I’ve shown you my selfish Halloween decor and a few easy Halloween additions, but today I wanted to talk about how to decorate with your kids in a way that still brings you satisfaction. Not to say that my kids don’t love the library shelves or the bowl of bones, they actually really do but I know my kids may not be the norm. Likely because of my love for Halloween they enjoy it too. When Xander was four he watched Hocus Pocus every day for about six months straight. Both of the kids love creepy movies and things. Milly is scared easily but has this strange enjoyment of it all. She always says “it just feels good to scream!”
Because we’ll be adding another little one soon, I figure I’m not going to have the energy to decorate their playroom for Christmas this year. So I wanted to do something for Halloween, and I thought I’d share my thought process behind how it all came together.
DECIDE ON A COLOR PALETTE
Picking and sticking with a few different colors will always create a more polished look. Orange is not one of my go-to colors, but it’s obviously appropriate for this holiday. It’s great with the graphic black and white and the pop of the yellow in the fireplace. Keeping the plants in play also feels fresh and more lighthearted. The asparagus fern is wild and crazy, which fits the mood.
LET THE KIDS PICK A FEW KEY ELEMENTS
We headed to At Home which has a huge and fun selection of Halloween! and roamed the aisles. I let the kids throw things in the cart that peeked their interest, and after we’d roamed all of the aisles we narrowed things down. They each picked two pieces they really wanted to have. For Xander it was the big skeleton and the chrome skull with the sunglasses. Milly loved the black cat skeleton and the crow in the cage.
HOLIDAY DECOR DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HOLIDAY
The key to any chic holiday decor is keeping a consistent color palette and mixing seasonal decor with more generic pieces. After we put together some items that are exclusively Halloween, we shopped the rest of At Home to bring in elements that fit within the color palette of Halloween and were a bit edgy. The furry pillow is an on trend look that can work almost anywhere in your home, all winter long. The ceramic trees are actually from the Christmas section, but they bring that graphic punch that is completely appropriate for the look we were going for.
MIX IN SOMETHING WITH AGE
The most obvious answer here will always be books. I pulled some of the kids’ books that were within the colors I wanted to use, but most of them have really busy spines, so I just turned them around. Then I went through the books in the library, collecting orange, yellow, and a few red.
DON’T FORGET THE FUN
I love this easy unit we put in because it allows for loads of storage while still leaving space for some decor at the top. To continue a playful look I pulled out a few toys that work within the color palette. Xander’s had that tiger for years he’s actually playing with it as I type this, the blocks in the plastic cauldron are graphic and fun, and the electric orange domino set is ready for a game at a moment’s notice. Mixing in items that aren’t just for looks is crucial to a space that is livable and enjoyable to be in especially when you’re dealing with kids.
I promise this will be my last Halloween post for the year, but man I enjoy decorating for it! Any other tips for decorating for everyone?
My favorite Halloween decor for 2020.
*I’m really honored to be a part of At Home’s Inspiration Team for 2016. This post is in partnership with them, but all thoughts, opinions and selections are my own.
Amanda Searfoss says
I love Halloween and I love your fig tree! I swear I try, but I can’t seem to get my fig to like me. It keeps turn brown. Any hints to keeping it alive? Thanks!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks! The main things for me are putting it in bright but indirect light (so near windows but not in ones that get harsh sun), watering with 2-3 cups of water once a week, and never moving it. Brown usually means it’s getting too much sun, where yellowing usually means not enough. Hope this helps and good luck!
Jennifer Griffin says
Of course you made Halloween look chic instead of tacky! I love that you pulled those cool ceramic trees from the Christmas section to use for Halloween instead. What a fun room!
Gwen, The Makerista says
Ha, yes, I avoid tacky when possible. 🙂 Thanks!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Ha, thanks! I definitely don’t love tacky. 🙂
John Donovan says
These examples prove that Halloween décor can be elegant! In fact, these pieces are fairly neutral, which means that they can easily be left out all year.
themakerista@gmail.com says
It’s true, it can be and yes, many of these things aren’t holiday specific!