Halloween will be here in less than two weeks, so it’s time to finalize your plans for the big day. If you’re too old to go trick-or-treating and don’t have kids to go with, why not throw an epic party? Turn your place into a haunted house and scare all your friends this Halloween. How scary you go is up to you, but we’ve come up with 15 essentials that are perfect for every haunted house.
1. Crystal Ball Candlesticks: Print spooky images on transparency paper and place inside clear christmas ornaments to make these cool decorations. Thrift an assortment of candlesticks and give them a coat of black paint for the perfect base. (via Flamingo Toes)
2. Evil Eyes: Take your pictures from aaw to aah! with nothing more than a few strategically placed pieces of black construction paper. Now that’s creepy. (via HGTV)
3. Apothecary Labels: Turn your kitchen into a witch’s workshop with these free printable apothecary labels. Fill different-sized jars with things like pipe cleaners for tarantula legs and flour for a big batch of bone powder. (via Lia Griffith)
3. Floating Candles: An enchanted entrance is a great way to set the tone for the rest of the house. The painted tapestry sky is a cool finishing touch, but could be left out if you run out of time. (via Eating Bender)
4. Spell Book: Rescue that outdated book from its way to the trash and create your own spooky spell book instead. Detailed step-by-step instructions and printable inner pages make this wickedly easy to put together. (via DIY Nightmare Before Christmas Props)
5. Blood-Splattered Votive Jars: A killer setting can be yours in less than five minutes. Drip red paint on long strips of cheesecloth and let dry before wrapping them around a few mason jars. Add votives and you’re done. (via Brit + Co)
6. Hanging Spider Ballons: Perfect for a not-so-scary haunted house, these spiders have just the right amount of fright. Make the balloon strings just long enough to have the spiders graze your guests’ heads for a little extra fun. (via Studio DIY)
7. Halloween Book Covers: Create an eerie library or add a stack to your mantle. These printable book covers are proof that decorating on a budget doesn’t have to mean boring. (via Little House on the Corner)
8. Head in a Jar: Follow these instructions on how to put your own head in the jar, or use theirs — either way, this one is too good to pass up. Anyone hungry? (via Instructables)
9. Spider Sacks: There’s not much that’s creepier than a group of hanging spider sacks, and lucky for you, they’re super easy to recreate. Hang with fishing line to mimic real webbing and decorate with plastic spiders. (via Modern Parents Messy Kids)
10. Haunted Mirrors: Line your walls with a group of hitchhiking ghosts and trick your friends. Place your ghost of choice in a frame and paint the glass with a few coats of looking glass spray paint to achieve the haunted effect. (via Anniemated)
11. Blood-Splattered Vases: Red paint + white vase = bloody brilliant! Ignore the directions on the can and spray from close AND far to get the different splatter patterns. (via Brit + Co)
12. Scary Rabbit: Turn an ordinary garden statue into something terrifying with a simple coat of white. A red glitter ball cut in half makes for the prefect beady eyes. (via North Story)
13. Faux Chains: Head to the nearest home improvement store and stock up on insulation covers. Cut them into equally sized rings for fantastic faux chains. They make great scene-fillers, and you can use them again next year. (via Ribbons and Glue)
14. Monster Front Porch: A little plywood and paint is all you need to turn your house into the most terrifying one on the block. Hang everything with Command hooks so you don’t damage your house paint or have to deal with nail holes later. (via Craftibilities)
15. Black Bleeding Candles: These candles start black and trickle red when lit, so make sure you get these going before the party starts. The devil is in the details. (via World Market)
Will you use any of these ideas for your haunted house? We’d love to hear all about it!
