12 Halloween Decor Ideas Using Pieces You'll Keep After October
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Most Halloween decor gets about three weeks of use and then goes back in a box. Furniture and home accessories you already like can do the same job. And they're still in the room on November 1.
So this list skips the plastic skeletons. It works with things that belong in a house all year: lanterns, candle holders, mirrors, a bar cart. Pick dark finishes, add candlelight, and most of the Halloween part takes care of itself. Halloween is Saturday, October 31, which leaves enough time to do it properly.
We've split the ideas into three zones: the entry, the party table and the living room.
The styling formula that works on any console
Before the picks, a short method, because the same few rules show up in nearly every good Halloween setup.
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Pick one or two spots. An entry console and the front door are enough. Small items scattered through every room look cluttered.
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Build in three layers. Start with something tall, like a candle holder or a branch. Add one focal piece, such as a sculpture or a lantern. Finish with something low and textured: a bowl, a stack of books or pumpkins.
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Skip the plastic. Wood, metal, glass, ceramic and good faux or real pumpkins read as decor. Plastic reads as a costume.
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Move past orange and black. Deep plum, forest green, brass and ivory feel more grown-up and carry through November.
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Use flameless tapers where you need them. Good LED tapers give the flicker without the wax or the worry near kids.
The picks below are the furniture and accessories that make this work.
Zone 1: Entry and porch
This is what trick-or-treaters and guests see first, so a little effort goes a long way here.
1. Lanterns, grouped in threes
One lantern on its own looks lost. Three at different heights look like a decision. The Lantern Set of 3 in a pieced lattice pattern, gold and gray comes in 15, 13 and 11 inches. The heights are already worked out. For something darker, the Suzie Jada terrarium lantern set comes in 15, 17 and 19 inches. It's made of bronze iron and mango wood.
Lanterns around 10 to 15 inches suit a porch or entry. Taller ones work better on the floor. Metal and treated wood hold up better in fall weather than rattan does. If kids will be running past, put LED candles inside and skip the open flame.
2. A console table dressed like a scene
A narrow console in the entry gives you a stage. The Nina console table is 48 inches wide in natural mango wood with an open trestle base. The Ayne console is 47 inches with a lower shelf. Its distressed brown finish already looks a little haunted.
Style it in layers. Put a tall candle holder at the back and one sculpture in the middle. Add something low and wide at the front. For sizing, an entry console usually runs 28 to 32 inches tall and 30 to 50 inches wide. Leave room to walk past it. A console that sticks out too far gets bumped all night. Our console table size and spacing guide covers the details.
3. An entry bench that hides the clutter
A bench gives guests somewhere to sit and take their boots off. With storage underneath, it also gives you somewhere to put the boots. The Modway Render storage bench is 47 inches in a walnut wood grain. Want something darker and more graphic? The Namo accent bench is 58 inches wide with a slatted black steel frame.
Set a few pumpkins or a basket on top and you're done.
4. A round mirror above it all
Put candles in front of a mirror and the glow doubles. The Perz round wall mirror is 36 inches with a black beaded wood frame. There's also a 30 inch round mirror in black metal that hangs from a rope.
Hang it at eye level, which is usually 55 to 65 inches off the floor. Above a console, leave 4 to 6 inches between the table and the bottom of the frame.
Zone 2: Party table and bar
5. Candle holders, kept low
Tall candle holders look great on a console. On a dining table, they block people's view of each other. For the table, keep things low. For everywhere else, go dramatic. The Emery three-pillar holder is 20 inches of carved metal and old brown wood. The Lydia taper holder is a 38 inch branching gold stem. It looks like it came out of a gothic novel.
Whatever you choose, look for a wide, heavy base. Set it on a heat-resistant surface, away from the edge of the table.
6. A bar cart as the drink station
A cart on wheels means you can park drinks where the party actually is. The 3-tier bar cart is 32 inches wide with fir wood shelves and an iron frame. The Crestview Jaz rolling cart has three open shelves in black iron. If you're worried about guests nudging it, the Vida 38 inch cart has locking casters.
Put extra glasses on the bottom shelf and bottles in the middle. Save the top for one or two showpieces.
7. Serving trays that earn their keep
Trays carry the food and tidy up the clutter at the same time. The white marble tray with brass snake handles brings Halloween to a cheese board. Nothing about it looks like a costume. The set of three tree bark trays comes in 20, 18 and 16 inches. That gives you a size for every dish.
For party snacks, trays in the 18 to 24 inch range are the most useful.
8. Stools, so people can stand at the kitchen island
People drift into the kitchen at every party. Give them somewhere to perch. The Ela counter stool has a 24 inch seat in mango wood and iron. The Vira bar stool set comes as a pair with a 30 inch seat and a footrest. Measure your island first. A 24 inch seat is counter height, and a 30 inch seat is bar height.
Zone 3: Living room mood
9. A sculpture or two in a dark finish
One or two sculptural pieces is plenty. The abstract loop table sculpture is 9 inches in black and silver. The Placidia bust has an antique finish and a classical look that suits a dim room. Pieces between 8 and 18 inches tall work well on consoles and shelves.
10. One dark accent chair
A dark chair in a corner makes the room feel moodier without changing anything else. The Cathy accent chair has dark gray polyester upholstery and walnut brown arms. Drape a throw over one arm and it looks finished.
11. Metal wall art that throws a shadow
Metal wall art picks up shadows from a nearby lamp or sconce. That gives it a bit of drama after dark. The sun and moon wall decor is 21 inches round in rustic gold and bronze. It will still look good in December.
12. Throws in deep colors
Charcoal, plum and forest green read as Halloween when the lights are low. With the lights up, they read as fall. Fold one over the back of the sofa or the bench you just bought.
What stays after October 31
The lanterns, candle holders, mirror, bench, console and bar cart all stay. The only things you pack away are the pumpkins. Swap those for gourds and branches and you're set up for Thanksgiving, which is the next job. We've put together a Thanksgiving hosting furniture guide for that.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I decorate my entryway for Halloween?
Group a few lanterns and dress a console table with candles and a sculpture. Hang a round mirror above it to double the glow.
2. What Halloween decor can I keep up all year?
Dark metal lanterns, candle holders, mirrors and sculptural pieces all look at home outside October.
3. What do I need for a Halloween party at home?
A drink station such as a bar cart, a few serving trays and extra seating at the kitchen island.
4. How do I make Halloween decor look less cheesy?
Stick to black, deep plum and metal, group objects in odd numbers and use fewer, better pieces.
5. Should I use real candles or LED candles?
LED candles are the safer pick near kids, costumes and dry leaves. Good flameless tapers still give a real flicker. Save real flames for spots guests won't brush past.
