Creepy Curb Appeal: Fun DIY Halloween Decor Ideas For The Outdoors
Most people say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but our black hearts beg to differ. Nothing sends blood rushing through our veins with excitement quite like Halloween. Aside from dressing up in costumes, we live for the season when we can dress up our homes and transform them into haunted mansions, a graveyard, or a spooky mental asylum.
You can take your candy canes and cookies; we would rather satisfy our appetites with candy apples, pumpkin pie, candy corn, and Milk duds. We’ll readily give you Christmas carols in exchange for the sound of witches cackling, ghouls groaning, and zombies munching on brains.
Any respectable spooky head wouldn’t be caught dead with a bare porch or yard during the year’s creepiest time, so we combed through graveyards and didn’t leave any tombstone unturned to bring you the most frightful and delightful decorations. Read on if you dare!
#1 DIY Embroidery Halloween hoop
Say goodbye to cheap decorations and make one with character that you can reuse for years. This is the perfect project for folks who have the DIY bone in their bodies. All it requires is an inexpensive embroidery hoop, scissors, black iron-on vinyl, and a Cricut.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a Cricut; there are numerous versions that need foam, a needle, and some thread. You can easily print the shapes and use them as templates to cut the foam. With the thread and needle, affix the shapes on the hoop.
#2 Tissue Paper Leaf Pumpkin
Who said pumpkins must always be orange? They’re the perfect canvas to let your inner artist out. You can personalize this iconic Halloween deco with some tissue paper, artificial or real white pumpkins, decoupage or glue, a paintbrush, and scissors.
No, leaves are not necessary either. You can cut basic shapes such as circles and squares or challenge yourself with fruits, branches, or flowers. Cut only a few shapes at a time because tissue paper easily tears. Apply them to the pumpkin with glue, and you’re done.
#3 Fabric pumpkins
Before you say NO, this doesn’t require sewing, so you’re in the clear. These are the perfect addition to any porch during spooky season and can be made by wrapping real pumpkins with your fabric of choice. For this project, you’ll need fabric, polyester stuffing, scissors, sandwich bags, uncooked navy beans, driftwood, and elastic bands.
Fill a sandwich bag with half a cup of uncooked navy beans or other weighted material. Use polyester stuffing to fill the rest of the bag, insert the driftwood in the middle, and seal the bag. Place the filled bag in the center of your fabric and fold the edges up into the elastic band.
#4 Repurposed fireplace mantel
Of course, your fireplace shouldn’t be left out during Halloween festivities. It deserves to be dressed up like your porch and windows. The great thing about this décor is that you can use it to pimp the front door’s frame too.
You won’t need much, just a few candlesticks, glass votives, a feather boa (black is preferred for spooky season), and other scary décor of your choice, such as dismembered hands or ravens. Let the decorator in you loose, but ensure that the embellishments are not too heavy for the mantel.
#5 Day of the Dead wreath
Your front door deserves dressing up during Halloween. It wouldn’t want to be left out during the festivities. If Dia De Los Muertos is a Mexican holiday that resonates with you, this wreath is a decoration that belongs in your home.
Various versions abound online, so find one that’s easiest for you. Most require a frame of some kind, sometimes a rectangular picture frame minus the glass, while others call for a circular wooden wreath. Of course, skulls and marigolds are necessary.
#6 Halloween skulls
Halloween is incomplete without skull decorations. After all, we are talking about a time when the dead and all things frightful and ghoulish take center stage. You can easily personalize ready-made skull decorations by spray painting them to suit your theme.
Get menacing skeleton hands, too, put them on your lawn, and make it seem as if the dead are rising from their graves. You can also throw in other Halloween elements, such as creepy crawlies, slithering snakes, and disgusting slime to complete the look.
#7 Halloween flower bouquet
Flowers are for every occasion, even one whose premise is frightening people. That said, the ones you pick need to be scary because they are for Halloween. Get the basics: a vase and flowers. Next, paint a bucket in black or another dark color.
Place the flowers in the bucket and top it with spider webs made from cotton balls or cotton batting. Put the bouquet on the porch and embellish it further with spiders, skeleton hands, and skulls. Refrain from adding too many elements to avoid a cluttered look.
