How early is too early to start celebrating Halloween? 10 years ago, I’m sure the general consensus would have been that it is way too early to start celebrating Halloween pre-October. But times have changed, and George Home’s new ‘Summerween’ collection is proof of that.

This spooky, kooky and downright summery home decor trend hasn’t come out of nowhere, as George Home has reported shoppers are searching for Halloween decor as early as August. In response, they dropped a 36-piece collection you can shop online right now.

I’ll admit, the Ideal Home office is a little less convinced about the Summerween trend. On the one hand, the upcoming Summer Solstice is the perfect excuse to display whimsical decor. On the other hand, spooky decorations in highlighter pink shades aren't exactly what you'd call classically tasteful. So, I asked interior design experts how to decorate for Summerween tastefully, and this is what they said.

Summerween at George Home

As you can see, the George Home Summerween collection is a glitter bomb of bold colour, disco balls and statement prints. It’s perfectly in line with the popular disco pumpkin and Pinkoween trends that have been incredibly popular over the last couple of years.

It’s fun and a little tongue-in-cheek, but not exactly what I would call chic. And while great fun to deck your home out with for a party, it’s not exactly decor I’d want adorning my home every day.

‘New search data shows interest in ‘Summerween’ has surged by 200% in the past month, with a further 50% increase week on week. That shift suggests it’s moving beyond being a bit of an internet in-joke and into something people are actually bringing into their homes,’ says Victoria Robinson, trend expert at Hillarys.

‘From a trend perspective, I think it’s a fun one, but like a lot of social media-led trends, it can easily tip into feeling gimmicky if you go too literal with it. Bright orange pumpkins and heavy Halloween décor can feel out of place in summer if they’re not styled carefully.’

How to style the Summerween trend tastefully

According to the experts, the key to tasteful Summerween decor is opting for softer colours and going by the principle that less is more.

‘I enjoy the idea of taking familiar autumnal motifs and reimagining them through a lighter, more playful summer lens. The key is balance. When done well, it feels whimsical and creative rather than kitsch or overly themed,’ says Kunal Trehan, interior designer and founder of Touched Interiors.

‘Swap traditional orange and black for softer combinations such as terracotta, coral, dusty peach, sage green, sand and cream. This creates a more elevated seasonal look. Decorate with woven lanterns, rattan accessories, driftwood, ceramic pumpkins and dried florals rather than plastic decorations. The result feels far more sophisticated.’

Forget gaudy, in-your-face decor such as bright orange pumpkins. Instead, incorporate a pumpkin hue into your existing decor with items such as the M&S x William Morris at Home Pure Cotton Wild Tulip Bedding Set (£70), which uses moody orange tones for a whimsical effect. Or, an orange velvet cushion (£18, Dunelm) can add a pop of autumnal colour to a sofa.

‘Texture also plays a big role. Natural materials like linen tablecloths, woven accessories and rustic ceramics help ground the look and stop it from feeling overly themed. You can then layer in gentle nods to Halloween, things like candlelight, atmospheric lighting or understated motifs, rather than anything too costume-like,’ adds Victoria.

‘It works particularly well outdoors. We’re seeing a big shift towards people making better use of their gardens and outdoor spaces, and Summerween lends itself perfectly to that, things like relaxed tablescaping, soft lighting, and layered textiles that create a slightly moody but still summery feel.’

‘The most successful Summerween interiors don't look like Halloween arrived early. Instead, they capture the mood and magic of the season while remaining stylish, relaxed and appropriate for summer living,’ concludes Kunal.

The choice is yours. Will you go bold with George Home, or opt for something a little more subtle?

Carving pumpkins is easily one of the most fun seasonal activities in October. But if you want to keep your beautiful carved designs looking fresh for as long as possible, experts recommend you spray your pumpkins with peppermint oil (£4.99 at Amazon).

With hundreds of pumpkin decorating ideas to choose from, carving pumpkins is the perfect autumn activity to let your creativity run wild (apart from curating an iconic Halloween costume, of course). You may already know that bleach or even vinegar can be used to keep pumpkins fresh, but you’ll want to add peppermint oil to that list now, too.

Non-toxic and deliciously scented, here’s how to use peppermint oil to ensure your pumpkins stay fresh for all your Halloween celebrations.

Why you need to spray pumpkins with peppermint oil

After taking what is often a whole afternoon to carve your pumpkin, quite possibly the worst thing that can happen is your squash rotting before any trick or treaters or partygoers get a chance to see it.

Instead of letting your Halloween decorating ideas go quite literally to waste, peppermint oil can help slow the pumpkin’s ripening process as well as protect it from mould.

‘Rich in antibacterial properties, peppermint oil is a great way to prevent mould and bacteria from spreading, especially in a carved pumpkin,’ say experts at Shark Clean.

‘After carving your pumpkin, mix a few drops of peppermint oil in a spray bottle filled with water. Spray the inside of your pumpkin immediately, paying special attention to the cut edges of your pumpkin.’

Peppermint oil is a natural preservative, which means it can be used to slow down the decomposition of your pumpkin. Not only that, but peppermint oil is also an excellent pest deterrent, known for being effective at deterring rats and getting rid of spiders, which can also help keep your carved pumpkin in top shape if you plan on leaving it outdoors.

‘By spraying the surface (and particularly around any carved areas), you form a barrier that will make it less appetising to pests, which means simpler steps are being taken to do what you can to keep rot at bay for now. It is easy, safe and definitely worth a shot for Halloween longevity,’ explains Matthew Wilson, professional gardener and CEO of Handy Gardeners.

Whether you’ve grown your own pumpkins or picked a few up from the shop, mixing a few drops with a pint of water and spritzing your pumpkins every couple of days is a great method to keep them fresh.

I love Halloween, and while I always have high hopes for my decorations, I usually find myself a day before the 31st trying to cobble something together that doesn't quite hit the desired stunningly spooky mark.

If this sounds like you, I've asked the experts for their top tips for delivering maximum impact with minimum cost and effort. Whether it's a few days before a Halloween party, a spooky movie marathon with friends, or you're just looking for some quick budget Halloween decorating ideas to give your home a creepy (in a good way) makeover, these are the tricks the experts recommend for what pieces to invest in and how to style them.

Pumpkin ideas are always the best starting point; you can pick up a selection of mini and big ones from the supermarket for under £10. Even uncarved, clustered together and draped with faux cobwebs or fairy lights, they'll set the scene perfectly. However, if you're looking to go further, here's how to do it.

1. Keep it classic with cobwebs

You can't go wrong with some faux cobwebs, which you can pick up from most stores for well under £10. On Amazon, this Halloween Spider Web Decoration also comes with 60 plastic spiders for £8.69 and is well reviewed.

Faux cobwebs are perfect for a Halloween party as they can cover a lot of ground and will instantly give a mantle-piece and windows a spooky makeover. I like the idea of pairing it with fairy lights for an extra creepy glow or dotted around pumpkins for a spooky autumnal look.

If you have £20 to spend Gill Baker, B&Q's Head of Decor, has a few other tips to dial up the scare factor. 'For those looking to go all-in on the Halloween fun, there are plenty of playful ways to make an impact without spending more than £20,' she explains.

'Classic decorations like hanging cobwebs (£4.77 at B&Q), Halloween window gel clings (£5.99 at B&Q) and pumpkin string lights (£6.40 at B&Q) instantly set the scene, and you can create a big impact on a small budget.'

2. Invest in a statement light (or two)

I'm all for saving money on decorations, but sometimes the best way to make an impact is to invest in that one key piece, and pre-lit decorations are a great option for lazy decorators.

'Opt for pre-lit decorations for a low-maintenance display with lasting impact,' says Claire Bassett, Head of Product at Lights4fun.

'For under £20, our Mini Ghost and Pumpkin Light Up Halloween Decorations make the spookiest impact on your décor,' she recommends.

'We’d style these figures outside on a porch with faux cobwebs, or set them on the table surrounded with candles and foliage for a gothic centrepiece. Alternatively, add these lights to a display of real pumpkins on the front steps of the house, with a few spiders for a creepy effect.'

3. Make candles work harder

Candles are one of the cheapest decorations you can buy to create an eerie glow. This box of 50 taper candles from Amazon will set you back less than £20, and you can use them for Christmas and beyond. Alternatively, you can pick up 6 flickering battery-powered taper lights for £20 on Amazon, for a safer alternative.

However, the trick to turning candles and any light, for that matter, into a standout decoration is to vary the height. 'Make your lights work harder by utilising height and depth within your styling. By layering candles and lanterns of varying heights, you can create a spooky illusion that draws the eye upwards even in the smallest of spaces,' says Claire at Lights4Fun.

4. Focus on windows

Rather than trying to transform a whole room into a set from Wednesday on Netflix focus your efforts on the windows to make an impact inside and out.

'Windows are one of the easiest spots to make a big Halloween statement without spending much at all, ' says Lisa O'Hanlon, Brand Manager at The Shutter Store UK.

'Try using removable window clings or black paper silhouettes - think bats, witches, pumpkins or ghosts - which you can stick directly onto the glass or shutters for under £10.

'If you have shutters, partially closing them and placing battery-powered tea lights or orange string lights on the windowsill creates an atmospheric glow that’s visible from outside and feels cosy inside.

5. Go hard with the black card

A little black card can go a long way if you have a pair of scissors and some clear thread, which you can pick up on Amazon.

'For an affordable, easy craft, you can't beat making some oversized bats or spiders from black card. There are lots of templates online, and all you need is the card and scissors, along with something to hang them on the wall with,' says interior stylist Laurie Davidson.

