With Scary Decorations, Your House Will Become A Horror Movie Set
If you love horror movies, you can spot a spooky location, even inside a house or other building. The good news is that you can turn your home or office into one with a little effort and on a decent budget. The solution is spooky decorations, a considerable section of the horror products catalog. Most people will choose such decorations mainly to make their home look spooky for some kind of spooky event, such as a colorful holiday like Halloween. Still, you can add these decorations in other situations, even as a permanent addition to your living or workspace.
Lucky for us, the sky’s the limit regarding spooky decorations and Halloween accessories. The growing popularity of horror series and movies, along with the expansion of various cultural influences (geek, goth, or even pop culture), has led to a vast supply of spooky decorations on the market. Today, you can find a wide variety of items: from artificial spiders, skeletons, and smiling pumpkins to famous characters from the world of horror to sophisticated decorative items that combine lighting, sound, and movement effects (which will, of course, be more expensive).
The Benefits Of Scary Decorations
Scary decorations have become an increasingly sought-after commodity in recent years for several reasons. First of all, in modern design, the number of people looking for interesting, unique, or personal directions in the design of their homes, whether on a specific occasion or a regular basis, is increasing. Decorations, which started as a seasonal tradition around Halloween and special events, have become a design style in their own right. This does not mean the average home will have walls full of spiders and skeletons on the stairs, but it is certainly possible to choose a few design items from the world of horror without needing an “excuse.”
Halloween accessories offer several significant advantages, including:
- Personal and unique expression: Do you want to let everyone entering your house know you are addicted to horror movies? You can do this easily with appropriate decorations, which allow you to express your taste, demonstrate your love for the genre, and highlight your uniqueness.
- Visual richness: Although each scary decoration has its characteristics, the bottom line is that they can upgrade the space in which we place them. The items are colorful and visually interesting; sometimes, they look like real works of art. Think, for example, of a life-size doll of a horror icon, which looks exactly like the real thing.
- Flexibility in design: The variety of items and design styles allows everyone to find the ideal decorations for them. With scary decor, you can turn your home into a “horror museum” (usually suitable for specific events, such as frightening theme parties or movie marathons), but also in a more minimalist and refined way. Combine items here and there, but maintain a design in other styles.
- Sensory experience: Today, you can find modern decorations that act on several senses simultaneously. They combine sound and movement effects (as in the case of animatronic dolls) and create a rich and enjoyable sensory experience.
Who Should Buy Horror Decorations?
Although decorations of skeletons, skulls, and everything in between seem like a natural choice for horror fans, we must remember that we are still not the majority of the population.
Unfortunately, this type of decoration is not suitable for everyone. Beyond the connection to the world of horror or the aesthetic style of these products (for example, gothic), the choice may be a bit too bold in the case of families with small children who may be frightened by the scary characters, or even older people who suffer from specific anxieties or phobias. We have written here on the site, for example, about the fear of clowns or the fear of scarecrows, and decorations that offer these types of characters in their entirety can be a trigger for some of the population.
However, decorations can be an excellent choice for several types of people:
- Horror fans – For people who regularly consume content from the horror genre, scary decorations can be a natural extension of their love for the genre, even in their living environment.
- People drawn to defining design styles – Scary decorations fit well into various design concepts, such as Gothic or nostalgic Victorian style. If you connect with such styles or want to transform your home into one for a few days, you can easily do it with decorations.
- Collectors – Some decorations can be considered collectible items. Custom-made decorations or those with a significant price tag express exceptional design, perfect precision, and technological innovations.
- Party and event organizers – Throwing a Halloween party? Inviting the guys for a horror movie marathon? You can create a scary atmosphere in advance, thanks to those decorations.
- “Outsiders” – Some people looking for uniqueness would even say an “alternative” and unconventional aesthetic.
How To Make Scary Halloween Decorations?
Suppose you want to save on decorating your home or get the personalization that is sometimes missing in catalog products. In that case, you should get acquainted with making your decorations, which can also be relevant when looking for a gothic, scary, or frightening design.
A little search on the Internet can lead you to some interesting videos and written texts that will show you how to create decorations from A to Z, or even how to fully design a particular space to the level of a scary decor that looks like a horror movie set.
