Halloween haters look away now – things are about to get spooky! October is here and with it comes the annual celebration of ghosts, zombies, witches and everything in between. From cobwebs to pumpkin carvings, we’ve got plenty of tips and tricks to help you turn your home into a haunted house!

Seasonal colour

Burnt orange and red are great for decorating this holiday, but aren’t colours we only have to associate with Halloween – they’re perfect for injecting a cosy, autumnal feel into your living room. Experiment with cushions, rugs or perhaps a knitted throw – the perfect accessory to a hot chocolate on the sofa as the nights get colder.

Black is another colour that creeps out at this time of year. Whether it’s spider, bat and witch decorations, tinted glassware, a table runner or even candles, adding a hint of black can enhance the eerie atmosphere of your home.

Lighting

To help create a mysterious mood when trick or treaters arrive, use coloured lightbulbs in your hallway or if you have an external light by your front door. Alternatively, fairy lights come in all sorts of colours nowadays and you can even get mini pumpkin or bat LED lights if you want to go the extra mile.

Candles are a great way of keeping the spooky theme going, but can be handy all year round if you don’t use them all up on Halloween. Try putting some candles in mason jars with patterns painted on, and place seasonal foliage from your garden around larger candles.

Decorations

If you’re absolutely batty about Halloween and love to go all-out with decorations, there are plenty to choose from. Fake cobwebs can be draped everywhere from your mantlepiece to your staircase, and toy spiders add an extra creepy touch.

Create silhouettes of your favourite Halloween creatures using black paper and tape them to your windows. Save cereal boxes to turn into headstones and build a mini graveyard in your garden. Instead of the traditional grey, try painting them in glow-in-the-dark colours to add a funky twist.

Wreaths aren’t just for Christmas. An autumnal wreath made from pine cones, berries and orange foliage will look great on your front door throughout the season – just add the odd spider or bat on Halloween to give it that spooky touch for the night.

Make sure you keep any decorations you can, either to make it easier next year or to go even bigger!

Pumpkin carvings

Nowadays, pumpkins are synonymous with Halloween. For mums and dads out there struggling to entertain the kids during half term, carving one of these giant orange vegetables will keep them occupied long enough for you to make a witch’s brew, and they’ll have fun making some freaky faces!

Pumpkins don’t all have to be ghoulish though. Carving a pretty pattern and lighting a candle inside can add a touch of class to your decorations – ideal for those of you more reserved Halloweeners.

Enjoy the celebrations, stay safe and try not to eat too many sweets!