'If you've got a little more time, why not use some old sheets and make hanging ghosts?'

Halloween is a fun time to get playful and creative with your decorations, but don't feel you have to spend a fortune to create a Stacey Solomon-worthy Halloween front door. Concentrate your efforts on a few star buys and key locations for a striking look that will come in under £20.

I don’t know about you, but Halloween is one of my favourite times of year, and with it comes the opportunity to go bigger and bolder with my decorations every year. However, before you get your bats, skeletons and pumpkins out, legal experts have warned that your Halloween decor can land you with a hefty fine.

When you put together your Halloween decoration ideas, it’s fair to say that you’re not thinking of the legal consequences, but rather focusing solely on the aesthetics. But if you’re planning on dotting more than a couple of plastic pumpkins in your windowsills, then you need to be aware of the various property laws that can be breached by way of decor.

With Halloween decor responsible for fines up to £50,000 in extreme cases, these are all the rules and regulations you need to be aware of before decorating your home this Halloween.

How can your Halloween decorations land you in trouble?

I can’t say I’ve ever considered that my Halloween decorations could land me in legal trouble. From hopping on board the glass pumpkin trend to going all out for Pinkoween, the last thing on my mind was the law. But there are, in fact, multiple acts you need to be aware of.

‘Halloween decorations can cause safety hazards, neighbour disputes, and even affect a property's value or future sale. Councils can issue fines ranging from £100 to £5,000 if displays cause hazards, and liabilities can rise to £50,000 in cases where negligence leads to injury,’ says Louise Ainley, a qualified conveyancer at licensed conveyancer course provider Access Law Online.

The laws to be aware of? You need to consider the Occupier's Liability Act 1957 and 1984, the Highways Act 1980, and the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

‘Under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984, you have a duty of care to ensure there are no foreseeable risks to visitors, for instance, tripping hazards from extension leads, low hanging items in the garden, or open flames from candles. It’s also vital to check that any outdoor electrics are weatherproof and that sockets aren’t overloaded,’ explains Lucie-Anne Rhodes, Consultant Solicitor at Richard Nelson LLP.

‘You should also make sure your decorations don’t obstruct public paths or roads, as this can breach the Highways Act 1980, and be mindful that overly noisy or disruptive displays could lead to complaints under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.’

If you’re a renter, you should also ensure that your decor does not damage the property or breach your tenancy agreement, for example, staining the walls with Blu Tack, as this can land you in trouble with your landlord and potentially mean you don’t get your full deposit back.

‘In short, keep decorations safe, considerate, and within your property boundaries; that way, you can enjoy a spooktacular display without any legal scares,’ concluded Lucie-Anne.

And if you’re lacking in ideas for safe, considerate decor, here are a few options to get started.

Spooky season is the optimum time to have fun with brash, in-your-face decorations. But you need to ensure they don’t encroach on your neighbour's property, risk injury or disrupt your community to ensure everyone can enjoy them.

It doesn’t get much more autumnal than pumpkin decor, and the piece on everyone’s wish list is, of course, the Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Casserole. But if you don’t want to spend £299 on one piece of cookware, may I introduce Argos Home’s 2.1 Litre Stoneware Pumpkin Casserole Dish (£12).

Pumpkin-shaped cookware is a popular choice for many kitchens due to its seasonal kitsch aesthetic, and there’s no denying Le Creuset does it best, producing some of the best cast-iron cookware on the market. However, this high-ticket item is pricey, which is why we’re always seeking more affordable pumpkin dutch oven alternatives.

Argos’ pumpkin casserole is five-star rated and an affordable alternative to elevate your seasonal cooking, with many of the same perks as the Le Creuset version. This is everything you need to know.

Affordable Le Creuset dupes are nothing new. For example, I’m actively excited to see Aldi and Lidl Le Creuset alternatives hit their respective middle aisle every few months. But Argos’ pumpkin casserole may be the cheapest I’ve ever seen.

At £12 for a 2.1L capacity, I’d argue this pot is excellent value for money. It’s large enough to use as a serving dish for the whole family, and is both oven and dishwasher-safe. Its bright orange hue is very similar to the iconic Volcanic colourway, and while the stalk isn’t the same stunning gold as a Le Creuset pumpkin dish, it’s still both pretty and detailed.

What I will say is that Le Creuset is offering more in terms of pumpkin cookware. Alongside the classic pumpkin casserole, you can also pick up a shallow pumpkin casserole dish (£299), a mini casserole dish (£50), a mug (£54) and even a butter dish (£67). These are available in an array of pretty colours, too.

While the Argos pumpkin casserole is limited by comparison, its price is unmatched, and the glowing reviews to back it up show it’s a worthy investment.

‘Lovely looking pumpkin casserole/serving dish. It states on the bottom that it is oven, microwave and dishwasher safe, though I’ve not tested these out. I use it as a serving dish for soup or casserole. It’s an ample size to house enough to serve a family, and as autumnal decoration, it looks fabulous in my kitchen. Very pleased,’ said one.

‘Absolutely lovely. Beautiful colour and lots of room. Thank you, Argos.’

As much as I love the look of a Le Creuset pumpkin casserole, I can’t envision myself spending hundreds of pounds on a piece of cookware that only seems to make an appearance during the autumn and winter months. But I can see the merit in spending £12 on the Argos Pumpkin Casserole, which looks just as stylish at a fraction of the cost.

What do you think?

The release of Le Creuset's pumpkin casserole dish makes its way onto my Instagram feed without fail every year. The Le Creuset cast iron pumpkin casserole dish will set you back £289, and while Le Creuset does make some of the best cast-iron cookware, I'd argue this particular dish might not be the best piece to invest in for year-round use.

However, the brand has made adding one of their seasonal piece of cookware to your kitchen a little more accessible with the launch of a tiny pumpkin-shaped Dutch oven. This miniature version is selling for £50 from the Le Creuset website and made from oven-safe stoneware. I am obsessed with all things miniature was instantly taken by these little guys.

However, while super cute, you'll still easily slip over the £100 mark if you were looking to accumulate a little collection for an autumnal dinner. That's why I've been on the hunt to find alternative mini pumpkin dishes for a little less. Here are my favourites.

If you love to decorate for Halloween every year, then adding one of these pieces into your dinnerware collection gives you the chance to use it year after year to set your autumnal table scene. Just like your Christmas decorations, it's something you can build up year after year.

Do any of these pumpkin-themed pieces take your fancy for the cosiest time of the year? Let me know in the comments!

Heritage British kitchenware brand Mason Cash has released a new mixing bowl to mark the cosiest time of the year and it's selling out fast. The Mason Cash Pumpkin Mixing Bowl is available to buy now for £39.99 via Amazon and is adorned with an embossed harvest themed pattern which is perfect for Halloween baking and beyond.

Eagle-eyed viewers of the latest series of The Great British Bake Off might just recognise this bowl, which features heavily in the tent in various colours and designs, as well as being Mary Berry's bakeware item of choice. Here's a closer look at this limited edition autumnal version.

The previous two releases of this bowl in recent weeks have sold out extremely quickly, with the rich orange glaze on this product clearly proving popular with fans of the brand.

As well as being tailor made for a Halloween themed tableware display, I can attest that the practical elements of this bowl make it a seriously worthwhile buy too.

The four litre size of this bowl lends it to jobs far beyond mixing cake batter – it's ideal for bread dough and cooking too. I use it almost everyday to combine ingredients for dinnertime recipes, though my own version isn't quite as festive, as I have the version made in collaboration with Fortnum and & Mason (£45.00).

Though these bowls are pricey, the earthenware material makes them particularly long lasting and the dishwasher-safe design cleans like a dream. Multiple members of the Ideal Home team have even inherited them through generations of their family.

If you're not that big on celebrating all things autumnal, there are so many alternative Mason Cash bowls to choose from. Here's a selection of my favourite designs.

Will you be celebrating the beginning of autumn with one of these bowls? Or do you have your own Bake Off favourites at home already?

Stacey Solomon has kicked off September in style by unveiling what just might be one of her most iconic autumn doorscapes to date. This year, she has kept things completely natural and grown a living pumpkin arch, and the result is amazing.

Stacey's raised the bar for autumn decorating ideas with her living doorscape. Sharing her autumn door on Instagram last week, she revealed that her design this year is 100% natural, made up of a pumpkin vine that she has trained up and over an arch. The effort and planning alone that must have gone into this display are enough to make it iconic.

'Anyone who knows me knows this is peak happiness for me 😂 My first ever 100% natural front door display 🥲 Anyone who says “it’s too earlyyyyy 🙄“ Sorry Wilma I can’t control nature 😂🧡 And I can’t keep cable tying my pumpkins back on 😂 also it’s never too early for pumpkins in my opinion!' she wrote on Instagram.

Over the last year, Stacey Solomon has shared her enthusiasm for growing her own vegetables in the garden at Pickle Cottage on her BBC show Stacey and Jo, and her Instagram account. She revealed that @sams_growingfood had helped her grow her pumpkin arch, showing a shot of the small vine before it was trained up the arch.

Growing pumpkins vertically over a sturdy arch structure, like this £10 metal garden arch from Amazon, is a common technique when growing pumpkins in a small garden or allotment. However, it is usually recommended that you do this with smaller fruiting varieties.

Stacey has taken a risk with larger pumpkins but revealed to her fans in the comments section that she has called in extra enforcements and secured the large pumpkins to the arch structure using cable ties. When asked if they were getting too heavy to stay on the arch, she confessed, 'yes they already are, & I had to cable tie some of them.'