#8 Spider webs
Any respectable horror house or Halloween décor is incomplete without spider webs. Spider webs started being associated with the spooky season because spiders are believed to be evil companions of witches, along with black cats and bats. Plus, they can be scary!
Trick-or-treaters are going to love visiting your spiderweb-covered home. You can use cotton batting, cotton balls, or fabric to get something similar to the look in the photo above. Additionally, you can make decorating quicker by investing in a cobweb shooter.
#9 Zombie eggplants
Mummy eggplants? Say no more and take all our money. Kidding aside, this is an inexpensive décor idea that’s a break from what we usually see. Just take an eggplant and make it look like a mummy by wrapping it in a cotton bandage.
Stick plastic googly eyes with a glue gun, and you’re done. This is the perfect last-minute solution for forgetful or busy folks who have little time to transform their homes’ looks. And, of course, one lonely mummy eggplant isn’t enough.
#10 Tombstones
Another staple Halloween décor is tombstones, and if you’ve been itching to roll up your sleeves and start working on your home’s spooky look, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll need craft foam, gray spray paint, foam letters, a Styrofoam sheet, hot glue, clear sprat top coat, and duct tape.
Figure out what shape you’d like the tombstone to be, draw it on the Styrofoam sheet, and cut it with a utility knife. Don’t skip the tombstone border for a more realistic look. If cutting letters and shapes isn’t your thing, you can get the pre-cut variety. Finally, glue all the elements together and paint.
#11 Nevermore wreath
This is a Halloween décor idea that will delight Edgar Allan Poe fans. Give the spooky season a literary vibe with this lovely raven wreath idea. You can use the pages of an old, damaged book to cover a round Styrofoam wreath.
Roll individual pages and tie bundles of rolled-up pages before gluing them to the wreath in layers. Glue a stick on the inside of the wreath so your crow has something to perch on. Affix the crow and attach a ribbon to hang the wreath.
#12 Witches’ Lot
Witches need a place to safely park their brooms when not in use, and we think they should be accommodated, especially during the scariest time of the year. Show them you care by carving out space on your front porch and turning it into their lot.
Let your creative juices flow, but a few of the essentials are pumpkins, pointy witches’ shoes, brooms, toads, and a few autumn leaves. Get creative with the layout and strive for a look that says, “Witches are welcome in this home!”
#13 Wicked Witch Landing décor
Speaking of witches, it’s about time Dorothy got her revenge on the Wicked Witch of the West, and what better way than to see a home falling on that hag? Make that into a reality with this ingenious and sassy décor.
The most important element of this décor is the witch’s legs. You can buy them ready-made or make your own with striped tights, fiberfill, hot glue, and red-glittered shoes. Display the legs under the door in a way that looks like your house plopped down on the witch.
#14 Haunted hotel sign
One of the most straightforward projects to craft for October is the haunted hotel or inn sign because you’ll need something to welcome guests or trick-or-treaters with when they show up at your doorstep. Any self-respecting Halloween junkie won’t be caught dead without one.
Inspirations for various designs can be found online, and most require minimal materials such as plywood, white paint, steel chain, decorative mailbox post (can be bought ready-made), drill, black outdoor vinyl, plant hanger, and transfer tape. With this haunted hotel sign, you can point ghouls, ghosts, and vampires in the right direction.
#15 Illuminated ghost garland
A garland of ghosts that light up at night? Heck yeah! We’re sold on the idea of something that looks nice and spooky day and night. You’ll need a strand of white lanterns, scissors, white string, white cotton fabric, and a black Sharpie. Cut 14-inch squares from the cotton fabric and fold them into triangles.
Cut off the tip to create a hole in the center. Remove the lantern from the lights and thread the light through the hole in the square fabric. Secure the lantern and wrap the sphere with the fabric, then tie it with string and draw ghostly eyes and mouths with the Sharpie.
#16 Zombie planters
This décor is Thing’s envy (yup, that severed hand from The Addams Family). Just like many items on this list, there are variations of this inexpensive outdoor Halloween décor. Grab a few severed hands from the Dollar Store, depending on the number of planters you want to make.
You can “plant” them in empty pots or those already with greens. If you opt for the latter, ensure that there’s space. Fill the empty containers with dirt, add small skewer sticks to the severed hands so they’re easy to position, and pull them out once the holiday is over.
