9 Creative Outdoor Halloween Decor Ideas to Get in the Spooky Spirit
October officially signals the start of spooky season, which means jack-o’-lanterns, bats, and ghosts galore. While costumes and candy are essential, the true spirit of the holiday shines through in outdoor Halloween decoration ideas.
I’ll admit that while I love October 31, Halloween decorating hasn’t always been at the top of my to-do list. This year, however, I’m getting in the mindset early and looking for fun and creative ways to decorate the outside of my home for Halloween. And no oversized blow-up decorations for me (though if you’re all about them, go off!). I went on the hunt for truly unique, chic, and eye-catching outdoor Halloween decor ideas that will help your porch, lawn, or even balcony stand out.
Ready to level up your spooktacular style? These nine creative outdoor Halloween decoration ideas can get your home ready for the haunting holiday.
Ghostly Greeters
Welcome trick-or-treaters at the door with a pair of bedsheet ghosts, inspired by DIY blogger Allie Mallard (@everyday_allie). She crafted these spooktacular ghosts using tomato cages, Styrofoam balls, white sheets, cheesecloth, and adhesive black velvet paper. The best part is, these even light up at night, thanks to string lights placed under the sheets!
Haunted Shadows Display
This ingenious idea comes from blogger and DIY expert Jenna Sue of Jenna Sue Design Co. For her Halloween display, she used lawn stakes, spotlights, and ghost silhouettes to create a “Haunted House of Shadows.” It’s a clever, affordable, and simple project that packs a big punch from your exterior.
Floating Witches Hats
No magic needed to give the outside of your home a supernatural twist with “floating” decor. Here, home decor and DIY blogger Joanna of Southern Surroundings simply threaded a piece of fishing line through small black witch hats. You can then hang these from the ceiling of your porch or balcony.
Haunted Graveyard
Extend the Halloween spook all the way to the curb this year with a creepy graveyard display, just like Instagram user and self-proclaimed Halloween lover @keeleymckendree. To get the look, fill your front lawn with faux gravestones, scattered bones, spooky ghosts, a picket fence, and some daunting warning signs to finish it off.
Spooky-Cute Halloween Decor
Don’t be afraid to make your Halloween decorations look more cute than creepy, if that’s your style! Home decor and DIY blogger Trish of Beautiful Inspire Co. transformed her front porch into a charming and stylish setup using a nontraditional color palette of pastels, white, and sparkles. Consider this your sign to hop on the “pinkoween” trend this year!
The Iconic Giant Skeletons
The Home Depot’s 12-foot skeletons are taking the internet by storm, and it’s easy to see why — these larger-than-life Halloween decorations are sure to make your house stand out! Sarah Wagner, the home decor and lifestyle blogger behind @dreamingofhomemaking, outfitted the front of her house with two of these giant figures alongside a pumpkin-lined front path. If you have the space to spare, get your hands on one of these oversized skeletons that you can use year after year — before they sell out, that is.
Spooky Spider House
Another large-scale outdoor Halloween decor idea that’s sure to turn heads is oversized spider decorations. Transform your home into a chilling spider’s lair by having a few “crawl” up the walls of your house and front porch. Instagrammer Amanda DeMoss Designs used fake cobwebs to add an even spookier touch to her creepy-crawly Halloween decorations.
Pumpkin Arch
Give your home some seasonal grandeur with a pumpkin arch for your front door. The best part is, you can DIY this fabulous decoration with faux pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns, plus some PVC pipes. Fashion and lifestyle blogger Hunter Premo also used spray paint to customize the color palette and match the heirloom pumpkins on her porch steps.
Lounging Skeletons
There’s something undeniably charming about arranging life-size Halloween skeletons into doing normal activities or mundane tasks. Take this home in Westchester, New York, for example, where skeletons can be found lounging in rocking chairs on the porch, climbing onto the roof, and sitting in lawn chairs under the large tree in the front yard.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