Her secret to keeping the larger pumpkins secured is a smart trick used by many gardeners to secure plants to arches as they grow. You can pick up a pack of 150 green cable ties for £5 on Amazon that will blend in with whatever you're growing.

How to grow pumpkins around an arch

If you want to try growing pumpkins over an arch next year like Stacey, the experts recommend playing it safe with a smaller pumpkin variety.

'Growing pumpkins over an arch can be relatively simple, but it will be more successful if you only try this method with smaller pumpkin varieties such as 'Jack Be Little' or 'Baby Bear' as they are easier to train up supports,' says Richard Barker, gardening expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture.

You can buy 'Baby Bear' seeds from Thompson & Morgan and 'Jack Be Little' pumpkin seeds from Suttons, ready to plant in May for less than £2.

'As the pumpkins grow, you will need to weave the vines into the arch and tie them in place at first so that the plant's tendrils begin to cling to it.'

Richard also recommends reinforcing the arch as the pumpkins grow, rather than relying on the plant pots Stacey has used. 'To give the arch extra strength, bury it deeply into the ground at each end and add diagonal braces to give it more support. You may also need to secure the arch to the ground using pegs to stop it from falling over.'

'As the pumpkins are growing and starting to produce fruit, it can be beneficial to use netting (like the kind used on lemon trees) to support them as they develop and reduce the risk of them falling from the arch,' he adds. Some of Stacey's followers recommend using old tights for the job to add extra support.

While it's now a little too late in the season to grow a pumpkin vine from scratch around your door like Stacey Solomon (there's always next year!), you can still take some planting cues from her display for an instant, natural autumnal door.

To complement her pumpkin arch, she has planted up large stone planters with chrysanthemums in purple and yellow shades, and marigolds around the base of the arch. These plants will keep flowering until the first frost, providing an instant hit of autumnal colour through September and October.

Styled with some of her homegrown pumpkins, the finished look is naturally beautiful. Will you be growing your own pumpkin display next year?

If there’s one way to decorate your home for spooky season, it’s with Wednesday-inspired home decor. Every year, my autumn home decor collection gets bigger and bigger, and I’m always on the lookout for new Halloween-inspired items that feel classy and gothic.

So, when the new season of Wednesday was released on Netflix, I instantly began searching for Halloween decorating ideas to create that atmospheric, dark, and moody vibe in a stylish way.

It’s never too early for Halloween decorations, especially with this trend. Gone are the days of artificial spider webs and cutesy ghosts; this seasonal home decor style feels more serious and sophisticated, making it perfect for those of us who want to achieve that Halloween style without looking tacky.

In classic Tim Burton style, the Wednesday aesthetic is all about the perfect balance between spooky and whimsical, which is simple to replicate in your own home - if you know where to look.

Think bold, black and white contrast, mature, vintage details, and hints of purple ambience. The Wednesday look might seem complicated to achieve with its traditional, Victorian accents, but by switching out a few mellow decor pieces for those that make a statement, you’ll be able to embrace Halloween in a classy way throughout your entire home.

Primark Wednesday Decor

The Primark collection has some stunning pieces at an affordable price point. With primarily monochrome home accessories, it’s a perfect nod to the classy, melancholic colour palette of Tim Burton’s Wednesday.

Dunelm Wednesday Decor

Dunlem’s Halloween edit is simply a must. It’s quirky. It’s classy. The perfect balance that just screams Wednesday. The pieces are simply adorable – in typical Enid-meets-Wednesday style. You won’t be able to resist.

Next Wednesday Decor

The Halloween range from Next is where spooky season meets sophistication. Their modernised pieces mean nostalgic Halloween decor looks good in every home, without feeling tacky.

So, whether you go all out for Halloween like me or prefer a subtle, classy nod here or there, channelling Wednesday has never been simpler. This spooky season, I’ll be channelling my inner Wednesday in every room of the house - care to join me?

As soon as 1st September hits, we're entering the time when it's acceptable to start slowly pulling out the autumn and Halloween decorations. Not one to wait around until October, IKEA has already dropped its KUSTFYR collection, ready for Halloween, and it's a fun Scandinavian twist on what you'd typically expect from Halloween decoration ideas.

I am a huge fan of Halloween, I love pumpkin spice lattes, ghost motifs and watching Hocus Pocus on repeat throughout October. However, while I love the holiday, I am very picky about the decorations I use to celebrate it in my home. I don't like anything garish or scary. Instead, I focus on themed home decor that slips into a room without cluttering it up.

IKEA has nailed that formula with its new KUSTFYR Halloween range, focusing on a monochrome colour palette and simple shapes for a cat and ghost motif. This collection is about as minimalist as you can get when decorating for Halloween.

The Designer Marta Krupińska highlights the black unscented cat candle on the IKEA website, saying: 'I like simple shapes with small details that are not necessarily minimalist and think cat lovers will go crazy for this candle.'

I don't think it's just cat lovers who will go crazy for this candle, priced at £4, its cartoon-ish look and jet-black colourway have made it one of my favourite pieces in the range. The cute ghost sweetie jar is a close second. It can be left empty and displayed on a shelf, or packed with treats on a kitchen shelf or coffee table.

I've sifted through the whole new range and these are the pieces I'll be picking up on my next IKEA shop.

The range is available to shop online and instores, with prices ranging from 75p to £15. However, if you prefer a slightly more decorative flourish here are three other Halloween decorations I'm expecting to be everywhere come October.

Are you a fan of the minimalist IKEA Halloween decorations? Or do you prefer a more maximalist approach to your seasonal decor?

Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year. At work, I've become known for my obsession with the spooky season (it helps having an October birthday). Honestly, if I had to choose between pumpkin decor and a Christmas tree, the pumpkin would win every time.

However, despite my love of all things pumpkin spice, this year I've been frustrated by how early it is appearing on the high street. It is only July, but to look online, you'd think we were already deep into September from all the Halloween ideas and homeware collections.

Just this morning, I found Primark has already started dropping its Halloween collection, Fabulousa has launched a pumpkin fragrance range at B&M, and Hobbycraft's popular plush pumpkins have returned to stores earlier than ever this year.

Working for a homes and interiors website, I'm no stranger to holiday seasons coming early, looking at Christmas decorations and tasting mince pies in July is the norm for me. However, what I loved about Halloween as an underrated holiday is that the build-up fell neatly in September.

But spooky season is no longer underrated; the American trend for celebrating it in a big way has caught on in the UK. Google Trends has seen a breakout in people searching for 'Halloween bedding', 'Halloween rugs' and even 'Halloween towels' in July. Hobbycraft also reported that they've seen website searches for 'pumpkins' up 84% this month.

I hold Netflix's release of the second series of Wednesday in August partly responsible for the early surge.

But still, even as a spooky season super fan, I'm not planning to start pulling my pumpkins out of storage until the start of September. That is the earliest I want to see a pumpkin or autumnal wreath out anywhere. I use the holiday as an antidote to the days getting colder and nights longer. I don't want to wish my summer away.

However, according to my team, I'm pulling the trigger on Halloween decorating too early by kicking things off in September.

'I wouldn't decorate for Halloween any sooner than the beginning of October. Most years, September is still warm with summer temperatures. So why not take advantage and enjoy the warmth and summery vibes rather than start ushering autumnal Halloween decor in way too early?!' says Sara Hesikova, Ideal Home's Room Decor Content Editor.

She has a point, but I stand by my view that September is the gateway to autumn and the earliest acceptable time to start in on the Halloween decorations. What do you think?

Wildlife experts have warned against the spraying of artificial spider webs on our hedgerows this Halloween as it poses a threat to birds.

Every Halloween the urge to go bigger and bolder with your decor gets stronger – after all, it’s the perfect opportunity to let your imagination run as spooky and wild as possible.

So it’s no surprise that our Halloween decorating ideas venture outside of our homes, too. But did you know that outside decor could be proving more than a mild fright this season – your fake spider webs may entangle a native bird this Halloween.

The RSPB have warned against artificial plastic webs and spray-on artificial webs adorning our hedges as it's easy for birds to get their legs tangled in the webbing.

‘You may be tempted to use cobweb decorations outside your house or in the garden to get in the Halloween spirit, but these fake webs can be dangerous for wildlife,’ states Mey Duek, RSPB Wildlife Expert. ‘Birds and other animals can get tangled in them so please avoid using them. It's much better to leave real cobwebs in place and save the fake cobwebs for indoor use

Maria Kincaid, head ornithologist at FeatherSnap, warns how dangerous it is if a bird gets snagged in a fake web. ‘Once they get stuck, it’s really difficult for them to escape. The clingy nature of these webs makes it easy for their wings to get caught, leading to exhaustion, injury or worse,’ she says.

‘Insects can also become trapped in the cobwebs, As birds already struggle with food resources at this time of year, this may deprive them of one of their main food sources. They may also spot insects trapped in the cobwebs and attempt to retrieve them, putting themselves at risk of getting stuck.’

It may be tempting to add these spooky webs to your outside spaces - spooky decor is definitely effective at attracting trick or treaters, but why not adopt some different methods this year? No carve pumpkin decorating ideas can turn spooky decor into something elegant and sophisticated. Or you can embrace this year's glitzy disco pumpkin trend with sparkles that will stand out to the whole street.

Bird-approved alternatives

This warning doesn’t mean you can’t have any outdoor decor this year. Maria recommends using natural materials when it comes to spookifying your outside spaces.

‘Pumpkins, gourds and dried leaves makes excellent alternatives. Even better, after Halloween, pumpkins can be cut up and left out as food for birds and small mammals.’

