How To Use Halloween Decor All Year Round
Who doesn't love decorating their homes with fall accessories? When people think of fall-inspired interior design, they usually think of decorating for Halloween with colors like orange and black. However, it's possible to establish a dark and spooky vibe in your home year-round without going overboard. Mandy Cheng of Mandy Cheng Design told Food 52 that pairing an orange sofa in the living room with wood furniture creates a balanced design for all seasons. "If you'd like to stick with natural tones, warm woods like walnut or oak accompany orange beautifully, and leather automatically elevates the color and makes it feel more dramatic."
A little black goes a long way to make a room feel balanced. Style by Emily Henderson Editorial Director Arlyn Hernandez told Food 52 that she enjoys mixing black with shades of green and yellow. "If you want a big moody black moment, like painting your walls charcoal, make sure to bring in enough bright spots of color, plenty of texture, and dashes of warmth so it doesn't come off as too severe." For example, a black armchair with mint green and buttercream throw pillows adds lightness and cheerfulness to the stark color of the chair, especially during warm seasons. You can use Halloween decor tips and tricks like this for all seasons with minor adjustments and tweaks for an excellently designed home.
Mix dark dishware and bright blue goblets
A growing kitchen trend is dark dishware. While white porcelain dishware has been popular for centuries, there's something special about black plates, cups, and even silverware, per Chefs Tableware. Black dishware is chic and looks elegant for any occasion, including weddings, dinner parties, and birthdays. It's definitely not just for Halloween. An interesting tidbit about black dishware is that colorful fruits and vegetables pop against the black background because their structures and shapes are more emphasized.
Colored glassware is also a widespread kitchen decor trend (via The Inn). From tall to short, you can find glasses that fit your kitchen aesthetic and add a pop of mysterious color. Achieve a gothic yet chic style by purchasing purple, blue, and black goblets. This Fanny Blue Goblet from Bespoke Designs is gorgeous, and the color will spark conversation. Dinner guests will feel like they're drinking from a glass at an elegant Victorian dinner party. Choose glasses and goblets of different shapes to display on your tablescape for a spooky style. The Alma Blue Double Old-Fashioned Glass from Crate & Barrel is rounded and stout with intricately designed bands of beads all over, giving it a fresh and simple look.
Embrace gothic candelabras
Are you tired of ordinary candelabras? Create a gothic candelabra inspired by the spookiest season for any occasion, per Style My Sweets on YouTube. You can complete this DIY by checking out local stores to find a margarita-style glass and two long glass candle stands. Glue the base of the margarita glass with both long glass candle stands glued together. Grab four door hook pieces and four small candle holders and glue them as pairs. If the hooks have flat ends, you can glue them perpendicular to create four candelabra arms. Glue a big glass bowl in the middle. You can glue glass bowls on top of each arm. Spray paint the candelabra black or dark brown, and place it on top of an oak desk in a study with wooden furniture to create a dark academic vibe year-round.
Another way to craft your own candelabra is by gluing multiple candle holders together to create a large center (via abellee 25 on YouTube). Once the holders are together, glue them onto the upside bottom of a bowl. Take two picture frame stands and glue their backs together to create four prongs. The four prongs will have mini candle holders glued on top of each prong. Place these on top of the newly constructed candle holder. Once everything is dry, paint the whole candelabra black and place drip candles into each of the four sections. Set the candelabra on a patio table for fancy lighting during dinner parties.
Work with autumnal wreaths
Be original by crafting an autumn wreath that spices up your home all year round. For example, a wreath with faux silk flowers effortlessly transitions between seasons, per A Beautiful Mess. To make your own wreath, visit a craft store and purchase a foam wreath and a red ribbon to wrap around the body of the foam. Buy a bundle of faux silk flowers of varying warm colors like red, orange, and yellow. These silk flowers will look gorgeous and match the color of fall leaves without looking too in-season. Cut off the stems and glue the tops of the flowers onto the foam wreath with a hot glue gun. Cover the space completely. Once it's dry, hang the wreath on the front door of your home to welcome guests in style.
For authentic crafting, Smart Healthy Green Living CEO Sabine H. Schoenberg told Martha Stewart that it's best to make corn wreaths with actual corn. "Why run to a store and buy plastic decorations when Mother Nature provides it all?" You can create a wreath made from corn in a simple DIY project (via StoneGable). Gather the corn and use a hot glue gun to glue each piece of corn onto the straw wreath. Though each piece may vary in size, keep the tips at the same length to keep with the proper arrangements. The corn wreath will look excellent hung up on a kitchen wall.
