Ask a Designer: Your Top Questions, Answered

01

Pop Culture Play

Trending TV shows, movies, books and music are always excellent fodder for a timely display, as evidenced by this Halloween-themed homage to Game of Thrones’ House Stark at Winterfell.

Image Credit: IMGUR

02

No Bones About It

Decorative skeletons are relatively inexpensive and can be positioned doing nearly any living activity for a fun and festive, but not-so-gruesome yard decoration.

Image Credit: IMGUR

03

Hey There, Sport

This festive scene shows you don’t have to go high-tech to create something memorable for the spooky season. These ghostly soccer players stand out against the green grass, giving the impression of floating through a game in the Underworld Cup.

Image Credit: IMGUR

04

And, Scene!

Halloween comes once a year, creating an excellent opportunity for crafty enthusiasts to top themselves again and again. This ode to Ghostbusters is perfectly playful, fun for all ages and almost guarantees social media stardom for its creator.

Image Credit: IMGUR

05

Is There Something on the Roof?

It’s hard to say this looks incredibly real when we know dragons are make-believe… right? But truly, this ultra-realistic and otherwise understated roof ornament is sure to make trick-or-treaters walk ever-so-softly past the house that may or may not have a sleeping dragon upon it.

Image Credit: IMGUR

06

Arachnophobia

Another example of simplicity at its best, this display features what some would consider the most frightening element of an abandoned space — spiders. While these giant creepy crawlers were handmade by the homeowners, the less skillful among us could easily board up some windows and forego crafting for purchased spider decorations.

Image Credit: IMGUR

07

The Great Pumpkin

Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns are iconic representations of Halloween and can be found in abundance in retail stores the day after school starts. This house shows how to have fun with a collection of lit-up gourds, creating a look devoid of ghosts, skeletons, zombies and other scarier tropes.

Image Credit: IMGUR

08

Two Holidays, One Haunted House

With all the effort that goes into spooktacular décor, it can be a real drag to take it down after just one month. These homeowners created a multi-holiday solution with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme to haunt the neighborhood from October through December. Creepy? Check. Festive? Check. Fantastic holiday fun?

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09

Night Light

Aided by an older, Victorian-style home with instant Halloween gravitas, this lighting scheme creates a delightfully menacing look for passersby at night. While it’s easy to find lighting in every color of the rainbow, this look was achieved simply and effectively with green sheets and regular white spotlights. The spiders and webbing are perfect finishing touches.

Image Credit: IMGUR

10

BONUS: Instant Terror

How do you spend almost no money or time on your home’s Halloween décor but still spook most everyone who happens by? All you need is a red balloon and a storm drain. The recent movie reboot of Stephen King’s It — or the terrifying original book or miniseries — will do the rest.

Image Credit: IMGUR