“There’s a level of creativity involved with decorating for Halloween, and I think that’s the appeal,” says Kelly Lambert, senior merchant at Grandin Road. While there is plenty of eerie decor out there, we searched for finds that help you celebrate the holiday while still remaining tasteful and design-focused—plus, many of them can work for the entire fall season. In particular, we love the Halloween Corn Husk Wreath from Williams Sonoma. It’s stylish design doesn’t scream Halloween, so you can use it from early fall through Thanksgiving. To make your house and yard suitably spooky, here are the best Halloween decorations on the market. Keep In Mind: It should stay in a sheltered area to maintain its good looks and shape. Avoid moisture, direct sunlight, and excessive heat. Price at time of publish: $100 Size: 22 inches in diameter | Material: Dried corn husks on a twig base | For use: Indoors and in protected outdoor areas | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: The bulbs are incandescent, so they may get hot or burn out quickly. The strand might also require an extension cord, depending on where you hang it. Price at time of publish: $15 Size: 70 inches long x 11 inches tall | Material: PVC cord and glass bulbs | For use: Indoors and outdoors | Power type: Electric Keep In Mind: Put them in a covered area, such as a porch, so they don’t rust or weather. The flameless candle is sold separately. There’s an opening in the bottom for a candle (with a real flame or flameless), and its light will shine through the gaps all around the luminary—imagine the glow on a dark October evening. “What’s best about these is the ambiance they give off,” Lambert says. “They can be used with real or faux candles and would make a beautiful lit pathway up to your home or on the front porch.” Keep in mind that you’ll want to keep them in a protected area if you place them outdoors, so they don’t get damaged by the elements. You’ll also need to provide your own flameless candle. Price at time of publish: $64 Size: 14-inch diameter x 15 inches tall for the short pumpkin; 12-inch diameter x 18 inches tall for the tall pumpkin | Material: Metal with a protective powder-coat finish | For use: Indoors and protected outdoor areas | Power type: A 3-inch-diameter flameless candle is recommended Keep In Mind: Shedding is natural and will diminish over time. The coir mat is excellent for absorbing moisture and trapping dirt before it enters the house, and it’s an easy swap-out to celebrate the new season. Keep in mind that this rug may naturally shed at first, but this should improve as time goes on. Brush, shake, or vacuum to maintain its handsome appearance. Price at time of publish: From $37 Size: 18 x 30 inches and 22 x 36 inches | Material: Coir with black PVC backing | For use: Outdoors in a protected area | Power type: Not listed Keep In Mind: Melamine can break if you drop it on a hard surface. Plus, it’s made of easy-care melamine that’s food safe, so it can hold snacks, candy, or desserts while it’s honoring Halloween. Just make sure not to drop it on a hard floor or it could break. Price at time of publish: $30 Size: 16 inches | Material: Melamine | For use: Indoors, food-safe | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: Paper mache can be delicate, so handle this garland with care. Choose black bats for a traditional Halloween garland or go with pink for a pretty punch. These garlands manage to make bats beautiful and super stylish with hand-painted and gold-leafed touches. Just make sure to take extra care when handling and storing this garland since paper mache can be delicate. Price at time of publish: $95 Size: 72 inches long | Material: Paper mache, natural rope, and cotton | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: To inflate this archway and illuminate the lights, you’ll need an outdoor outlet and/or an extension cord. An air fan inflates the arch (and keeps it inflated as long as it’s on) and also illuminates the interior lights, so the petrifying pumpkins and thick, twisted green vine emit a haunting glow. Make sure you have an outdoor power source and a long enough extension cord for where you want to place your arch. Price at time of publish: $150 Size: 108 inches tall | Material: Polyester | For use: Covered outdoor areas | Power type: Electric Keep In Mind: Their handsome hues are painted on, so take care not to scuff them. Because they look so real and their colors are so soft, they’ll mingle merrily with other fall-themed décor, lasting you the entire autumn season. When packing them away as you transition to winter decor, make sure to wrap them carefully in cloth or newspaper so you don’t scratch their painted surfaces. Price at time of publish: From $17 Size: Small pumpkin is 2.25 inches in diameter x 2 inches tall; medium is 3 inches in diameter x 3.5 inches tall; large is 3.5 inches in diameter x 3.5 inches tall | Material: Painted Styrofoam and plastic | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: You’ll need to supply your own batteries. Strung with tiny LED lights, they cast enough light to resemble lanterns when lit—you’ll just need to provide your own batteries. The pumpkins’ iron and plastic construction means they could work just as well outside, too. Price at time of publish: $89 Size: 16 inches in diameter x 20 inches tall; 30 inches in diameter x 30 inches tall | Material: Iron and plastic | For use: Indoors and outdoors | Power type: Four D batteries (not included) Keep In Mind: Though it looks like a real scale, the arm is fixed to be stationary. A small bat finial crowns the whole contraption as a nod to Halloween. Just please note that this scale is fixed