front door. From there, you’ll use Halloween haunted house props to create a spooky event that’s appropriate for the age of guests you expect. 

Instead of lighthearted Halloween party supplies, a haunted house calls for spookier supplies. Check out these ideas to for a dose of inspiration: 

• Go life-size: Whether you’re decorating indoors or outdoors, try to make your props as close to life-size as possible. If they’re animatronic and motion-activated, even better. A life-sized zombie, ghost, skeleton, or witch in the yard with more throughout the haunted house tour will surely spook your guests. Cutouts work well, too, because they create life-size silhouettes in the background of your space. 
• Oversize the spiders: Creepy crawlies certainly have a way of getting people’s skin crawling. A giant cobweb that guests have to walk through with a giant faux spider just overhead will set most on edge. You can also string cobwebs throughout your space, making it look like the spiders have set up shop in your home. 
• Sell it with the yard: If you can decorate your yard, do it! Add tombstones, zombies, lights, and any creepy outdoor Halloween decorations you find. Coordinate the yard decorations, too. A zombie crawling out of the ground by a gravestone is more dreadful than either decoration alone. 
• Get a bit gory: Gore should be age-appropriate, but adding a little goes a long way for a haunted house. Try splashing some red paint on a few Halloween props for a blood effect. Or, if you’re entertaining young children, you might make a spot for them to stick their hands into different sensory bowls. Some ideas include peeled grapes (eyeballs), wet gummy worms in crushed cookies (worms), and pumpkin guts mixed with spaghetti. Just make sure to have a handwashing station before and after this attraction. 
• Don’t forget sound effects: Sound is essential for a haunted house. Set up speakers in each space to play spooky sound effects that match the theme of your haunted decorations. Laughing ghosts, cackling witches, creaking doors, and general creepy noises go a long way in scaring people on Halloween. 

Setting up a haunted house is a big undertaking, but these tips will get you on the right track. Once your decorations are ready, it’s time to turn out the lights and turn on the frights! If you can wrangle a few friends to get in costume to jump out and scare people, even better.

Adding a touch of stylish Halloween spirit 

Haunted houses and Halloween parties not your thing? You’re not alone. Most people want just a touch of spooky Halloween spirit in their home for the season. Be as subtle as you’d like, adding just enough to say “Happy Halloween” without feeling like you live in a haunted house. 

Maybe you love Halloween, or you have little ones who’d like to get in the spirit. Whatever the case, consider how much Halloween decor you’d like to bring into your home and go from there. Do you want just a few decorative items to set the tone? Or are you considering Halloween touches in every room? When you’re just adding a bit, have fun with it and pick things you enjoy. 

Let these ideas spark your creativity: 

• Hang wreaths: Adding a wreath to your door, above your sofa, or to either side of your hall tree is a simple way to change up your decor. You might opt for a rustic DIY wreath with bats, spiders, or pumpkins glued in. On the other hand, an elegant fall wreath with black and orange ribbon is just as effective but decidedly more “grown-up.”
• Downsize: Small or large decorations are chic compared to regular sizes. Chances are you don’t want a 50-pound pumpkin in your home, so opt for mini pumpkins instead. They look great in groups of three and instantly add Halloween spirit. Display them as they are, draw on jack-o-lantern faces, carve them with geometric patterns, paint them white, or cover them in glitter. 
• Set up centerpieces: A Halloween centerpiece on the coffee table and dining table might be all you need. Painted mini pumpkins, candle holders, inky-toned flowers, lanterns, Halloween lights, and fall garland all work well for dressing up the center of your table. 

A few touches of Halloween throughout the home are festive and fun. Add what you like, and don’t feel pressured to add decorations in every room. Less is more for mature Halloween interior decor. 

Just for the trick-or-treaters

If you’re just decorating for the trick or treaters, we get it. Maybe you don’t have kids or aren’t a huge Halloween fan. Decorating the front door and yard is usually enough if you simply want to pass out candy. Decorating for trick-or-treaters is fun and easy, and you might even find yourself getting into the spooky spirit of it all. 

Try these ideas for fun yet tasteful Halloween house decorations: 

• Go classic: Keep it classic with a few jack-o-lanterns and maybe some spiderwebs around the door. A trick-or-treat sign on the door is a playful and welcoming touch. 
• Make getting candy fun: If you’re leaving candy out, consider a bowl on an entryway bench with an electronic hand to surprise the kiddos when they reach in. If trick-or-treaters need to ring your doorbell, consider adding spooky music for them to listen to as they wait. And don’t forget to dress up in a Halloween costume! 
• Add a focal point: You don’t need much, but adding one eye-catching outdoor Halloween decoration is like adding a cherry on top for trick-or-treaters. For example, consider a trio of gravestones by the stairs, an inflatable ghost by the door, or a giant spider lurking behind the pumpkins. 

Try to see your front porch through the eyes of an excited trick-or-treater on Halloween night. With classic decor, plenty of candy, and a fun focal point, you’ll have everything you need to delight little ones. 

Ready to trick or treat yourself?

We hope this list of ideas have inspired you to eat, drink, and be scary this Halloween! With a few store-bought and DIY Halloween house decorations, you’ll be ready for the season. Whether you’re adding a little or a lot of Halloween spirit, it’s sure to make this season more fun for friends, family, guests, and little ones alike.

To find furniture that makes it easier to add Halloween decorations to your home, we recommend getting what you need ahead of time. Click over to Coaster Furniture’s full selection to browse room-by-room. Then, check out our store locator when you’re ready to buy.

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