#17 Headless horseman greeter
Are you a fan of Washington Irving’s endearing story about a man named Ichabod Crane, and have long wanted to scare trick-or-treaters with a life-size headless horseman? You’re going to love this! The process is longer and more complicated compared to other ideas on this list, but the effort is worth it.
This showstopper is going to fascinate and perhaps even frighten adults and children in the neighborhood. If you ask us, there is no better feeling than knowing that what you put outside your porch is doing exactly what it’s supposed to.
#18 Eyeball wreath
This is another easy, last-minute project for those too busy with work to come up with intricate, scary decorations for their home. Wreaths are the easiest decor pieces to customize and personalize regardless of the season. It’s no wonder they’re featured many times in this list.
You will need straw or foam wreath, plastic eyeballs, hot glue, and a matching ribbon. If you are up for it, add more embellishments to make your wreath fancier. Start in the middle and continue outwards until everything is covered.
#19 Paper lantern
Spooky lanterns will complete your outdoor deco for the spooky season. These not only add illumination but are also easy to do and don’t require a lot of materials. Arts and crafts enthusiasts will especially love this. You’ll need black paper, a glue stick, a white pencil, curved nail scissors, and white vellum.
Gather the materials, shape the lantern, trace, cut out each of the four sections, add the vellum paper, and glue the sides. There are plenty of variations to this project, so find one that’s easiest for you. Your porch is going to look wonderful this Halloween.
#20 Lawn eyeballs
This is the easiest project on this list, and if you only have time for a single DIY decoration this Halloween, let it be the lawn eyeballs. Grab soccer balls, paint, and paintbrushes, and you’re ready to make your yard spookier.
If you would rather skip the painting to make regular balls look like bloodshot eyeballs, you can always get the inflatable ready-made version from Amazon. However, we’re partial to the DIY version because it looks more authentic and has more character.
#21 Splatter pumpkin
If you would rather skip the fuss and the countless hours spraying, designing, and painting pumpkins, we have just the thing for you. This splatter pumpkin does not require long hours of preparation or a lot of effort. It’s the ideal weekend project with the tiny tots.
Paint the pumpkins white or any other color and splatter them with black specks or any shade of your choice, as long as it fits the rest of your décor. It’s best to make several so you can arrange them together or spread them throughout the lawn.
#22 Monster archway
You can up the ante by dressing up as a monster and giving your home’s archway a makeover. If the weather is windy, opt for stronger materials such as foam board. Trace the teeth and eyes and cut out the shapes.
Paint the different elements of the monster archway and add outlines with acrylic paint. You might need to put a board across the back of the teeth to keep it securely in place. No one likes having a toothless monster house, after all!
#23 Frankenstein front door
A drab front door during fall just won’t do. This idea is ideal for a covered porch, so you won’t have to worry about rain wreaking havoc on your creation. Bonus if you have the perfect color for Frankenstein’s monster.
Everything is made using felt except the white eyes and teeth, which are card stock. The hair was made with chalk and felt. This easy-peasy project is the perfect opportunity to ask your tiny tot to help out, as we’re sure they’d love to participate.
#24 Hanging mummy
Now is the best time to give your porch a scary and dramatic look. Watch as trick-or-treaters scream in fear and delight as they see mummies hanging out (pun intended) by the door. You can buy the ready-made version if you can’t make one yourself.
Duct-tape boy forms are the most common DIY versions and are also the easiest. Check out the different tutorials online, and as always, go with the one that’s easiest and quickest for you to do. The spooky season is about having a good time, after all.
#25 Dug up skeletal remains
This is another great idea for dressing up your lawn. You can use last year’s skeletal pieces, so you don’t have to spend extra money. Fill your old wheelbarrow with dirt, position the skeleton, and throw a few leaves on top for a more authentic look.
This is inexpensive, easy to do, and looks fantastic in your front yard. Everyone wants to save a few bucks on their Halloween decorations, and no one wants to spend an entire day cleaning up once the season is over.
#26 Vintage frame wreath
Do you have a spare wreath at home? Turn it into a fun and festive vintage frame wreath. Some of the items you can use to decorate it are skull masks, ribbons, fake bugs and spiders, and small vintage frames. Print spooky black and white photos and put them in the frames.
