A Little Bit Wicked: Unusual Halloween Decorating Ideas
Who says Halloween has to be orange?
There's something rather wonderful about decorating for Halloween.
I'm not talking about the plastic spiders, inflatable ghosts and mountains of orange pumpkins. Although there's a place for all of those, I'm sure!
I'm talking about the darker, more peculiar side of decorating. The sort of things you might discover in a forgotten Victorian apothecary, a dusty curiosity shop or the home of a rather eccentric old lady who may or may not have poisoned her third husband.
Now THAT is my kind of Halloween.
Here at Made by Marley, we've never been particularly good at following the rules, especially when it comes to colour and decorating. And Halloween is certainly no exception.
If you're looking for unusual Halloween decorating ideas, a little inspiration for painting furniture, or ways to turn forgotten objects into something wonderfully peculiar, you've come to the right place.
Halloween Decorating Ideas for the Peculiar at Heart
I've always been drawn to things that are a little unusual. Old bottles, faded illustrations, wee curious creatures, elaborate patterns and objects that look as though they might have a rather interesting past.
Give me a battered old suitcase, a handful of paintbrushes and a slightly questionable idea, and I'm quite happy for hours.The wonderful thing about Halloween decorating is that it gives us permission to be a little more theatrical.
That old picture frame gathering dust? Suddenly, it's the perfect home for a raven.
A discarded bathroom cabinet? With a little paint, some decoupage and a few curious objects, it can become a miniature apothecary.
And those little bottles you've been saving because you knew they'd come in handy one day? Add a label, give them a place on your shelf and suddenly you're in the potions business.
See? You knew there was a reason you kept them! The best DIY Halloween decorations don't have to start with a trip to the shops. Sometimes, a rummage through the cupboards is all the inspiration you need.
Not Everything Spooky Needs to Be Black
Now, I do love a bit of black, particularly when it's distressed and accompanied by some aged gold.
But when it comes to Halloween decorating ideas, who decided everything had to be orange and black? What about turquoise, plum, mustard, burgundy or deep petrol blue?
One of my favourite things about decorating for Halloween is taking something traditionally dark and giving it an unexpected twist.
Our little turquoise apothecary cupboard is a perfect example.
Every Object Has a Story
Take our Powders & Poisons sign.
There's something wonderfully atmospheric about an aged frame, a dark raven and lettering that looks as though it's been there for a hundred years. It makes you wonder who owned it. What was sold there?
And, more importantly, would you have dared to go inside?
This is what I love about using decoupage papers, stamps and stencils in our projects. They allow us to build a story.
A simple piece of furniture can become an old curiosity cabinet. A wooden box can become a travelling potion case. An ordinary picture frame can suddenly look like something rescued from a Victorian chemist.
You don't need to be an accomplished artist, either.
That's one of the reasons we create our Made by Marley designs. They give you the ingredients to make something wonderfully individual without needing to hand-paint every tiny detail.
Although, knowing me, I'll probably add a few dots anyway!
If you fancy trying something similar, have a look at our decoupage papers, stamps and stencils. You can use them to add decorative details to furniture, signs, boxes and all sorts of smaller projects.
A Little Romance Beyond the Grave
And then, of course, we have our rather glamorous skeleton ladies.
Who says the dearly departed can't have fabulous hats?
I love mixing beautiful florals with something a little macabre. Roses, lace, vintage portraits, skulls and skeletons make surprisingly good companions.
There's something almost romantic about it.
Our Till Death Do Us Part piece is a lovely example of how decoupage can turn an ordinary wee suitcase into something quite theatrical.
It's not about making everything frightening. Sometimes the best Halloween decorations simply make you stop, look twice and smile.
If you're experimenting with Halloween decoupage ideas, try combining an unexpected image with a piece of furniture or an object that has a bit of age and character to it.
You don't have to follow a particular theme to the letter, either. Sometimes the most interesting projects happen when you mix things that probably shouldn't go together.
Raid Your Cupboards Before the Shops
Before you rush off to buy decorations, have a rummage around your house.
Old frames, jars, boxes, cupboards, scraps of fabric and forgotten ornaments can all become part of a Halloween display.
A little paint, some aged wax, a favourite stencil or a piece of decoupage paper can completely change how something looks.
Try layering your decorations, too.
Dried flowers alongside skulls. Autumn leaves around old bottles. Velvet ribbons tied around a pumpkin. A battered frame with a mysterious illustration.
Mix textures, mix colours and don't worry too much about matching everything.
Personally, I think a little not matching adds to the charm.
And remember, the most interesting things are rarely the perfect ones.
Make Halloween Decorations Worth Keeping
One thing I'm particularly keen on is creating decorations that can be brought out year after year. Rather than buying something disposable, why not make something with a bit of personality?
A painted pumpkin, a decorated cushion, a peculiar little box or a vintage-inspired sign can all become part of your autumn decorations for years to come.
Our Made by Marley decoupage papers, stamps and stencils are designed to help you get creative with projects like these.
Whether you fancy creating a dark botanical cabinet, an aged apothecary sign, a peculiar little box or something entirely different, there are plenty of possibilities.
And you don't need an enormous budget.
Some of my favourite projects have started life as something nobody else wanted. A little imagination can be a dangerous thing. Particularly when combined with a paintbrush!
So, Are You a Little Bit Wicked?
Perhaps the thing I love most about Halloween is the freedom it gives us to experiment.
To try darker colours, strange combinations and ideas we might ordinarily dismiss as being a bit too much.
But then again, when has too much ever been a problem at Made by Marley?
So this Halloween, forget the rules.
Paint something unexpected. Give an old object a new story. Add a raven, a skull or a fabulously overdressed skeleton.
And if it turns out slightly peculiar?
Even better.
Love,
Lel x
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