Maria also recommends using twigs and branches to create your own witches broomstick, leaving the twist to be a shelter after Halloween has finished.

‘A loose pile of twigs can serve as shelter for small creatures such as insects, amphibians, and even small mammals like hedgehogs. Birds may use them as perches, and as the twigs break down, they enrich the soil, promoting a healthier garden system.'

Wildlife-friendly Halloween decor

Some spooky decor that is well suited to the outdoors without harming nature.

When designing your perfect outdoor spooky decor this Halloween, it’s important to consider how the wildlife around us will be affected.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, B- any fan knows not to repeat the end of that phrase if you want to avoid chaos. But from today, spookiness has arrived at our doorsteps as the Deetz Residence has opened its doors to the public.

From today, you can register to be a guest at Airbnb’s latest Icon, the Deetz residence in New Jersey, US.

Beetlejuice mania is well and truly rife following the success of Warner Brother’s recent Beetlejuice Beetlejuice which saw Michael Keaton reprise his iconic role.

Whether you grew up with the original or simply loved the sequel, there’s no denying the dark, whimsical aesthetic of the film is making its mark on our Halloween decorating and now even our trips! So with the chance to stay in a Beetlejuice Airbnb, you can let the goth side of you run wild. But there's one major catch – you can't actually stay overnight.

Airbnb is known for its amazing properties, be its luxury villas or quirky staycations, and the Deetz Residence is no exception.

The experience is running from today (23 October) to 4 November. However, you can’t simply book a slot - guests must put in a request to book. Then, lucky bookers will be selected at random. If you’re selected, you have just 24 hours to make your booking.

As we said, you can't actually stay there. Instead, expect a three-hour booking to explore the house, before being whisked away to a nearby AirBnB to spend the night.

The stay is more of an experience than a hotel room. Arriving at the home - which looks just as it does in the film - you can expect to find plenty of easter eggs from the movie throughout.

Upon arrival, Delia Deetz’s lifelong assistant will welcome you as you take in Delia’s artwork. Heading to the attic is a sure way to the Afterlife - all you need to do is follow the glowing green hallway to get there.

Avoid the Sandworms and Dante’s Inferno, and try one of Delia’s art classes. End your stay with a toast and plenty of photo opportunities.

The Deetz Residence Airbnb is more of an experience than relaxing hotel stay. It’s more suited to the film’s superfans - provided you manage to get a booking of course.

Yet there is no denying the decor of the property is stunning. It’s ghostly and whimsical, as well providing that childhood nostalgia for those who grew up watching the film.

Based in the US, it’s not exactly accessible for everyone, but super fans might just be willing to make the trip for a chance to stay in the Deetz Residence this Halloween.

Halloween is one of the best times of year to be playful with your home decor and wilko has outdone itself this year with its spooktacular range.

Whether you are looking for soft furnishings to add a gentle spooky spin to your home on a budget, or frighteningly good centrepieces for your Halloween party, we’ve picked out the best pieces to give your home a spooky makeover for the 31st of October.

Create a cosy setting with soft furnishings

These days Halloween is about so much more than giving your neighbours a scare. Cosy Halloween has become a huge decor trend, filled with autumnal colours and soft fabrics. Wilko has everything you need to embrace this cute new Halloween tradition all October long with its affordable soft furnishings.

Cushions and blankets are one of the best ways to lend a spooky vibe to a living room, ready for a scary movie marathon. The plush ghost cushion is a standout pick, priced at just £4.99, along with the black and red ‘Spooky’ Halloween cushion, priced at £6.99. Style them with one of the fleece throws featuring a ghost or skeleton motif, ready to curl up under in the evening.

Give your home a gothic spin

If you’re hosting a spook fest at your home on the 31st, wilko has the decorations that your friends and family won’t be able to stop talking about (until you pull them out again next year).

When hosting a party, a striking gothic Halloween theme always looks good and wilko’s coffin shelving display is the perfect foundation piece for your decorations, priced at £21. Layer it up with the LED Halloween candles in black, Ghost LED light and terracotta pumpkin decorations for a creepy statement piece.

Alternatively, for a more modern spin consider mounting the ‘Trick or Treat’ neon light, priced at £22.99, to the wall for a stylish take on Halloween. Pair it with the LED spinning witch hat to up the spook factor.

Get your creative juices flowing and decide whether you want a cosy vibe or a gothic look. It’s time to get the house Halloween-ready!

Disco pumpkins are the latest viral trend the Ideal Home team has fallen in love with this Halloween. Picture a mirrorball in pumpkin form - it’s the most dazzling decor in town and perfect if you're looking for Halloween decorating trends that sparkle, not scare this spooky season.

I don’t know about you but my social media feed has been flooded with dazzling displays of this seasonal squash, and I have to say, disco pumpkins may be my favourite Halloween trend yet.

Disco Christmas has already been a key trend for a couple of years, but now it's Halloween's turn to get a little glow up as searches for Disco Halloween decor was up 175%, according to Pinterest's autumn report.

This year, we’ve seen a sharp turn away from traditionally scary Halloween decor and have seemingly embraced all things girls rather than ghoulish. ‘Pinkoween’ is the current Halloween trend dominating our spooky decor and you guessed it - added a pink hue to all our spooky decorations.

This Halloween is all about frivolity and flamboyant - and you can’t get more fun than a mirrorball pumpkin.

I’ve noticed disco pumpkins popping up all over my favourite homeware brands, making it really easy to get your hands on one.

Primark’s £7 Halloween Disco Pumpkin Ornament went viral on TikTok and Instagram, with shoppers racing to get their hands on the pumpkin prize. Since then, I have seen versions at a range of retailers such as Poundland, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis.

This disco diva trend is a playful take on typical autumnal decor. Every year, we pull out our rustic orange pumpkins for display, but by adding a mirrorball design, these pumpkins feel far more party ready - It’s time to enjoy the funkier side to Halloween.

Why are Disco Pumpkin trending?

It’s simple - this Halloween we’re looking to let our hair down and have fun.

Disco Pumpkins reflect a wider trend that’s happened this year. Think Brat Summer, Chappell Roan, Masc/Fem dressing,’ says Karen Barcoo, interior design expert at 34 St John.

‘It's been a year of glamour with a hint of rogue, opulence with a smidge of kitsch and we’ve embraced it to the max.

‘Disco Pumpkins reflect our desire to have a tongue-in-cheek moment in the midst of winter - to dance, laugh, and embrace our flamboyant side.’

This trend - much like the popular ‘Pinkoween’ trend, is all about using retro decor to express your playful side.

Get the look

Here are a few of my favourite disco pumpkins that will add a touch of retro playfulness to your festivities.

'The great thing about the pumpkin disco balls is that you can decorate around them for Halloween, but keep them as a centrepiece throughout autumn. Instead of covering your house in cobwebs and taking them down almost immediately, you can look like you're making the effort for halloween, without ruining your stunning interior,' says Karen.

'They're quite eye catching and bold, so you don't want to add too much colour or texture to the surrounding area. Your pumpkin is your centre piece - so surround with pumpkin-spiced scented candles, autumnal plants like ivy or pampas grass, and wooden accessories for candle holders or artistic carvings. Go for browns, cremes and minimal designs.

Why not try swapping out your traditional pumpkin decor for a disco pumpkin on your tablescape this year? The disco pumpkins would look amazing as part of a wide theme or stand alone on any shelves or side tables - they even double up as a disco ball at any Halloween parties you have planned.

Spooky season is finally here and Le Creuset’s new mini halloween dishes are perfect for adding some eerie elegance to any Halloween hosting you have planned.

When it comes to searching for the best cast iron cookware, Le Creuset always ranks very highly. Renowned for its style and durability - it can last a lifetime - the brand is a staple for quality cooking at home.

Le Creuset is largely responsible for launching the pumpkin casserole dish trend, which they have bought back for Halloween alongside some a Stoneware Set of 4 Mini Halloween Dishes that caught the eye of our team of editors.

The Le Creuset Halloween collection

Available in four different shapes - a blood red pumpkin, white mummy, black cat and a blue ghost, they are a stylish addition to Halloween. Ideal for dishing up snacks and dips at any spooky do’s you have planned. Also with a £50 price tag they are one of the more affordable pieces in the Le Creuset range.

Molly Cleary, Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliance Editor is an expert when it comes to finding the best kitchenware for our homes. ‘After testing plenty of cookware over the years, I'm a signed up Le Creuset fan thanks to the quality of the pieces and this new Halloween collection is my dream party addition,’ she said.

‘Given how long Le Creuset lasts, you know that you can use these year after year too. My favourite is the 4 mini dishes. Who doesn't want to serve party food out of a tiny pumpkin dish?'

Alternative Halloween cookware

However, if the Le Creuset range is still a little out of your budget don't worry as there is plenty of beautiful Halloween tableware to choose from this year. Here are just a few of my favourite alternatives.

I never realised quite how much I wanted spooky kitchenware in my home - how will you be decorating this spooky season?

Spooky season is here and I for one cannot wait to get my spook on. But it seems this year, we’re choosing to go sweeter than scary.

‘Pinkoween’ is the latest halloween decorating trend sweeping across our social media feeds and favourite retailers. Think baby pink bats, fuschia skulls and bubblegum pumpkins, it’s sickly sweet, girly and fun something I can definitely get behind.

Pink is one of those colours that never seem to go out of style and when searching for the best pink paint, there so much you can do with this one colour. But it may seem like a rogue choice for Halloween of all occasions. Why have we all suddenly gone crazy for pinkoween?