Play with black and orange curtains
Who said black curtains are too dark to have in the home year-round? According to Sunshine Drapery & Interior Design, black curtains create a sense of drama in a room. The lush ambiance of black curtains creates an air of mystery and intrigue due to the dark color. If there's enough space in the living room to create a reading nook, black velvet curtains will pair perfectly with a velvet reading chair in jewel tones like sapphire, emerald, or amethyst (via A Bustling Nest).
For those who prefer warm tones, go for copper-colored curtain styles, like those from CB2. A set of copper curtains in the living room will add rich tones to the space. Adding a few brass details like candle holders and potters will enhance the gold hints of the copper. Use honey-colored curtains like the Palma Fringe Light Blocking Window Curtain from Urban Outfitters for entryways and to separate rooms in the home for Halloween-inspired decor that works year-round.
Decorate with spooky bowls
One way to decorate with Halloween and fall motifs year-round is to DIY or purchase bowls with an edgy gothic theme, per Thrifty Angela on YouTube. Only a few materials are needed. Check out local dollar stores or craft stores and purchase a plastic bowl that looks like a spider's web. Grab a plastic candle holder to glue onto the bottom of the bowl to act like a stand. Use black spray paint to cover the bowl. After the paint has dried, place complementary candy in the bowl and set it on an entryway table for guests. To go the extra spooky mile, purchase a black plastic bowl and glue faux skeleton hands all over the bowl. This element would be appropriate to display in a Halloween-themed or gothic room.
Another idea is to grab orange and black spray paint to create a Halloween-inspired decorative bowl with polka dots. Purchase a few ceramic bowls and stick round stickers all over the body. Once that's done, use a white primer on the bowls to act as a base. Spray a few bowls orange and a few bowls black after using the primer. Peel off the stickers once the paint has dried. The white polka dots add a sweet touch. These bowls will be suitable for eating and dining, so prepare your favorite dinner and use your new dishware.
Go for edgy skull planters
While it may be considered odd, Texas University Art History Professor Julia Guernsey told Slate that skull decorating has a rich history. "Heads were considered the locus of individuality." American artists were inspired by Hispanic artists who featured Day of the Dead motifs in their murals. Pairing skull planters with living plants can create unexpected contrast and beauty in your home decor (via A Beautiful Mess).
To create your own skull planter, place a small potted succulent in a homemade clay-crafted skull (via Alpha Mom). You can add a black plant if you want to enhance the Halloween vibes. Roll the clay into a ball and mold the top of the clay to fit the small pot inside. Create eyes, a nose, and teeth with a toothpick or a plastic knife. Once the clay has dried, paint the skull planters with acrylic paints. Give it a day or two to dry before putting the planters on display. For those who don't have the time to craft, check out The Ceramic Skeleton Skull Planter from Darby Creek Trading. It'll dress up your space without looking too kitschy or childish. As Loop Living's Eli Manekin told Homes & Gardens, "Plants have a sculptural quality, they are always changing and have such intricate details, and complement every type of decor style." Play with height by placing tall, medium, and short skull succulent planters on a bedroom windowsill.
Work with moon motifs
The image of a werewolf barking at the moon is typically associated with Halloween, but moons are a beautiful symbol you can use for decoration year-round. Bring mystical and intuitive vibes into your home with chic moon motifs, patterns, and designs. Per Bob's Wood Stuff on YouTube, you can go the DIY route by making a plywood moon. Go to a local hardware store and purchase a 4 x 4-foot plywood circle. This piece will be the body of the moon. Grab some light gray and medium blue paint to begin painting. Make craters in the middle of the moon with light gray paint and use dark gray to coat the outer rim. Hang the finished moon on the front of the home.
Moon patterns pop up in everyday decor, whether inspired by science, planets, constellations, or zodiac signs (via Architectural Digest). You can create a mystical moon jewelry dish to hold jewelry or tarot cards and keep it as decoration on top of a dresser (via Tina Le on YouTube). Start by finding a black dish at any craft or home store. Use a white marker paint pen to color a crescent moon. Fill in negative space with stars from the white marker paint pen. After it's dry, coat the dish with a protective craft paint gloss. For those who prefer wall hangings, look for something like this Moon Phases Sign from Spirit Halloween. This piece will look perfect on the wall of your entryway.
Design lace candle holders
Go for an elegant gothic aesthetic by creating lace holders for your candles, per Entertaining Diva. You can dress up your candles for Halloween or chic year-round decor. You'll need a few glass mason jars, black lace, glue, and old necklace pendants. Start by wrapping the black lace around the mason jars. It may help to buy a repositionable adhesive spray that you can use to move the lace around the jars before gluing it down. When everything is even, glue a pendant on the front of the jar. Check out secondhand shops for vintage jewelry and cameos.