and will not move like a traditional scale. Price at time of publish: $72 Size: 17.75 inches wide x 8 inches deep x 16.25 inches tall | Material: Iron and aluminum with an oil-rubbed bronze finish | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: When the tea lights are off, the houses are black and white. The set comes with four LED tea lights (and the necessary batteries) to slip inside each house so the windows light up yellow, orange, and purple. The lights even have a timer function so you can turn them on and off on a set schedule. When the lights are off, the houses are black and white. Price at time of publish: $30Product Details: Size: Ceramic houses range from 4.3 to 5.4 inches long, 3.3 to 3.5 inches wide, and 4.45 to 7.9 inches tall; bottle brush trees range from 2 to 3 inches in diameter and 4 to 6 inches tall | Material: Porcelain, plastic, metal, and glass | For use: Indoors | Power type: Eight LR44 button cell batteries (included) Keep In Mind: This dish must be hand washed. Made of ceramic for heft and durability, this dish should last for years, but make sure you hand wash it to keep it looking nice. Price at time of publish: $20 Size: 7.8 inches in diameter x 10.9 inches tall | Material: Ceramic | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: These are bulky and heavy—25 to 28 pounds per pumpkin, depending on the size. You may need help to move or lift them. Buy one of each to display them in a cluster of three, or pick two matching pumpkins to flank your front door. Their different patterns—all in orange, black, and white—impart a whimsical, circus-like aura, which is just the ticket for a holiday driven by costumes and candy. Price at time of publish: From $448 Size: Small pumpkin is 27 inches in diameter x 21.25 inches tall; medium is 22.5 inches in diameter x 27 inches tall; large is 30.5 inches in diameter x 29.75 inches tall | Material: Resin | For use: Indoors and outdoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: Tassels can get a bit tangled in the washing machine. It’s perfectly sized to fold by the sink as well as machine washable. Remove the towel from the wash when slightly damp and “comb” the strands with your fingers to straighten to prevent tangling. Size: 20 x 28 inches | Material: Cotton | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: These come in a set of four. If you want a bigger impact (or your tree has wide-spreading branches), you’ll need multiple sets. The LED lights are battery-powered and feature a six-hour timer so you can set them to turn on and turn off automatically. They’re made in a Fair Trade Certified factory where workers receive extra funds for every product sold, and those funds are used for community projects the workers themselves choose. Price at time of publish: $99 Size: 3.75 inches long x 2.5 inches wide x 8 inches tall | Material: Metal, plastic, and ivory LED lights | For use: Indoors and outdoors | Power type: Two AA batteries (not included) Keep In Mind: If this spider gets into any spills or stains, spot-clean it with a soft, damp cloth, and air dry. Its body and eight legs are covered in black faux fur, and its eyes are hand-stitched jewels for an otherworldly sparkle. Whether it’s sprawled on the sofa, perched on a chair, or snuggled on a bed, this pillow is a constant reminder of the Halloween holiday. Keep in mind that this pillow isn’t machine washable; you’ll need to spot clean it with a damp cloth. Price at time of publish: $100 Size: Body is 8 inches wide x 13 inches tall; the legs are 16 inches long x 2.5 inches tall | Material: Acrylic and polyester with polyester fill | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: The design is meant for the corner of a window or glass door. This one is hand-painted, and your purchase supports a small business owner on Etsy. Please note that it’s designed for the upper-right corner of a window or glass door, so make sure that layout will work for your space before ordering. Price at time of publish: $18 Size: 6 inches long x 5.5 inches tall | Material: Stained glass | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A Keep In Mind: Trim the wick to ¼ to ½ inch each time you light the candle, and place it on a heat-proof surface while lit. The candles are poured into glass or wood containers and capped with an acorn-style lid so they are decorative whether the wicks are lit or not. To get the best burning results from your candles, always trim the wick ¼ to ½ inch before lighting. Once the candles are gone, these cute containers can be used for storage and decor. Price at time of publish: From $28Product Details: Size: Small candle is 3.5 inches in diameter x 4.75 inches tall; medium is 4 inches in diameter and 6.25 inches tall; large is 4.75 inches in diameter x 7.5 inches tall | Material: Paraffin wax, fiber wick, glass and wood vessel | For use: Indoors | Power type: N/A
What to Know About Halloween Decorations Before Shopping
Seasonality
Our expert, Kelly Lambert, offers two kernels of wisdom for finding the best Halloween decorations. One is to search out “décor that can be used for Halloween through Thanksgiving,” she says. “Fall items like pumpkins and wheat have a longer life,” while Halloween-specific décor lasts only until November 1. “Another thing to think about is not to buy anything too trendy, especially for investment pieces,” she advises. Instead, “have core classic items that can last for years.” High-quality faux pumpkins, a handsome wreath for the door, and luminaries for the front stoop are worthy investments for the long haul. They can form the base for a Halloween display, and you can fill in with cheaper, trendier items in the years to come.