The rise of pink halloween decor

Searches for ‘Pink Halloween Decor’ have surged by 5,808% in the past three months according to Etsy, with the company suggesting that the 20th anniversary of cult classic Mean Girls may be responsible for the revival.

‘It's clear how much pop culture continues to influence interior and design trends. Our increase in searches for pink home decor and accessories, shows just how iconic moments from film can shape our personal spaces, and this extends into the Halloween season,' says Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy's trend expert.

'The resurgence of pink reflects a nostalgic, yet bold, energy that lets people celebrate their favourite film moments while adding a personal twist to their homes.’

The rise of Barbiecore has also played a role in the shift to more playful and girly interiors.

‘With the release of Barbie last year and the announcement of a new Legally Blonde film in the works, pink is back for 2024’s spooky season in the form of ‘Pinkoween’,’ says Chloe Barrow, interior expert at Laura James.

‘The look is a great way to add a sense of fun to a traditionally ‘scary’ period. Whilst many opt for dark colours and the occasional blood red and pumpkin orange, the use of pink is effective by bringing an unusual but fun flare to interior decorating for the season.’

How to get the look

Who doesn’t love a bit of playful pink, but how can we turn it spooky when it comes to getting Halloween ready?

‘Bringing pink into your Halloween decor can be as bold or as subtle as you want. You could drape pink fairy lights around your stairway, or mix in some dusky pink pumpkins with the usual ones. Think pink tulle wreaths, glittery pink skulls, or even bright pink candles for something a bit more eye-catching,’ says Rudolph Diesel, Interior Designer at Rudolph Diesel London.

‘And don’t think pink can’t be spooky. Pairing pink with something dark like black lace can actually make it even more eerie. Pink gives you so much room to be creative—whether you want it subtle or totally over the top, it works.’

Pinkoween doesn’t require any major designing or getting a paintbrush out - it’s fun and it’s beauty lies within the decor.

‘Whilst I don’t believe pink can be particularly spooky, it certainly encourages a sense of fun. The colour is great for decorating if you’re hosting movie nights or a spooky sleepover party. Bringing in pink creates a nostalgic and playful feeling towards Halloween, as opposed to beating the same drum every year,’ says Chloe.

Add to basket

So, if you're sick of the same old skeletons, pumpkin spice and green witches, this may be the perfect trend for you.

Autumn is here so why not reflect the season in your hosting, we’ve found one of the cutest trends doing the rounds on TikTok and Instagram - sock pumpkins.

Sock pumpkins are easy to make, cute and cosy - perfect for the autumnal months ahead. Whether for an autumn tablescape display or a Halloween decorating idea, sock pumpkins are a handy affordable way to get into the spooky season spirit.

I’ve always loved a craft - especially as the weather gets colder and you can hunker down with some rainy day activities. It’s even better when said craft does require a degree in design to achieve.

Sock pumpkins have to be one of the most easy crafts I’ve come across - perfect for beginners and expert crafters to try at home. All you need is a pair of old socks, stuffing and some twine.

I spotted creator @shellydoesdiy make the sock pumpkin trend look effortless on TikTok. Racking up 5.7 million views the 16 second video transforms a bunch of old socks into a gorgeous autumnal display.

I already love all things pumpkin, from pumpkin-spiced candles to no-carve decorating ideas, I was immediately drawn in.

Claiming they took just two minutes to make, Shelly cut off the heel of a white sock and added plenty of stuffing to create a sphere.

Then, she used twine - although I’m sure thick parcel string would be as effective - to tie the top of the sock to hold the stuffing inside. To create the iconic pumpkin grooving, she used the same twine to wrap around the sock, creating the classic pumpkin shape, before using leftover twine to wrap around the top of the stem, hiding the tied sock material and creating a stem.

The results are stunning and it’s so simple.

The comments were also left impressed.

‘That's the best diy idea for fall 🥰 I've just made these and I can't stop admiring them! thanks for this incredible idea,’ said one.

‘And who doesn’t have a basket of mismatched socks?! Great idea! Lol,’ said another.

It's a smart way to hop on the fabric pumpkin trend, which is getting more popular each year.

‘In the last two years we’ve seen fabric pumpkins grow in popularity, used both in tablescaping and throughout the home in autumn,’ says Chloe Barrow, Laura James’ interior expert.

‘From an interior perspective, adding these small fabric pumpkins to the table can create a gorgeous handmade feel to a dining room. This immediately connotes a feeling of wholesomeness and homeliness. Pairing this with a home-cooked meal is a great way to help guests feel right at home, allowing them to really sit back and enjoy a cosy evening.’

These pumpkins look far from a pair of old, unwanted socks - they are in fact the perfect autumn home accessory. Will you be giving them a try?

What you'll need

Pumpkins may be a typical autumn-time produce. But if you want to grow your own, then you need to start prepping way ahead and think about when to plant pumpkin seeds in time for Halloween pumpkin carving.

Given that October is the ideal time to harvest pumpkins, you need to be strategic with your planting to make it in time and avoid the frost and cold temperatures that could damage your pumpkin seedlings and plants.

That’s why we asked our gardening pros to offer their expert advice on when to plant pumpkin seeds for a timely Halloween harvest to fulfil those pumpkin decorating ideas and hearty autumnal recipes alike.

When to plant pumpkin seeds

Getting the timing of planting your pumpkin seeds wrong could lead to your pumpkin not growing. And we don’t want that – we want thriving pumpkin plants bearing plump, abundant produce.

Firstly, stay clear of the frost as it’s your pumpkin’s worst enemy. 

‘It’s recommended to wait until after the last frost date in your area because planting too early can expose young pumpkin plants to frost damage,’ says Petar Ivanov, Fantastic Gardeners' gardening expert. And in the UK, the last frost date typically falls between late April and early June, depending on the region.’

That’s why this time of year is ideal for planting your pumpkin seeds. But the more specific timing also depends on how you’re sowing your seeds, whether you’re starting indoors or outdoors straight away.

‘If you're planting your pumpkin seeds indoors, then spring is the perfect time to sow them, around mid-April to early May,’ says Steve Chilton, garden expert at LeisureBench. ‘If you're planting them directly outdoors, you need to wait until it's warmed up a little bit more, and sowing between the end of May and beginning of June is the perfect time.’

But Petar actually recommends starting your seeds indoors before transplanting your pumpkin plant outside into the garden.

‘Starting your pumpkin seeds indoors around 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost date is another way to help give them a good start before transplanting them outdoors. If you're starting your pumpkin seeds indoors, you’ll allow the seedlings to develop better before transplanting them outdoors. You can transplant the seedlings outdoors once they’ve developed a few healthy leaves and the risk of frost has passed,’ he explains.

Where to buy pumpkin seeds

• Thompson & Morgan: Pumpkin 'Jack of All Trades' Seeds
• Amazon: Premier Seeds Direct Miniature White Pumpkin - Baby Boo - 45 Seeds
• Marshalls Garden: Pumpkin Seeds 'Crown Prince'

FAQs

How long does it take for pumpkin seeds to grow?

‘It obviously depends on the variety of pumpkin, the quality of the seeds, the length of the germination process and how well cared for they are,’ Steve says. ‘But I would say that pumpkins generally take anywhere from 90 to 120 days to grow. This means that May/June is the perfect time for planting if you're wanting your pumpkins in time for Halloween in October.’

Should you soak pumpkin seeds overnight before planting?

While soaking your pumpkin seeds before planting is not a necessity, it can be beneficial for speeding up the germination and growing process, whether you've bought seeds or learned how to save pumpkin seeds for planting last year.

‘Soaking pumpkin seeds overnight before planting isn’t really necessary but it can help speed up their germination process. That’s because the outer seed coat of pumpkin seeds can be quite tough and soaking them will soften it, which will allow moisture to penetrate more easily and kick-start the germination process, making it quicker and more uniform,’ Petar explains.

Steve adds, ‘Some gardeners swear by it in order to encourage them to germinate quicker. Some soak them in a saltwater mix for up to 8 hours - no more, otherwise you risk your seeds rotting - in order to encourage them to germinate in a more timely manner.’

Over the last two years, the cast-iron pumpkin pot has become the ultimate spooky season status symbol.

While the best cast iron dishes are always worth investing in, shelling out on a seasonal pumpkin cast iron casserole dish from a cult brand like Staub or Le Creuset can seem like an over-indulgence, especially considering the £200 plus price tag. Or is it?

As an autumn and Halloween fan, I took the Staub Pumpkin Cocotte Cast Iron Casserole for a test drive and have been convinced of its place in my kitchen all year round.

Staub Pumpkin Cocotte Cast Iron Casserole review

Specifications

• Material: Cast iron and black matt enamel coating
• Size: 24cm
• Weight: 4.89 kg
• Heat resistance: 240ºC
• Cooking: Induction, oven-safe, freezer-safe, stovetop-safe
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe

How I tested

First impressions

I'll level with you and be the first to admit that despite my love of Halloween, a cast iron pumpkin-shaped casserole dish sounded like an expensive step too far even for me. But, it is extremely hard not to fall in love with the Staub Pumpkin Cocotte Cast Iron Casserole at first sight. 

The dish features all the elegant curves of a pumpkin on the top and bottom, but not to the extent that it impedes cooking. I also would like to have a moment of appreciation for the genius-swirled silver stalk handle. Don't be fooled into thinking this pumpkin casserole dish is just for Halloween. 

The pumpkin is one of three vegetable-shaped casserole dishes in the French cooking brand repertoire, so while it will definitely shine at Halloween it doesn't feel like it's been designed only to be used at that particular time of year. 