You can embellish the mask with fake flowers (paper and fabric are better than plastic). With your handy glue gun, start putting the different decorative elements on the wreath. Remember to make sure that the frames are spaced out evenly.
#27 Mummy door décor
Your front door shouldn’t be neglected when Halloween comes around. It also deserves to dress up and join the festivities. This mummy door creation is easy to do and doesn’t require a lot of materials or effort, something working moms will love.
Cover the whole door with black poster board, use paper plates for the eyeballs, and crisscross white streamers around the eyes. Continue doing that until you cover the whole door. Halloween decor does not get simpler or quicker than that.
#28 Skeleton newlyweds
Just get hitched to the man or woman of your dreams? You’ll love this deco! The dead wedding is a popular theme for Halloween, and what better way to celebrate your reunion than with a décor idea that speaks of timeless love?
True love should endure even beyond the grave. If you haven’t decided yet what to dress up for the costume party, you can go as the corpse bride and groom. You can simply recycle your wedding clothes and put pale makeup on.
#29 Cauldron with boogers
This one has a dual purpose: decoration and snacks. Zombie lovers are going to adore it! All you need to do is fill a cauldron with treats or zombie boogers. Boogers here refer to popcorn that’s been colored with green food dye.
We don’t want anyone getting an upset stomach during Halloween, so ensure you use the right food dye. Recipes abound on Google on how to prepare green popcorn. Enjoy the boogers with friends, family, and random trick-or-treaters. They taste incredible!
#30 Black magic altar
If you’re planning to dress up as witches during Halloween, a black magic altar is a must-have to round up the look. After all, witches have spell books and delve in the dark arts. This is another project that can involve the children.
Aside from books, you’ll need candles, wands, a cauldron, snakes, skulls, and potion bottles. Select a spot for your altar, preferably one that has shade so in case it rains, you need not worry about your props getting ruined before the big day.
#31 Ghostly draping
Celebrate all things ghoulish and scary by adding a spooky touch to your front porch. Tattered, billowing drapes will make your home look like a haunted house. The kind that all the kids in the neighborhood dare others to enter.
You don’t need to spend a lot on this. All you need is inexpensive cheesecloth, which is widely available. Cut the fabric according to your porch’s measurements, soak it overnight to give it an aged effect, and hang it once dry.
#32 Beaded pumpkin
Who says you can’t have glamorous but spooky decorations for your lovely home? You can certainly achieve both with this nifty project. This beaded pumpkin will elevate your aesthetics and make your yard one of the most beautiful in the neighborhood.
Contrary to how it looks, it isn’t expensive. All you need are beads and a pumpkin. The number of beads you’ll need depends on the size of your pumpkin. Ask the little ones to chip in on the work; they’ll love being able to contribute, and you’ll be able to rest your hands.
#33 Pumpkin flower arrangement
Flower arrangements are a hit whatever the season and can be easily adapted to this beloved occasion. And what better way to spruce up the yard or the interiors than with blooms appropriate for the scariest time of the year?
This may not be the most extravagant or unique decoration, but it works for folks who don’t want to overdo or overspend on seasonal embellishments. All you need to do is put a bouquet of flowers in a carved pumpkin. The blooms don’t even have to be real.
#34 Pumpkin skull centerpiece
Skulls are part and parcel of Halloween, and one can’t exist without the other. It’s easy to create a show-stopping exterior décor with their help. Fake skulls are readily available online and in most local stores and don’t cost a lot.
This might look more suitable for a coffee table, but we think it works well outdoors too. Did the family vote for a black-and-white theme this year? Look no further; this is the perfect décor idea. Ensure you put the ensemble in a place where people will see it.
#35 Spooky signs
Another hit during Halloween is spooky signs. You see them everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your take on the ubiquitous décor. They go well with most themes, especially zombies and ghosts. We especially love the sign below. But, of course, you’re free to think of something original.
Some of the materials you will need are a hammer, paint, nails, and a few pieces of wood. Most people would prefer safe messages such as greeting folks a Happy Halloween, but we recommend something more unexpected, gutsy, or terrifying.
#36 Bleeding candles
These are incredibly easy to make and only require one thing: candles! Who wouldn’t want that? For the incredibly lazy like us, nothing can be better. We’re sold! You will need a white and a red or black candle for this project.
