For some people, the scarier the better when it comes to Halloween decorations. A zombie girl with glowing eyes who rips the head off her teddy bear? OK. A 6-foot-tall, chainsaw-wielding hulk who emits bloodcurdling screams and buzzing? Trick or treat!
Decorating with scary stuff can be part of the fun.
But other people, including those with little kids, find the aesthetic disturbing, and prefer their Halloween without the gore.
害羞草研究所淚 want to preserve my little ones害羞草研究所� innocence as long as possible, and the creepy, mischievous, evil side of Halloween brings up topics I don害羞草研究所檛 want my child to know about until they害羞草研究所檙e old enough to understand it害羞草研究所檚 fake,害羞草研究所� says Jamie Morrissey, who has three children under 3 in suburban New York.
For those after a more dialed-down but still spooky and dramatic look, there are plenty of decorations and themes.
Some play off of old science and wizardry, with celestial illustrations and apothecary elements. Some take a playfully gothic turn. There害羞草研究所檚 the traditional orange-and-black color scheme, but no reason to stick only to that.
(Note: As for fake cobwebs and dangling lights, wildlife experts urge people not to put them up. Animals can get in them, leading to injury or death.)
BASIC BLACK. OR A HALLOWEEN RAINBOW
Jessica Dodell-Feder, HGTV Magazine害羞草研究所檚 executive editor, bleeds the color from her decorations.
害羞草研究所淚 love keeping everything black and white, then using natural elements that have a little bit of a creepy factor like bats, snakes, bugs or Venus fly traps,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淭hink black-painted branches sticking out of an urn; framed faux moth specimens; black-painted faux snakes 害羞草研究所榗rawling害羞草研究所� across the center of a table like a runner.害羞草研究所�
At the other end of the spectrum, if you want to take your Halloween a little bit 害羞草研究所�90s, a little bit , then professional crafter of Austin, Texas, has some zingy, rainbow-hued, Halloween-themed ideas at her site, akailochiclife. She offers garlands of multicolored pumpkins or phrases, like 害羞草研究所淗ocus Pocus害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所淚 Put a Spell on You.害羞草研究所� She has instructions for spatter-painting faux pumpkins in day-glo colors.
Another craft idea that kids and adults can do together:
Submerge a few white tapers in warm water until they害羞草研究所檙e soft enough to bend into curvy shapes. Then with a permanent marker add facial features. Once they害羞草研究所檝e cooled and hardened again, you害羞草研究所檝e got some candle ghosts for the table. There害羞草研究所檚 a DIY video on Whitten害羞草研究所檚 blog.
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living害羞草研究所檚 senior homes and features editor, favors fall colors.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not huge on Halloween, so I love leaning into the season害羞草研究所檚 abundance of natural colors instead: sage greens, burnt oranges, golden yellows and chocolate browns,害羞草研究所� she says.
害羞草研究所淧lus, when you skip the zombies in favor of fall color, you can enjoy your decorations from the start of the season through Thanksgiving.害羞草研究所�
GHOSTS, JACK-O害羞草研究所�-LANTERNS AND OTHER STALWARTS
But Watson acknowledges it害羞草研究所檚 no fun to be a Halloween Scrooge, either.
She finds the handmade ghosts from Mollie Jenkins Pottery 害羞草研究所渏ust the right mix of sweet and spooky.害羞草研究所�
is a Columbus, Georgia, ceramic artist who found herself with a little extra white clay one fall semester while pursuing her B.F.A. at Auburn University.
害羞草研究所淢y mom害羞草研究所檚 always loved decorating for the holidays, and growing up we had spooky Halloween candlesticks along with big terracotta jack-o害羞草研究所�-lanterns. I took a spin off of those, creating my whimsical ghost,害羞草研究所� she said.
Her little specters have developed a following, and sell out every year on her site.
DECORATING FOR A PARTY
Inviting some friends over for a spooky soiree?
For a Hogwarts feel, hang some of battery-operated 害羞草研究所渇loating candles害羞草研究所� over a party table or entry. The retailer also has stacked black pumpkin lights with cat faces, and glittery black twig trees.
got a twiggy, matte-black wreath for a mantel or door. Or create a modern Halloween village with a few of their matte-black haunted houses.
Lauren McIntosh, an artist in Berkeley, California, has created a collection of glassware and napkins for with illustrations including a fortune-teller害羞草研究所檚 palm, ravens, night-blooming flowers, and mystical moon and star patterns. Also for London ceramicist has an endearing array of bats, cats, owls and ravens on trays, mugs, lanterns and a candelabra.
Dodell-Felder shares a party idea connected to the movie 害羞草研究所淏eetlejuice,害羞草研究所� which gets a new installment as early as next year.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a huge fan of Tim Burton, and recently ended up purely by accident at a Beetlejuice-themed bar. It had black-and-white striped d茅cor with neon green elements. The drinks were served on dry ice, and they had old-timey portraits on the walls. You couldn害羞草研究所檛 look away!害羞草研究所� she says.
For 害羞草研究所渁n elevated Halloween party,害羞草研究所� The Spruce害羞草研究所檚 editorial and strategy director, Caroline Utz, suggests setting up a tablescape with luxe textures like velvet, and adding orange, purple and green candlesticks in different shapes and sizes. Sculptured Greek or Roman busts might add a 害羞草研究所淣ight at the Museum害羞草研究所� vibe.
CREATIVE BUT GENTLE
In San Francisco, Emily Reaman works in interior design, and she害羞草研究所檚 also got a preschooler. While he loves some 害羞草研究所渟pooky害羞草研究所� things, she害羞草研究所檚 careful about her decorating.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 have cobwebs or skeletons hanging by my front door,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淏ut I do add lights to the trees, and my son and I decorate gourds with paint and glitter that we keep out during Halloween, then use on the Thanksgiving table.害羞草研究所�
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