To me, the realism of the pumpkin design brought to mind the Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage bowls, which have had dupes popping up all over the high street. If you're a fan of this maximalist style like me, I imagine you'll be happily presenting your pumpkin dish on the table at dinner parties all year round. 

Cooking with the Staub Pumpkin Cocotte Cast Iron Casserole

So we've established (unsurprisingly) that the casserole dish is winning a lot of points on the looks front, but it also seriously delivered when it came to cooking. The bottom of the casserole dish is completely flat like a traditional dish for easy stirring and even cooking. 

In addition to being made out of cast iron which is great at distributing heat, the Staub dish is lined with a matt black enamel. This finish is perfect for searing and grilling, making the dish a great all-around piece of cooking equipment.

If you're shelling out over £280 on a dish you're going to want it to work hard. For this reason, I decided to try and use it for nearly every meal I cooked over the course of a weekend. 

I started out testing it on my morning porridge, which did feel very decadent compared to my normal microwave-and-dash approach. The dish heated up quickly and cooked the oats evenly without burning.

Next up was a fish stew cooked on the hob, and I've never been so impressed by a pan's ability to cook onions. The even distribution of heat and heat retention made frying off the onions at the start so easy, and then when it came to simmering the stew the temperature was easy to control. 

The final test I put it through was cooking my Mum's beef stew recipe. Consisting of basically just diced beef and gravy when this stew goes wrong, it goes very wrong. I started by searing the beef in the pan, which it did beautifully. It handled making a roux to thicken the gravy, without the curves around the edges causing any issues with my brisk stirring. It then went through two hours and a half hours in the oven, and the sauce came out beautifully thickened and full of flavour. 

An added bonus that proved to me that this pumpkin casserole dish would be brilliant in my dinner party oven-to-table arsenal was how well it retained heat. My partner arrived home 15 minutes after I finished cooking and it was still piping hot, it was still warm almost an hour later when I was potting up the leftovers.

My only bugbear when cooking was that you had to line up the lid exactly for it to slot on, unlike a traditionally shaped dish. Plus the stalk handle, while beautiful, took up a lot of space in my oven compared to a traditional casserole dish.

Cleaning

Despite being on the fussier end of cast-iron dish shapes, it was really easy to clean. The shape meant any accidental burnt-on bits had been kept to a minimum, and the inner enamel cleaned up with not much more than a going over with a sponge. Even after making my porridge, the clean-up up which is often very messy, was almost finished after an initial rinse with water. 

After a couple of uses, I did notice a slight patina on the black enamel, but it blends into the colour so it's not very noticeable. 

Comparison to other casserole dishes

In the cast iron pumpkin casserole dish league the two key players are Staub and Le Creuset. Both produce one in the same 24cm size and while they look slightly different the key differences are the finish inside, Le Creuset's uses a light enamel finish and the price point, with Staub costing around £20 more. 

Surprisingly, the Staub pumpkin dish is also marginally more expensive than its traditional round cast iron cocotte. Whereas the Le Creuset pumpkin dish is actually cheaper.

Both brands also offer ceramic/stoneware pumpkin alternatives. Staub offers a 15cm ceramic version, which only costs £20 and is oven-safe, but can't be used over direct heat sources like the cast iron pan. Le Creuset also offers a stoneware pumpkin alternative for £28, but again it is only suitable for the oven, microwave and grill.

I found the pumpkin cast iron rivalled a standard cast iron casserole dish for versatility and ease of use. However, if you already have a cast iron dish, and just want the pumpkin look for Halloween I'd recommend saving your money and opting for one of the more affordable ceramic or stoneware alternatives.

Verdict

I was personally shocked by how hard I fell for my pumpkin cast iron dish, and have found it a prime spot on my hob until summer finally arrives. I'm sure a large part of what captivated me was that it was my first time cooking with a Staub dish, I've cooked with various other cast iron dishes including Procook and Le Creuset but this was my personal favourite. 

Since I try to avoid using my oven too much, I liked that I could safely use it for anything I needed on top of the hob. It is definitely a splurge investment, but if it makes you smile when cooking and you don't have a cast-iron dish I promise you'll be using it not just this Halloween, but for years to come.

However, if you're not ready to commit to using a pumpkin dish for most of the year I'd recommend opting for an ordinary cast iron dish and getting your pumpkin fix through a more affordable ceramic version.

Halloween may be just around the corner, but autumn is here to stay for at least a few more weeks – which means that there’s still plenty time to tweak your autumnal decor or display if you’ve got one, or get started on it if you don't.

This week, Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford has been providing us with some stunning, rustic autumnal Halloween decorating ideas with a hallway display to rival the professionals. Luckily, it's incredibly easy to copy, if you reckon this vibe would also work perfectly in your own home!

Ruth Langsford’s easy autumnal decor display

Former This Morning star Ruth revealed that she was a little late to putting together her autumnal display this year (relatable), but it seems it was well worth waiting for after showing off her newly arranged display.

She shared on her Instagram that the recent seasonal weather had inspired her to finally get started on a festive display on her hallway console table. 

Ruth wrote, ‘GETTING CREATIVE! A bit late but the sunny, crisp day inspired me to finally get round to doing my Autumn sideboard this afternoon! Love all the beautiful colours 🎃🍁🍂 Won’t be long before I’ll have to swap it out for Christmas!! #autumn.'

And there's no doubt that the display is beautiful; full of seasonal decor items and gorgeous autumnal colours.

So just how did Ruth put together and achieve this stunning look? From what we can see, the arrangement is fairly simple, allowing the whole thing to be minimal effort, maximum impact.

Firstly, the arrangement in the brown glass vase appears to be made up of artificial maple leaves on branches, which are super affordable to buy on Amazon.

Then, Ruth scattered an array of faux pumpkins and real pumpkins across the console table, as well as an assortment of real and fake pine cones.

Amy Greenshields, decoration expert at cardfactory explains that these nods to the outside world are what ensures that Ruth’s decor looks so lovely. 'The key to a classy Halloween display, and something which Ruth does so well, is honing in on a connection to nature. 

'Using natural colours and textures, such as with the brown wicker pumpkins and autumnal potpourri reminds us of the bountiful beauty of the harvest season - without the need for excessive, garish decorations.'

She continued, saying, 'We also love how Ruth appeals to the senses by using scented potpourri and layering textures. The display transforms beyond an aesthetic appeal to bring the seasonal spirit of autumn into the home.'

Margaret Larson, from Sustainable Furniture agreed that the presenter’s autumnal display looks so great because of how uncomplicated, yet considered, it is. 

'The decor is simple but effective - the majority of the display incorporates a range of different pumpkin designs in order to create a layered and textured look. Plus, by mixing both real and faux pumpkins it allows the creation of a more authentic and natural display. 

'And, the use of warm autumnal colours, like orange, yellow and brown, are key to transforming the space into an authentic fall-inspired display, perfect for the spooky season,' she says.

To add some scent to the mix, the TV presenter also opted for seasonal candles and a selection of pot-pourri, which also add to the rustic look of the lovely display. 

Sharing an insight on where she picked everything up, Ruth wrote that the Autumn leaves bouquet, Green knitted pumpkins, fir cone garlands and autumnal pot pourri game from Squire's Garden Centre in Hersham, Surrey. She picked up the brown wicker pumpkin that lights up from Waitrose, which is currently reduced to £11.20.

All the fresh pumpkins and gourds came from Marks and Spencer's foodhall, the candle comes from Trudon. But perhaps our favourite revelation was that the pretty orange felt pumpkins came from Tescos, we love a supermarket bargain. 

So how exactly can you recreate this look at home, if you’ve been inspired to do some last-minute decorating?

How to recreate Ruth's autumn display

'For an elegant look, try to stick to the ‘less is more’ approach when choosing your colour palette,' Amy advises. 

'Sticking to two or three colours and playing with varying hues and shades within it will help you achieve a balanced design. If you’re looking to replicate Ruth’s display directly, opt for orange shades of rust, amber and ochre alongside rich browns and earthy greens.'

The experts also advise using pumpkins or other foliage as your seasonal centerpiece, and working the design out from there. 

Margaret says, 'Start by gathering some main focal pieces for the central components of your display; this could be pumpkins or a vase of leafy foliage as used in Ruth’s decor.'

If you do use items like these as a centrepiece, Amy says to ensure they are different sizes. 'If you use pumpkins and gourds as the centrepiece of your display, try to pick ones of varying shapes and sizes to enhance visual interest.'

After this, it’s all about filling out your display in a thoughtful but relaxed way. 'Surrounding the display with smaller pumpkins, autumnal foliage and potpourri is an easy way to fill out the display and create a more textured look,' Margaret says. 

'Don’t be too neat with the placement of these; scattering them naturally will create an authentic design.'

For years, popping a pumpkin out into the woods or great outdoors post-Halloween has been marketed as a tasty treat for wildlife. But now, environmental experts have issued a stark warning against this common disposal method. 

Every year, millions of pumpkins are bought from supermarkets and pumpkin patches across the UK. As soon as pumpkins are cut, and the flesh is open to the elements, they start to decompose. No-carve pumpkin ideas will always last longer than carved pumpkins, but there will always come a time when you need to get rid of them.

However, Forestry England has issued an urgent warning against leaving your pumpkins in the woods post-Halloween. They have told people to ignore tips online recommending it as it could prove dangerous to wildlife. 

Dumping pumpkins in the woods warning

Andrew Stringer, Environment and Forest planner at Forestry England, explains, ‘We see many posts on social media encouraging people to leave pumpkins in the woods for wildlife to eat, but please do not do this.’