In some cases, preparing the decorations is simple, requires only basic equipment (for example, paper, markers, and scissors), and can be a great activity you can do with your children. On the other hand, some decorations will require long hours of work from you, and sometimes also suitable materials and a creative sense.
Here is a video with 43 (!) scary ideas, most of which are pretty simple to implement:
Here is another video of creating your scary decorations for Halloween, no less cool, with more than 30 more ideas:
What Scary Decorations Are There Today?
Spiders And Webs
Artificial spiders are one of the most popular decorations in the genre for several reasons: they are effortless to decorate with and inspire fear in almost everyone.
In the world of decorations, as in nature, spiders come in various sizes. You can find small spiders to hang on the wall or scatter on a table, shelf, and other items, from medium-sized to giant spiders, which you can put out of respect in your yard or hang from the ceiling.
Artificial spider webs fit perfectly into the design picture. Various webs differ in size, color, thickness, or even special features, such as webs that glow in the dark. You can stretch the webs in the corners of the house, subsequent to furniture, over windows or doors, etc., which almost automatically creates the atmosphere of an abandoned, haunted, and, above all, scary place.
Design tip: Combine spiders of various sizes with extensive cobwebs to create the illusion of a spider infestation. Add strategic lighting (like blue or purple LED lights) to accentuate the webs and shadows.
Insects And Creepy Creatures
Beyond spiders, decorations in the form of creepy crawlies like snakes, scorpions, beetles, and cockroaches have become popular among macabre design enthusiasts and a nightmare for anyone who comes across them (especially when they happen by surprise). The decorations come in many materials and sizes, from simple plastic insects to detailed and sometimes luxurious creations that may incorporate materials such as glass or metal, motion and sound effects, and more.
Design tip: Scatter small artificial insects in unexpected places, such as a bookshelf or crawling on a wall, to create small, spooky surprises.
Skeletons And Skulls
Skeletons and skulls are another typical decoration. There are miniature skeletons that you can place on a shelf, skulls of various sizes, and full-sized “bodies” that can appear at the entrance to your home, in the yard, in the corner of a room, and so on.
Here, the list of potential effects is even more exhaustive and includes lighted eyes, mechanical movement, and scary sounds, such as evil laughter. Some decorations have practical functions, such as skull candles, skull-shaped cups, and Geeky Tiki mugs.
Design tip: Skulls look impressive when arranged in groups, for example, on a windowsill or as part of a table centerpiece. Combine skulls of different sizes and materials (ceramic, plastic, metal) to create an interesting effect.
Pumpkins And Jack-o’-lantern
A pumpkin, or more precisely, a carved pumpkin (known as a Jack-o’-lantern, as you could learn in our article), is considered the undisputed symbol of Halloween. However, pumpkins can be a cool decoration outside the holiday, and horror fans love them.
Today, various design items are made of different materials, such as lighted pumpkins with internal LED lights that create a creepy atmosphere in a dark space and distinct designs that can also incorporate familiar horror characters.
Design tip: Arrange the pumpkins of different sizes in an exposed outdoor location, such as the entrance steps of the house or window sills. Try combining different sizes and shades (classic orange, white, black) to create a fresh, interesting look.
Ghosts, Vampires, And Everything In Between
Several Halloween decorations will turn your home into a graveyard or at least a movie filled with scary creatures. The list includes figures of various sizes, such as ghosts (from simple versions made of delicate white fabric to sophisticated sculptures of partially transparent ghosts), bloody zombies, vampires, scarecrows, witches, monsters, and the like.
To further enhance the atmosphere, you can add decorative tombstones of various sizes – a choice especially suitable for houses with a yard.
Design tip: Despite the range of options, it is recommended not to spread out and choose a relatively limited number of horror themes. Otherwise, your house can become a mess, not for the right reasons.
Severed Organs
Every horror lover knows that a little blood can make a place truly scary. The list of decorative accessories in this context can include tablecloths with “blood stains,” severed limbs such as a hand, and even entire boxes of body parts. So it’s true that it can be disgusting and certainly not suitable for children or sensitive people, but that’s precisely part of the point here.
Design tip: Try to be gentle with the severed body parts and blood. By the way, this can be a helpful recommendation for life.
