How to Elevate the Look of your Home’s Halloween Decor

As the leaves change colors and temperatures drop, it’s only natural to see Halloween decorations cropping up in neighborhoods all across the USA. While everyone can appreciate leaning into the spooky, fun side of Halloween, it seems like more and more people have been asking how to create a classy, upscale look with their Halloween decor. 

Creating elevated holiday-themed interiors is something designers have been attempting for decades, and, as we learned touring this year’s St. Jude Dream Home, it is something that can definitely be done successfully. So, while we fully support those who love the “traditional” way of decorating for the holidays, we wanted to provide some helpful advice for anyone wanting to try and create a more-sophisticated Halloween look this year.

Suit your Style

One of the most important things to remember when trying to decorate for Halloween, or any holiday for that matter, is to find holiday-themed decor items that complement your home’s existing style. We live in the golden age of holiday decorations, and in today’s market there are thousands of Halloween-inspired accents that can complement a wide range of interior styles. 

So, instead of relying on generic plastic halloween decorations, spend some time searching for items that will match the aesthetic of your home. If your living room has elements of modern glam, then you should think about decor items with a glam-factor like chrome metal pumpkins or a witchy ceramic made of frosted glass. If your living room showcases more of a farmhouse look, then why settle for recently-made plastic decor items when you could instead display a vintage set of Halloween-themed items full of homespun charm? 

Even if your home doesn’t exactly showcase one particular style, you can still find items that complement your interior. Instead of focusing on style, search for decor items that complement the colors of your existing furniture. Find an existing accent piece in your home that lends a certain color to your space, and search for decor items in that same color (or that look great alongside that color)! What you really want to create, here, is a sense of cohesion or unity. Once there is a sense of unity between your permanent furnishings and your holiday decor items, then you’re well on your way to creating a festive interior that feels less tacky and more sophisticated.

Less is More

Another thing to remember when trying to class-up your home for Halloween is that less is usually more when it comes to holiday decor. A hallmark of upscale interiors is that their sophisticated style is understated rather than loud and in-your-face. When a holiday-themed interior feels tacky, it is often due to the sheer volume of holiday-related products in the space.

The most successful holiday-themed interiors often rely on just a few items to make an impression. So, instead of unpacking boxes of decor items to fill every room of your home, we recommend only decorating with a handful of holiday-themed products. There’s no hard-and-fast rule, but you really only need to have about 3-5 holiday themed products per room, and you only need to decorate 2-3 rooms of your home (we recommend entryways, dining rooms, and living rooms, but a front porch is also a good choice if you have one).

As you are being more reserved with your Halloween-decorating hand, it’s also a good idea to consider some pieces of decor that don’t scream “Halloween”. Instead of ghosts and witches, you could try spooky animals that aren’t always associated with Halloween like ravens and spiders. In a similar vein, you can also find accents that speak to the season of the holiday, rather than the holiday itself. Give a gentle nod to Halloween with items like gourds and corn husks in autumn, or create a festive look in December using organic accents like holly, mistletoe, and red winter berries. 

Now that you know two of the primary concepts to keep in mind, you’ll soon be on your way to transforming your home into a sophisticated Halloween-inspired masterpiece! For additional information on seasonal decorating, be sure to check out our post about it here, and don’t forget to check out the stunning style of this year’s St. Jude Dream Home in Denver for more examples of elegant Halloween decor in-action. Happy decorating!