Of course, it’s understandable why people would do such a thing. As pumpkins are natural organic matter, it's easy to assume that this leftover squash will serve as a tasty meal for the animals of the woods. Andrew says this isn’t the case, though. 

‘Feeding pumpkins, or any other food in the forest, to birds, foxes, badgers, deer, and boar can spread disease and make them unwell.’

Not only that, but you also need to think about how pumpkins are used at this time of year - especially if you’re someone who loves to bring exciting Halloween decorating ideas to life. 

‘Pumpkins are also often decorated and have things such as candles in them. Animals eating the pumpkins could then eat a foreign object, and this could kill them,’ Andrew adds. 

How to dispose of pumpkins after Halloween

There are so many other eco-friendly ways to get rid of pumpkins after Halloween, allowing you to rest easy knowing that you’re doing your bit for the environment - and keeping your house free of mushy pumpkins. Here are some of our favourites:

1. Eat the innards

If you love the idea of a no-carve pumpkin and want to bring a DIY floral pumpkin to life, you might have a whole pumpkin at your disposal after Halloween - innards and all. If so, you can head into the kitchen and cook up a storm. 

Steven Carter-Bailey, Head Tutor and Manager at the ProCook Cookery School suggests, ‘Up your baking game and use your Halloween pumpkin for some suitable autumnal treats. Using freshly made pumpkin puree, you can make a number of delicious goodies, from spiced pumpkin brownies to the American favourite, pumpkin pie.’ 

Of course, this will leave you with the pumpkin skin. But don’t worry; there are so many ways to make use of that, too. 

2. Make a bird feeder

Although the skin of a pumpkin is edible, it’s not the nicest thing to eat. It’s extremely tough and often takes too long to cook, so it’s best to use the shell for another purpose once you’ve eaten the innards. In fact, it makes the perfect bird feeder! And if you have a whole pumpkin carcass at your disposal, you can actually make two bird feeders.

All you have to do is cut the pumpkin in half to make two smaller bowls, cut some holes into the side and hang them to a tree using wire or some hardy rope. Then, fill it with birdseed and watch as the birds enjoy this tasty treat. 

3. Donate them

If you’re not sure what to do with your pumpkin after Halloween, why don’t you donate it? There will most likely be many zoos, farms, charities, community gardens, and neighbours near your home who will happily accept pumpkin donations. 

However, it’s important to note that these places might not accept any pumpkins painted or decorated with non-organic materials. So, just make sure you check carefully firstly if they accept pumpkins and any condition requirements.

4. Bury it

We already know that leaving old pumpkins out in the woods or in your garden is harmful to wildlife, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t let them decompose naturally outside at all. You just have to be a little smarter about it - and this involves burying it in small chunks in your garden or on your compost heap.  

Alex Fraysse, Naturopath, Herbalist and founder of Spellbound, suggests, ‘Break up or chop your pumpkin into smaller pieces and place in a bin for 8-12 weeks for some really great compost creation. Also, feel free to smash the pumpkins if you have post-Halloween anger or sugar overload.’

‘This will create a wonderful build-up of nitrogen, and with the vitamins and minerals already present, will be perfect soil food.’

5. Put it in your food waste bin

If your local council provides you with a food/garden waste bin that gets collected on a regular basis, you can simply chop up your pumpkin and pop it on top of your potato peelings and apple cores. 

This is an easy way to get rid of your pumpkin after Halloween, but it’s important to note that this does vary from council to council. While some councils encourage you to dispose of your old pumpkins in such a way, there are others that have strict rules against them.

So, it’s always best to check with your local authority before putting your pumpkin in the food waste bin.

6. Turn them into planters

If you’re looking for a way to use a leftover pumpkin and a way to calm down the kids after their Halloween sugar high, you could also turn your old pumpkins into planters. 

Rachel Watkyn, eco-entrepreneur and founder of Tiny Box Company, says, ‘For little ones, pumpkins look great as planters in the garden and add a bit of colour to the winter palette. Simply fill the pumpkin with soil and get the children to choose a couple of plants to pop in.’

Of course, these pumpkin planters will continue to decompose as the days wear on, but they’ll provide your plants with vital nutrients before transferring the plants to a different pot. Alternatively, transfer these plants into the ground with leftover pieces of pumpkin as fertiliser.  

FAQs

So, make sure you’re disposing of your pumpkin properly this Halloween. 

This Halloween, we have just four words for you: Stacey Solomon's DIY ghost decor.

Why? Because, if you're looking for a fun (and easy) autumn project that you can use to deck the halls with all things spooky ahead of 31 October, our beloved Stacey's ghosts are exactly what you need.

And, better still, they cost very little to make. In fact, you may even have everything you need lying around your home (half-buried among all your other Halloween ideas, obviously) already...

Stacey Solomon's DIY ghost decor

One of our very favourite Halloween decorating ideas to pop up on Instagram to date, Stacey Solomon's DIY ghost decor popped up in her Instagram Stories earlier this week.

'These were so fun,' she captioned the post. 'The kids loved doing it, and they loved hunting for the perfect leaves.'

Adding that the project is 'so easy', Stacey finished by branding her homemade ghosts as 'really cute'. And we have to agree, to be honest, which is why we tracked down the TikTok that seemingly inspired the little spooks.

Check it out:

If you want to tackle the project yourself, don't worry: we know exactly how to get started. Because, while you could just cover some autumn leaves in white paint, there's a far more fun and satisfying way to go about it...

What you will need:

You will need to grab the following before you get started on recreating these oh-so-sweet celebrity Halloween decorations:

• A selection of crisp autumn leaves (an excellent excuse to get outside!)
• Some PVA glue from Amazon
• A fine black felt tip pen (also from Amazon)
• Optional: a little helper or three

Step-by-step guide:

Honestly, this Halloween craft idea one is almost too easy. If such a thing could be possible.

All you need to do, then, to recreate Stacey Solomon's DIY ghost decor for yourself is...

• Coat your leaves in PVA glue
• Leave them to dry (24 hours tends to work a treat, but you can go less if you need to)
• Peel the glue carefully away from the leaf
• Scribble on some eyes on a mouth (alternatively, you can drop a mouth and eyes made from black paper onto the wet glue after the first step)
• Voila!

All being well, you should be left with some seriously cute (and, more importantly, self-adhesive) ghosts that you can stick all over your windows.

Still, you don't have to take our word for it: Matilda Stanley, fashion and beauty expert (and self-proclaimed queen of Halloween), recently tried Stacey Solomon's DIY ghost decor out for herself.

'These little leafy ghosts came up on my TikTok and they looked so cute and easy to make, that I had to try them at home,' she says.

Check it out:

'My four-year-old and I picked up some dry, fallen leaves in the park and then used a paint brush to coat them with PVA glue,' continues Matilda. 'We left them to dry overnight, before drawing their little faces on with a Sharpie.'

She adds that 'peeling off the glue is a little tricky at first but once you’ve got a corner, it’s surprisingly quick and satisfying to remove from the leaf'. 

'The little gluey shapes don’t feel wet or sticky but adhered to the window  brilliantly,'  Matilda notes. 

'They’ve been up for two weeks already (that’s how much I love Halloween!) and still going strong. My son loves them and we will definitely make them again next year.'

As mentioned already, you could always paint your leaves white, draw on some eyes, and be done with it.

But, then again, there's something incredibly satisfying about peeling glue; it takes us back to our schooldays, when we used to accidentally-on-purpose cover our hands in the stuff and then take our time peeling it away.

And, when you factor in that Stacey Solomon's DIY ghost decor adheres to that all-important Halloween warning, and you have an absolute winner. 

We'll keep an eye out for your self-adhesive spooks when we're out trick-or-treating later this month...

Just earlier this week, Halloween trees were featured on ITV's This Morning as the new trend to sweep social media. Yep, the trend is exactly what it sounds like: people are dusting off their best artificial Christmas trees early, but instead, are giving them a makeover fit for the spooky season.

'If you are desperate to get the festive season started early, we have got the perfect trend for you,' starts Holly Willoughby. 'In the latest trend to sweep social media, people are putting up their Christmas trees early and giving them a spooky makeover in honour of Halloween.'

So, if you're someone who's torn and has one foot in the Halloween decorating mood and the other yearning over the cheer of the upcoming festive season, this might just be the compromise you never knew you needed.

The Halloween tree trend

'When it comes to Halloween, there are a lot of spooky decor trends to love,' says Dayna Isom Johnson, trend expert at Etsy. 'These aesthetics are all about incorporating deep rich colours into your homes, and choosing tasteful and sustainable decorations that you can reuse year after year.'

'One thing we've noticed becoming more and more popular on Etsy are seasonal tree decorations that aren't just for Christmas!'

Dayna continues, 'You can now find incredible autumnal baubles, elegant yet spooky garlands and moody motifs to decorate a tree and your home just like you would at Christmas. Some of my favourite decorations include baubles with dark motifs such as moths or skeletons in deep jewelled tones and autumnal leaf garlands.'

And let's just say, fans and shoppers absolutely love this Halloween tree trend.

'A spooky seasonal tree is a great and fun way to add a seasonal touch to your home decor, especially if you're getting ready to host for family and friends over Halloween,' starts Katy Traill, design manager at George Home.

Commenting further on the seasonal home decor trend, Olivia Clarke, partner and seasonal buyer at John Lewis says, 'Our customers are embracing seasonal trends more than ever this year, with sales of 'Autumnal Decorations' up 41% in comparison to the same time last year.'

