How to DIY Decorate Outdoors for Halloween Night…with Fright!

Opinions may vary, but there’s perhaps no other holiday that’s as fun to decorate for as Halloween. With the crisp chill cutting through the air and the excitement of spooky thrills, it’s a season of fun that’s gone before we know it.

But, the good news is this: even after Halloween is over, cozy fall décor can stay in the spotlight all the way through to Thanksgiving (when it’s finally sidelined by the winter holidays).

So, to embrace the fleeting Halloween spirit, we’ve rounded up some simple DIY ideas for you to try while decoration your home exterior—ideas that won’t cost you a premium when it comes to time or effort!

Gourd Goals

For a decoration that’s appropriate all autumn long, go all in on gourds. Pumpkins are an obvious place to start, but the wide world of gourds encompasses all varieties of shape, size, pattern, and color.

You can go to your local farmers market, pumpkin patch—even your local grocery store—and pick out the weirdest shapes and the widest assortment of colors you can find. After that, arrange them on your front stoop to get a result that’s eye-catching, funky, and can last well after the thrills of Halloween have passed. And, obviously, bringing in a little Halloween cheer with a lit jack-o-lantern is always a great decision.

Fall Foliage

To create wreaths and outdoor pots with cool autumn flair, opt for dried flowers and foliage in shades of dark orange, cream, and brown. They’ll add some much-needed seasonal appeal, and they’re easy to obtain. You can buy them premade, or get creative with a stick wreath from your local craft store and add in some dried flowers.

With dried flowers in your arrangements, they’ll last all season long and stand up to those frosty temperatures once November hits. Shop for dried florals online, at your local nursery, or simply go faux at your local craft store.

For additional Halloween fun, sprinkle in some (faux!) spiders, then add in some cobwebs to give your arrangements a spooky twist. A project that’s great for kids: gather some dried leaves, spray paint them black, and use a white marker to transform them into little vampire bats.

Trick or Treat

For those who want to go all-out for the holiday, we recommend finding a theme and sticking to it, as it will help you avoid the temptation of buying out the entire Halloween warehouse! If you’re looking for more of a witchy atmosphere, head to the thrift store to buy up some secondhand “potion bottles,” then fill them with gummy worms, water, glitter, and food coloring to get an extra-spooky effect.

If you’re angling toward a haunted forest, look for larger, twisted branches that can be spray-painted black to line your front walkway. For a gang of friendly ghosts, go old-fashioned with some old sheets and black felt or paper for eyes and a mouth. You get the picture—once you nail down the theme, you can get creative with your decorative ideas.

How are you decorating your exteriors for Halloween? Post photos on Facebook or Instagram and tag @LLFlooringOfficial for a chance to be featured on our page!

Also, do you like ideas and how-to videos about design and decor on YouTube? Subscribe to the LL Flooring YouTube Channel and let us know what you think!