You simply melt the red or black candle over the white taper one to create the bleeding effect. Use the candles to complete your black magic altar or put them with the dead newlyweds. They can fit anywhere and are a welcome addition to scary arrangements.
#37 Skeleton skull wreath
We can hear our door screaming that it needs this elegant but scary décor and we can’t argue with it because this is indeed a beauty. Although it’s more intricate compared to most things on this list, we’d be more than happy to spend time, money, and effort making this.
Usually, crafts that require more than 4 things turn us off, but how can you resist this? We have fallen under its dark spell and love every minute of it. Don’t worry if you’re not a pro at crafts; you can still make this.
#38 Reviving skeletons
Your front yard deserves some spooky fun this season, and what better way to dress it up than with reviving skeletons? Seeing the dead rise from the grave warms our black hearts, and we’re sure Halloween enthusiasts feel the same.
We’ve already covered how to make tombstones, so this should be easy. All you need are skulls and skeleton arms and hands. Don’t forget to embellish the setup with spiderwebs, fake worms, and a small black fence for that convincing graveyard look.
#39 Giant spider
Although the fear of spiders is considered irrational, many can’t stand the sight of these multiple-legged creatures, and Halloween is the best time to take advantage of that. This is an easy décor that is not too scary for little ones.
You’ll need pipes and fittings for the legs, trash bags for the head and body, electrical tape, black spray paint, reflectors for eyes, and cloth, paper, or newspapers to stuff the bags with. As with many others on this list, there are several variations of this project, so find one that works best for you.
#40 Giant raven
Since we are talking about giants, here’s another way to incorporate the raven into your yard. Have fun and make several ravens so you can fill your front yard with them. Edgar Allan Poe himself won’t resist making an appearance!
The first step is to print and cut the template and trace it onto a piece of plywood. You’ll need a jigsaw to cut the shapes and a drill for the eyeholes. Attach a wooden stake to the back of the ravens’ legs and place them strategically all over the yard after painting them black.
#41 Tin can luminaries
How about something that brightens your yard? You can place these tin can luminaries along the path to your front door. They are charming and cute and will quickly guide trick-or-treaters to your haunted home. We’re all about saving money, so you’ll be happy to know this doesn’t cost much.
You’ll need readily available supplies such as paint, a paintbrush, a Sharpie the same color as your paint, candles, a hammer and nails, and tin cans. If you’re not handy with hammers and nails, you can always ask your father, brother, or husband to help out.
#42 Patterned pumpkin
Pumpkins are a dime a dozen come Halloween, but you can make yours stand out with embellishments. Be the talk of the neighborhood with your black and white patterned pumpkins. You’re going to shake your head in disbelief, but the truth is, this only involves five steps.
You can easily get fake white pumpkins that will serve as the canvas for your work of art. Additional supplies required are acrylic paint, a black Sharpie, a foam craft brush, and blue painter’s tape. Let your inner frustrated artist out!
#43 Spider web doormat
Ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and zombies might drop by your home this Halloween, so ensure you properly welcome them with a doormat that is just as scary. How about a spider web doormat? You can make this one in under an hour.
All you’ll need is a black semi-circular doormat, white fabric paint, and a brush. Paint the straight lines from the center and fan out to the rest of the mat. Cut curved pieces on the perimeter to give it a look of real spider webs.
#44 Grinning Jack-o-Lantern candy holder
Let’s tone down the scares a bit and give tiny tots the sweets they crave during Halloween with this grinning candy holder. It’s 0 percent menacing and 100 percent friendly and adorable. Even the adult companions of children will love this.
You’ll need a large fake pumpkin that’s carve-able and a hot knife. You can draw the design on paper before you score and carve your pumpkin. Plenty of friendly pumpkin patterns are available online. Once done, fill your Jack-o-Lantern with all kinds of goodies.
#45 Glowing ghosts
This is another way to lead trick-or-treaters to your door while making your house glow at night. Although the number of materials required can be daunting, this project is something you can do in less than thirty minutes if you’re serious.
This is a great way to get into the spirit of the season. It will make your home stand out from the rest in the neighborhood and make little ones giggle in delight as they approach your door, giddy with anticipation for all the sweet treats and goodies awaiting them.