9 Halloween movies that are an unexpected source of home inspiration

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Halloween movies aren’t our usual go-to when it comes to sourcing interiors inspiration. They are, after all, rooted in all things spooky and scary – which hardly feel conducive to a cosy home.

Here’s the thing, though: Halloween movies are rife with unexpected home decor ideas (and seriously imaginative paint ideas).

They also, too, tend to feature the sort of outrageously beautiful homes we’d actually quite like to live in, even if it means living alongside a ghost or two. (Hey, there’s a reason hauntings apparently increase the value of your home by £50k!).

Halloween movies that give us serious home decor envy

With all of this in mind, then, which Halloween films are serving serious #interiorsgoals this spooky season?

From Practical Magic to Hocus Pocus, we’ve sourced some stylish scary movies that are guaranteed to inspire home decor trends choices left, right, and centre.

1) The Shining

Stephen King's The Shining is an oldie – and a terrifying oldie at that! – but it's definitely a goodie when it comes to serving up spacious and modern interiors inspiration.

The prints! The almost violent contrasts of colour! The oh-so-70s aesthetic! No wonder this is one of those Halloween movies that will forever have a place on our Pinterest boards...

2) Beetlejuice

Oh sure, we know we're supposed to pine for the rustic interiors of the Beetlejuice house after Delia (Catherine O'Hara) guts it and redecorates. And yet... well, there's something about her bold and unique aesthetic that we can't help but love.

For those who have yet to watch this Halloween movie, Beetlejuice tells the story of a loved-up married couple who, upon dying unexpectedly, are forced to share their home with the living family that moves in.

Their interiors tastes clash, however, and it's not long before our ghostly duo are calling upon a maniacal bio-exorcist to rid them of their flesh-and-blood housemates. Forever.

3) The Love Witch

The Love Witch follows the romantic obsessive that is Elaine (Samantha Robinson), who uses spellcraft and love potions aplenty in her relentless pursuit of men, often with fatal consequences.

Easily one of the most stylish Halloween movies ever made, Elaine's apartment boasts a colour palette inspired by tarot cards, intricate carved stone windows, bold psychedelic prints aplenty, and an overwhelmingly feminine aesthetic.

We. Are. Obsessed.

4) The Scream franchise

If there's one thing we know about Ghostface, it's this: the masked killer always prefers to stalk his victims through lavish American homes.

Right from the very first shot in the very first film (Drew Barrymore, in the kitchen, answering her phone), the Scream franchise has always made a point of creating cosy, comfortable, and oh-so-90s style homes for its victims to reside in.

Our favourite setting of all the Halloween movies, though? The original home from the 1996 film, in which Tatum met her grisly demise in the garage, Ghostface was finally unmasked, and Sidney became the ultimate Final Girl. Minus the bloodstains, obviously.

5) Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki's Delivery Service is one of those Halloween movies that is delightfully unscary – and absolutely beautiful to look at, too.

It tells the story of a young witch, who sets up her own business in a distinctly Scandi-style city. She lives in the attic room of a cosy bakery. She delivers packages to everyone in town. And, yes, she wanders through cottagecore home after cottagecore home as a result.

Definitely one to watch if you're looking for some hygge style tips this autumn...

6) Hocus Pocus

Were the Sanderson Sisters the first to embrace the spiral twist home decor trend?

Hocus Pocus is one of our favourite Halloween movies ever, and not just because of its timeless tale of three witches coming back from beyond the grave to terrorise the modern-day residents of Salem.

That's right, everyone! This film serves up stylish interiors inspiration in every single scene – from the fairycore house of Winnifred, Mary and Sarah Sanderson, to the palatial American home of Allison.

Don't believe us? Grab a notebook next time you watch it and note them all down. You'll be simmering with home envy before you know it...

7) The Craft

Whether you think of it as an amateur guide to the dark arts, a 90s time capsule, or a powerful coming-of-age story, there's a reason so many of us re-watch The Craft each and every autumn.

The plot of the Halloween movie is simple enough: a newcomer to a Catholic prep high school falls in with a trio of outcast teenage girls who practice witchcraft, joins their coven, experiences consequences.

She also, though, gets to hang out in a rambling Spanish-style home filled with a distinctly trendy folk aesthetic. And we're jealous, obviously.

8) The Amityville Horror

It might be one of the scarier Halloween movies on our list, but there's nothing frightening about the charming cottagecore aesthetic in the house at the centre of The Amityville Horror.

From the wall panelling to the wallpapered feature walls, the spacious rooms to the vintage detailing, it's easy to see why the family moves into 412 Ocean Avenue, which sits perched on the shore of Silver Lake in Salem, Wisconsin.

It's not easy to see why they eventually leave it, obviously. We're just saying we see the appeal of the so-called "murder house"...

9) Practial Magic

We love e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g about the house at the centre of Practical Magic, from its sprawling Cotswolds-style garden, to its wraparound patio, to its elevated cottagecore aesthetic, to its abundant use of flickering candles.

Plot-wise, you know the story: two sisters from a family of witches move in with their aunts, grow up, and attempt to break the curse that prevents them ever finding their one true love.

Home-wise, though, we're pretty sure everyone knows every inch of this lavish Victorian property.

Recreate the look at home by mixing dark woods with creamy neutrals, a large apron sink and white cabinetry, rustic pre-loved furniture, accent walls, shimmering glassware, botanical prints, and candles aplenty.

You know it makes sense...

What kind of house is in Practical Magic?

The romantic white Victorian home in Practical Magic – built specifically for the 1998 Halloween movie – features a blend of cottagecore elements and the folksy interiors trend. It's easy enough to recreate the bewitching aesthetic in your own home, so long as you pay attention to the little details: glass vials, tall waxy candles, dried flower wreaths, and botanical illustrations aplenty.

What Halloween movies feature stylish houses?

There are plenty of Halloween movies with stylish homes and properties at their centres: think The Addams Family, Disney's Haunted Mansion, Suspiria, Helter Skelter, Casper, Fear Street, and Halloween – as well Practical Magic, The Amityville Horror, Hocus Pocus, The Love Witch, Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus, The Craft, Scream, Kiki’s Delivery Service, The Amityville Horror, and The Shining.