Size
Always read a product’s description to find out its dimensions. For help with how it might fit in your own home or yard, look at its photos in a real-life setting (say, a living room or front porch) to see its size related to what’s around it. “The way we show our products is designed to help the customer see their scale,” Lambert notes. In general, smaller items are better for smaller displays (a tablescape, for example), while for wide-open porches or front yards, “focus on large-scale pieces that make an impact and add items with lights to create ambience,” she says.
Material
When it comes to real decorations—pumpkins, gourds, wheat sheaves, and leaves—versus the artificial kind, Lambert is Team Faux all the way. “It lasts for years,” she says, “and there’s less care involved.” Stores have upped their design game on fake greenery, gourds, and garlands, so you may have a hard time distinguishing them from their natural counterparts—which is all the more reason to go faux.
Indoor vs. Outdoor
How do you know if a strand of lights or that wonderful wreath is OK to display outside? Retailers will state the proper usage for each product, so read descriptions carefully. Plus, many stores photograph their products in their perfect places. For example, “If it’s intended for indoors, we will show it indoors, and items that are safe to expose to weather elements are shown in a yard," Lambert says. It’s also important to distinguish between décor approved for outdoor use and that meant for protected outdoor use. Protected use means these items can withstand outdoor temperature swings but not exposure to rain. They can venture outside but only in a covered or sheltered spot—say, a front porch or patio with an overhang. Those intended for outdoor use are more heavy-duty and can stay outside day and night and be none the worse for wear.
Your Questions, Answered
When should you put up Halloween decorations?
“Typically after Labor Day is when homeowners really start ramping up their decorations for Halloween—summer’s over and school is starting,” Lambert says.
How long should you keep Halloween decorations up?
Scary, Halloween-specific gear should come down November 1, while fall-focused decor—plaid pillows, pretty pumpkins, sheaves of wheat, and harvest-type décor—can stay put through Thanksgiving.
Where are the best places to put Halloween decorations?
Hunt for the best Halloween decor, such as wreaths, garlands, faux pumpkins, and other goodies, for the front entry—it’s a top spot for all things creepy and kooky. “You can really enjoy it as a homeowner each time you pull up to your home,” Lambert says, “and this is also likely where you will get trick-or-treaters.” You can also invite the ghoulish good fun indoors. Halloween tablescapes are gaining in popularity—these are displays on coffee tables, consoles, or breakfast tables. They’re smaller, more manageable, and something frightfully fun you and your family can enjoy day to day. Lambert also recommends a few fiendish touches in the guest bathroom. “That room is typically overlooked,” she says, “but here you can put a Halloween hooked mat in front of the sink, and add a festive candle and either a Halloween-themed wreath or artwork on the wall.”
Who We Are
Author Sarah Halverson is a writer and editor with more than 25 years of experience in shelter magazine publishing and many more years as a dedicated and shrewd shopper. For this story, she spent days scouring dozens of online stores in search of the best Halloween decorations: high-style, elegant products that celebrate Halloween without being gory, cartoony, or ghoulish. She aimed to find items from a variety of sources for both inside and out at a range of price points. Sarah also talked with Kelly Lambert, senior merchant at Grandin Road, to learn more about the best Halloween decorations and how to decorate with them in and outside the home.