Another way to make a gothic-inspired candle holder is to purchase royal purple, electric green, and bold orange lace for mason jars. Think of festive Halloween colors that you can play up year-round. Yellow, red, and brown lace are traditional shades for those who prefer less holiday-specific colors. Don't take off the clamp of the pendant for this project. After gluing the lace, cut a line of rhinestone string to string through the clamp ring of a pendant. Glue the rhinestone string to the middle and let the pendant dangle freely. You can also place votive candles on a fireplace mantel or any solid surface. While lace can come off as antiquated, crafts made from lace add a modern style to traditional settings. New York-based designer Juan Montoya told Wall Street Journal that lace adds beauty and excitement. "It gives you historical layering."
Craft apothecary jars
Get comfortable with old-fashioned objects by incorporating apothecary jars into your home design, per The Lair of Voltaire on YouTube. Look for glass or plastic bottles that have lids or corked tops. Spray paint the bottles black to look dark. After the black spray paint has dried, download spooky labels online and print them out on label paper or make original labels on PhotoShop. Use an adhesive spray on the labels before pasting the image onto the bottles to allow them to hold better. Place decorative ribbon or tie a necklace or a bracelet around the tops of the apothecary jars.
These apothecary jars could be used just for show or to hold actual toiletries such as toothpaste and deodorant. Put medicine or vitamins inside of the apothecary jars if necessary. You can display the apothecary jars in a regular medicine cabinet or set them up nicely in a decorated gothic medicine cabinet. To do the apothecary jars craft, look for Cork Top Glass Bottles, like those from Mountain Rose Herbs. Whether you style them empty or full, they are versatile and work for all seasons (via WM Design House).
Incorporate fall-inspired bedding
Make fall bedding work year-round by pairing autumnal colors and textures together, per Dream Green DIY. For instance, buy a cream-colored duvet with a waffle print or rippled texture and pair it with cream-colored sheets. Incorporate pillow shams in rusty reds, pumpkin oranges, marigold yellows, and oatmeal to add cozy fall colors to your bedding scheme.
You can replace thin blankets with red or green flannel blankets to stay warm on chilly winter nights. A homemade fleece throw blanket in a shade of chocolate brown will look pretty on fleece bedding, such as this plush blanker from Kohl's. Don't forget to toss a couple of decorative throw pillows on the bed. The Fall Floral Fringed Pillow from Hobby Lobby features meticulously swirled vines and leaves that'll brighten up any bedroom and provide comfort.
What's most important about choosing bed sheets is going for something that fits your personality and needs, according to Brooklinen Vice President Deanna Wu for the New York Times. "Do you want it to have colors, layers of texture, and a feeling of whimsy? Or do you want it calm? You can dress your bed as you dress yourself. It can be a reflection of your mood and style."
Embrace velvet furnishings
According to Love Happens Magazine, velvet is known for its luxuriousness and softness. Remember that velvet becomes crushed over time due to wear and tear, and it may need to be dry cleaned instead of machine washed. While some people may shy away from velvet furniture because it's too fancy, there are ways to decorate minimally with velvet. Find velvet throw pillows with textured details in burnt orange like the Yangest Burnt Orange Velvet Throw Pillow from Amazon.
You can play with texture by using velvet. Home design couple Kyal and Kara from The Block told The Latch, "Texture in interior design refers to the feel, touch and physical appearance of surfaces and materials. From hard finishes, furniture and rugs, down to cushions, linen, curtains and throws, each texture plays an important role in creating character unique to that space." Pair a purple velvet sofa with textured neutral throw pillows in the living room. A leather couch and blue velvet side tables on either side can work in the office for a striking style.
Don't neglect your mantel
A straightforward way to establish a Halloween-inspired aesthetic in your home year-round is to decorate a mantel or coffee table in the living room, per Lauren Nicholson on YouTube. Take old decorations off the mantel and use furniture cleaner to wipe away messes and dust. Place a festive covering on top, like this Harvest Mantel Scarf from The Lakeside Collection, which features embroidered leaves and pumpkins. Search for fall-inspired framed pictures to go on top of the scarf. Go the natural route by purchasing a few decanters and decorating with twigs to create a woodsy effect. Celebrate the Halloween season by decorating below the mantel with two sets of stacked pumpkins on either side of the fireplace. Don't forget to sprinkle in some skull decor for a gothic edge.
Go for a rustic vintage feel by stacking antique books upright on your mantel (via Home Made Vintage on YouTube). Treat a wicker pumpkin and old candle holders like bookends for old books. Play with vintage finds such as decorative plates to set on either side of the mantel. The Watercolor Autumn Leaves Salad Plates from Pottery Barn feature beautiful and original painted artistry. With creativity and imagination, you can use Halloween decor year-round in your home with seasonal colors, textured fabrics, and crafted accessories.