Autumn is officially here! You can now enjoy pumpkin spice lattes and cinnamon-scented candles. Coziness textiles are also available. Halloween is a spooky holiday that takes place mainly outside. Trick-or-treaters are likely to venture out, so this is a great opportunity to get the neighborhood involved.
Want to make a big impact on your porch or stoop this year? Mercedes Feller, from Balsam Hill, suggests embracing traditional fall décor. She tells ELLE DECO that “Halloween is not complete without pumpkins and jack o’lanterns. I love decorating them in abundance to make a statement.” The whole family can get involved with carving them. “Stack them and mix colors and sizes, then place them at different heights,” she tells ELLE DECOR.
Feller suggests using a spotlight for a more supernatural look. She explains that “Halloween Lighting is crucial, because nighttime is the time when Halloween really comes alive.” Get spooky by using foliage or twigs trees with lights built in for an eerie glow. “I love silhouettes that are illuminated, because the shadows cast by them on the house give it a haunted feel.”
Where to start? You can go for a traditional assemblage of cheerful pumpkins or go full Edward Scissorhands with your ghoulish set-up. These 13 ideas will inspire you and get you ready for Halloween.
COLORFUL PUMPKINS
This display is perfect for those who want to add a unique look to their Halloween decorations. Vanessa Sanchez took advantage of her large yard and went all out with outdoor decor. There is a shop in the area that sells gorgeous Mexican pottery and tile. “I knew these pumpkins were perfect for my porch’s Halloween,” she says. “I used mums and marigolds as well as a fun wreath and doormat to complete the look.”
SPOOKY and WHIMSICAL
This whimsical corner is perfect for those who like to decorate with a spooky look. Halloween queen Jillian Shensel selected traditional pieces in orange and black to make them stand out against the white furniture. She explains that she used items of different heights and textures to create depth. The playful black cats, greenery, and creepy pumpkins are all brought together by the playful black cat.
SPIDEY SENSE
Chelsee Hood, House of Hood, says, “I like whimsical, lighthearted Halloween decor with just the right amount of spookiness, but not too frightening.” She added checkered cushions, pumpkins, and spiders to the wall. A skeleton was also placed in the wooden column.
WITCHING HOUR
Happy Happy Nester’s Janine Waite does not spare any expense when decorating her porch for Halloween. This display features a DIY yarn web, local pumpkins, and twinkle lights in festive orange. She adds, “I used temporary Velcro to hang black witch-hats from porch ceilings for a magical look.”
SKELETON GREETING
Katrina Laing has always loved Halloween. She says that Halloween has been a part of her life since childhood. The waving pumpkin reminds her of the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Sleepy Hollow, New York. This was the inspiration for the decor set, complete with hanging lights and a neon web.
WITCH PROPERTY
Kimmarie Shafer of Graceful Home and Hound says, “Wit,ches brewed in my mind when I saw these cackling light-up ladies.” She completed the look with a bubbling cauldron filled with bats and crows. The sign warns people to be careful.
TWINKLY LIGHTS
Balsam Hill added twinkling lights to the spooky decorations on this porch. This can help lighten up the atmosphere and make your patio feel cozier. The use of branch accents enhances the rustic feel.
SMILING JACK OLLANTERNS
Use reusable jack-o-lanterns to decorate your porch. The yellow mums and spider webs on the stair rail create an inviting entrance. A large spider placed on the door adds the finishing touch.
SPIDER TAKEOVER
For Laura Salter’s Halloween decor, it’s always big or go away. She explains that the theme for this look was spiders and skulls. “We wanted the front of the home to look as if it was crawling, with spiders on the porch, railings, and planters. The skeletons were a natural choice, along with mums and other pumpkins.
FLOATING CANDLES
This easy DIY project is for Harry Potter fans. Happy Happy nester’s Janine Waite found a way to make the candles float from the ceiling. This is a great effect for Halloween. It will also make your porch appear mysterious and magical.
BELIEVE DISPLAY
Create any silhouette to give your porch a spooky appearance and fill the space. This silhouette of the witch and her cat with a pot catches an enormous shadow in the background. Enter if you dare!
A CHILLING HELLO
Carly Jordan, a house flipper and decor expert, loves to incorporate fall touches into Halloween decor. A warning sign and a waving skull at the front will instantly give your home a Halloween feel. She says that mixing and matching different items to create a spooky scene on the front porch of a home is one of her favorite things about Halloween.
HIDDEN SKELETON
Skeletons can be a great addition to a bare porch. Place a bony companion in the corner of the staircase along with some pumpkins for a festive and cute Halloween moment.
