12 DIY Halloween Decor Projects to Make for Spooky Season

Once October hits, skeletons, pumpkins, inflatable goblins, and other Halloween decorations pack store shelves. Instead of displaying the same holiday setup as everyone else, it can be fun (and cost-effective) to create your own Halloween decor. If you’re looking to add some tricks and treats to your home, check out these Halloween decor ideas you can make yourself.

Whether you opt for spooky crafts or chic decor pieces that will last through Thanksgiving, we're sharing our best DIY Halloween ideas. Make garlands for a Halloween mantel, decorate a pumpkin with candy corn, or try our best DIY Halloween party decorations. Break out the hot glue and the paintbrushes because these DIY Halloween decorations work both inside and outdoors.

Paint Haunted Houses

Create a spooky display of haunted houses for your Halloween mantel by putting your own spin on simple wooden (or cardboard) houses. Unfinished houses are available at most craft stores, and you can turn them into a chilling focal point by painting them shades of black or gray. This is a great way to use up any leftover paint you have, too. Leave some areas unpainted for a slightly ramshackle look that feels eerie and perfect for Halloween. For a nighttime glow, look for houses with wider doorways so you can put in an electric tealight to illuminate the house with a warm orange glow.

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Display Empty Frames

Thrift stores are a great place to find cool frames that won’t break the bank. Arranged together with cobwebs and black butterflies or spiders, the gallery wall looks eerie but sophisticated, especially when styled above amber and black apothecary bottles. Fill the bottles with water dyed with food coloring to mimic the look of potions.

DIY Giant Spiders

A sophisticated fall mantel gets a playful twist thanks to these DIY giant Halloween spiders. It’s hard not to love these cute creepy crawlers you can make yourself using foam balls, wires, and hot glue. Get creative with placement by having them crawl up the staircase or display them outside for trick-or-treaters to enjoy. And the fun doesn't have to stop there! We have several more oversized Halloween decorations you can make at home.

Splatter-Paint Pumpkins

This kid-friendly fall activity is fun for the whole family—and there are no sharp tools required for this pumpkin decorating project. Mini pumpkins get an upgrade thanks to brightly colored splatter paint. Kids can channel their inner Jackson Pollock by flicking paint onto the pumpkins; any size gourd will work. Just keep in mind this is best as an outdoor activity.

Paper Straw Garland

Colorful, festive, and not too spooky, this paper straw garland is an easy Halloween party decor idea. Cut Halloween-theme drinking straws into halves or thirds, then use a needle to poke holes through the centers of each one and string them together with twine. Hang the garland from your mantel or above a doorway for holiday flair.

Halloween Silhouettes

Before you throw away that old magazine or newspaper, consider its DIY decor potential. This Halloween craft couldn’t be easier! Sketch a witch figure (or another favorite monster) onto a sheet of newspaper, then cut and glue it to a slab of wood or black poster board. Or make a pumpkin shape using newsprint or other magazine cuttings to form a collage. Consider cutting the witch shape from the page of an old horror novel for added spookiness.

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DIY Spider Wreath

It’s amazing what you can do with a grapevine wreath. To make this DIY spider wreath, spray-paint a grapevine wreath, then secure a faux spider with hot glue or a zip tie. Display it as-is, or make it a bit scarier by adding a web to the center, or faux flowers and twinkly lights for some color and sparkle.

Easy Monogrammed Pumpkins

When styling your Halloween porch, consider stacking pumpkins. Carve your initials into a pumpkin, or buy a few and spell out a Halloween word like 'boo.' Painting a pumpkin is also an easy option, and cuts down on the probability that your creation will rot or get eaten by animals before Halloween.

Etched Pumpkins

These etched pumpkins offer a less messy alternative to carving a jack-o-lantern. To get the orange underneath to pop, paint the pumpkin first, then use a wood carving tool to lightly carve out your design. Using petroleum jelly on the etched design will help it last longer.

Braided Spiderweb

You don’t need much more than thick yarn and hot glue to make this DIY braided spiderweb that fits right in with farmhouse Halloween decor. You can scale its size up or down to fit your space, indoors or outside. Finish by styling it with pumpkins and mums or a giant spider.

Halloween Door Decor

To take your fall porch to the next level, deck out your door with bat decorations. You can replicate this easy Halloween DIY project by using a sheet of yellow craft paper to cover the door. Add large bat stickers or bat silhouettes cut from black paper. Place gourds, pumpkins, and potted orange mums on the stoop to complete the seasonal scene.

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DIY Candy-Corn Pumpkins

It doesn’t get much cuter than this easy pumpkin craft made using candy corn and felt. Attach the candy to the pumpkin (real or faux) with hot glue, and add a face made out of simple felt shapes. This is one project the entire family will enjoy, and because they’re sweet rather than scary, you can keep these hedgehog pumpkins up through Thanksgiving.

DIY Twig Wreath

With this twig wreath, you can make festive fall decor and clear some sticks from your yard for a win-win Halloween craft. You could also buy some twigs, but ones from the ground work just fine when glued together in a circular shape. Finish the look by covering the wreath in synthetic cobwebs brimming with plastic spiders.

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