Creepy Decorations Inspired By Famous Horror Characters
Happily, the familiar characters from the horror genre sometimes take a central place in the scary design equation. You can find decorations and accessories of some of the most prominent icons we grew up with (well, at least from a certain age), such as:
- Chucky, who is probably the most famous scary doll ever
- Classic clowns, from Pennywise from the “IT” movies to Art the Clown from the recent “Terrifier” movies
- Freddy Krueger from “The Nightmare on Elm Street”
- Michael Myers from the “Halloween” movies – for example, the giant inflatable we once wrote about
- Frankenstein
- Dracula
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
Branded items of this type may be more expensive because licensing issues may still affect the price. Still, there is no doubt that the decorations can change the picture for fans of these icons or those who want to show their connection to the world of horror more closely.
How Can You Choose The Best Scary Decoration For You?
Choosing scary decorations for your home is a process that is worth paying enough attention to. Finding a creepy decoration is not a life-or-death question. Still, it is one that, if you invest in it, you will ultimately be able to design your home, yard, office, or any other place in the most impressive way, which will suit the character of the place and the circumstances of the event (if you want a decoration for a specific occasion).
Here are some considerations to help you choose the most suitable items for you:
1. Consider the desired level of horror
Think about how scary you want to bring to the space. Are you looking for a light, playful atmosphere with a touch of horror, or are you aiming for an authentic haunted house experience? The level of horror will influence your choice of items. For example, a smiling pumpkin provides a relatively lighthearted atmosphere, while a life-size, realistic zombie doll will create a much scarier experience.
2. Consider your target audience
Ask yourself who lives in the house and who visits regularly, who will likely see these decorations, and so on.
If you have young children or particularly sensitive people, try to avoid particularly scary or overly graphic decorations or opt for lighter, more humorous designs. Remember that what seems fun to an adult may frighten a child, especially when the decoration is in an environment the child is familiar with and should feel safe in. Luckily, many Halloween decorations are not scary at all.
3. Choose an appropriate style
Scary decorations can fit into different design styles. Still, we recommend staying focused and not turning your home into a collection of items that have no connection beyond the fact that they are scary.
You can choose a desired style in advance – Let’s say, vintage, retro, modern, gothic, or minimalist – and see which items can fit into the style. In the case of a gothic style, you can incorporate Victorian elements and give a place of honor to the color black.
4. Pay attention to the space
Not every decoration is suitable for every home, and certainly not for every room in the house. Consider the different areas you want to decorate, and choose appropriate items. For the living room, you can select decorative items that fit into the furniture (such as decorative pillows with scary prints), light bulbs, pumpkin decorations to create an atmosphere, and more.
For the kitchen, choices like plates, cutlery, and tablecloths with scary prints can do the job. Of course, you can combine the event with preparing or ordering scary food, some of which we have already reviewed on the site: scary plates of pasta or pizzas that looked like they came out of a restaurant in hell.
The size of the area can make a difference in the choice. If you have a yard or at least an impressive entrance to the house, you can choose larger and more durable decorations, such as life-size figures, statues, and tombstones. Your goal is for anyone who passes the house to have difficulty remaining indifferent to what they see.
5. Check the Price
This is one of the main questions in the design world: Should you choose a limited number of items emphasizing quality or go wild with smaller, cheaper decorations? The budget is a key part of your choice. Sometimes, you can settle for cheap, disposable decorations, which can come in large quantities. In others, the best solution is creating the “wow” effect with a large, luxurious Halloween accessory.
Where To Buy Scary Halloween Decorations?
Today, you can find scary decorations in a variety of stores. Note that some stores operate on a seasonal basis, meaning they offer this type of decoration mainly for Halloween, the Day of the Dead, and other important holidays on the calendar. You will find limited items in more general stores, such as shopping chains and stock stores. You can find products here and there, but you won’t be able to rely on them entirely if you are looking for special products or a wide selection.
You can find an endless variety of products on the websites you are probably familiar with, whether the large shopping sites or sites that focus on Halloween, accessories, and complementary products. The advantage is that the selection here will be wider, including products that are impossible to find in many countries. If you are ordering from abroad, it is worth doing it well in advance so the delivery arrives on time. You don’t want to get to the point where your event is about to come, but the decorations are still stuck somewhere.
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