'Felt hanging decorations are our best sellers within Halloween baubles, with sales up 102% since this time last year.'

How to achieve the Halloween tree trend at home

During the segment on This Morning, presenter Georgina Burnett demonstrated different ways to 'get the look' and her favourite budget buys for creating your own Halloween tree at home.

'So, the great thing about this is you can get your Christmas tree out now, decorate it with Halloween stuff, then keep it out until Christmas time,' says Georgina, before Holly Willoughby chimes in by pointing out, 'And it saves you a job!'

Georgina adds, 'And actually, it's not just about Halloween as you might want to put some autumnal decorations up as well.'

Here are some of their (and our) favourite Halloween tree decorations to shop now or regret later.

Commenting further on how to get the Halloween tree look at home, Dayna at Etsy adds, 'Combine different textures in your decor to add interest and depth, and add decorative skulls, plush pumpkins or witch hat tree toppers to go all out.'

'Or, for a more minimalist take on Halloween, wooden trees are a great option that can be reused for years to come – hang a few of your favourite baubles for a chic yet spooky take on the trend.'

Katy at George Home concludes, 'Whilst Halloween is more often associated with novelty decorations, in recent years we've seen people lean towards more refined interior choices for the spooky season, and an autumnal / Halloween tree is the perfect addition to any space.'

It's official. Halloween season is among us, therefore, let the influx of Halloween decorating ideas commence – and first on the list? One of our favourite budget-friendly stores, Aldi.

The supermarket has just launched the perfect range of homeware and decorations with the intention of getting Halloween fans in the spirit for all things spooky season, and the prices are frighteningly low (sorry, we had to), starting from just 99p. Who says that you have to spend a lot to get the look of our favourite Halloween movie home decor inspo?

Aldi's Halloween-themed homeware range is jam-packed with budget decorating ideas that will still be sure to pack a punch in the scare factor and ensure you stay on brand for a seriously scary 31st of October.

Aldi Halloween themed homeware range

From baking essentials, and home fragrances, to home decor, Aldi's Halloween-themed homeware range guarantees to have a little something for everyone this spooky season.

Planning a Halloween party? Entice ghoulish guests and illuminate dark pathways using the Halloween Decorative Lights (£2.99) that are in line with this spooky season's lighting trends, before greeting your visitors with the Halloween Felt Decor Decoration (£2.49), available in classic Halloween characters: Frankenstein, a Mummy, a tombstone, or a Skeleton Pumpkin.

In fact, if you wanted to hop on the annual pumpkin motif (shoutout to the ever-so-loved pumpkin casserole dishes), you could even pair these Aldi pickups with some no-carve pumpkin ideas or DIY floral pumpkins to ensure your outdoors is ticking every autumnal box.

Of course, if you're going full pumpkin mode ahead of Halloween, then it likely also pays to know how to keep a pumpkin fresh for longer so you can ride the spooky wave for longer.

Now you've got the outdoors covered, it's time to consider how you're decorating your indoor space to also be right on the nose for Halloween.

Aldi's Halloween Party Decorations (£1.99) have a generous choice of character bunting, foil balloons, and door fringes. Not only that, if you're up for a temporary window treatment idea, you can even snag some Halloween Window Stickers (£1.49) declaring frightful messages of 'beware', 'danger', and 'trick or treat'.

To complete the look, it pays to pair all the indoor and outdoor decorating with a signature scent to really launch you right into the middle of a Hocus Pocus set.

Scent your living room or hallway to perfection with the scents of sweet pumpkin pie, autumn leaves, or citrus pumpkin spice with the Ceramic Pumpkin Candle (£3.99), which is (you guessed it) housed in the sweetest pumpkin jar.

Or, these are also perfect if you're planning to skip out on the 'shouty' decorations and would just rather get cosy and wind down with a scented candle for autumn, we reckon their new Autumn Gourmand Candle range (£2.89 each) in three delicious scents: Apple Fudge, Pumpkin Spice, and Caramelised Maple are sure to get the autumnal vibes in full motion.

If you've got a knack for baking, you can even emulate the spiced scents through and through with Aldi's Halloween Baking sets.

I don't know about you, but this Halloween is looking frighteningly fantastic.

Tis the season to be spooky, but, as this Halloween warning makes all too clear, there is a right way and a wrong way when it comes to decking your house out for 31 October.

If you're anything like the team at Ideal Home, you'll undoubtedly be a fan of All Hallows' Eve – and, now that the mornings are serving mist and mellow fruitfulness vibes, you've likely turned your attention to hosting an unforgettable fright night.

Still, before you start planning out all your creepiest and kookiest Halloween decorating ideas, it's worth considering what's safe (and not safe) for your garden. And we don't just mean the usual dangers of natural autumnal decor, either.

Halloween warning issued

From John Lewis' velour pumpkin wreath to that oh-so-covetable Halloween Pumpkin Spiced Light Up Candle at M&S, there are plenty of Halloween goodies at the top of people's lists this year.

Still, if you're on the hunt for spooky front garden ideas, it's important you avoid picking up a bag of plastic cobwebs.

That's right, everyone: it's best to stick to no-carve pumpkin ideas if you want to transform your garden into a spookfest with little-to-no-effort, as The Wildlife Trusts has issued a Halloween warning over using plastic decor outside.

'Plastic Halloween decorations, such as fake spider webs, lurking in our gardens may offer a haunting allure, but they spell real danger for our precious wildlife,' says Rhodri Irranca-Davies, nature recovery manager at The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.

'These non-biodegradable decorations are a choking risk for local species such as hedgehogs, foxes and badgers, and may tangle up birds and bats, too.'

'This Halloween let's champion WILDlife and avoid contributing to plastic pollution,' continues Rhodri. 

'Choose sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives, such as brown string spiders webs, and ensure that our celebrations do not become a true nightmare for the natural world.'

If you're looking for a few more wildlife-friendly Halloween craft ideas, you could also try turning cardboard boxes into tombstones, cutting bats out of black paper, and this five-minute pumpkin carving hack.

Whatever you do, essentially, just be sure to keep yours a wildlife-friendly garden – and save the non-biodegradable decorations for indoors this year.

Hey, it's definitely the excuse we needed to go hell for leather with our spooky all rooms decor.

Who's with us?

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...

Halloween decorating ideas have come a long way since the simple plastic cauldron and skeleton days. No longer restricted to scaring your guests Halloween decorations are now divided into three camps - dark and gothic, cosy autumnal or colourful and playful.

We have the US to thank for the influx of creative Halloween and autumnal decor that now floods our social media feeds and homes every October. It's become the perfect home decor trend to pep up our homes in the run-up to Christmas when it's still to early to deck the halls.

When planning your decorations always consider how long it will be up for and your existing home decor. For decorations that will be hung for a couple of weeks consider investing in soft furnishings and pumpkin candles that will take some wear and tear and not jar with your space.

If your decorations are only needed to scare the neighbours for a short period you can go wild with paper creations and glowing jack-o-lanterns.

1. Decoupage pumpkins for a twist on a classic

If you don't want to face the mess of carving a pumpkin, one of the best no-carving pumpkin decorating ideas we've seen this year is decoupage. Double up on the Autumnal theme by collecting fallen leaves and using them to cover a pumpkin or two.

Similar to painting a pumpkin, clean your pumpkin and coat it in a layer of PVA before layering on the leaves in your chosen design.

2. Dress the walls and windows with flying bats

Nothing bat crazy about this idea, it's genius! Savvy designer Amy Johnson, Twin Associates, shared this creative idea. The simple bats are made using light black card, Amy explained how she made them by 'folding each in half to cut symmetrically, doubling up the layers so you make more at once!'. Using white tack or Washi tape doubled over, simply secure the back of each bat, in the middle, to the wall at various heights – to create a flying motion.

You could also get crafty with window stickers to create this same effect - but they aren't just reserved for windows. Joanna Baumard, Co-Founder of Purlfrost says, 'A great activity for the whole family; let your imagination run wild and try them out on any smooth, non-porous surface including metal, plastics and laminates, painted and varnished woods, as well as walls.'

3. Mix and match decorative pumpkins

Pumpkin decorations are a great way to add a Halloween spin to your home, that will last through November. Hobbycraft and Cox and Cox have some lovely pumpkin decorations but the key to making them look good is mixing up the sizes and materials for an eye-catching focal point.

'Decorate with sweet pumpkin features that add a subtle touch of Halloween to your space. Try hanging our felt pumpkins from some faux stems, or from your door handles for a quaint and cute autumnal touch to your home,' recommends Danielle Le Vaillant, Head of Photography at Cox & Cox.

'Or why not try our faux rattan light-up pumpkins for a gentle glow that adds atmosphere to your home and keeps the magic of the season alive? Place on your mantle or on your fireplace for some extra seasonal warmth.'

3. Stencil a pumpkin design rather than carve

Save yourself the mess and potential trip to A&E by seeking an alternative to carving pumpkins. More and more pumpkin patches are offering an array of alternatively coloured pumpkins and squashes, such as white! These are perfect to draw on with a permanent marker pen, to create a colourful hand drawn design.

This is a great way for kids to get involved without having to use sharp instruments for carving. Maybe washable pens are best for very young kids, to save them staining hands with ink.

4. Create a gothic glow with electric candles

'Set the scene for a celestial Halloween season with glass domes and jars filled with candlelight, clustered together and woven in amongst black twiggy garlands on mantles and hearths,' says Lucy Kirk, Creative & Photography Manager at Lights4fun.

The success of this gothic mantle-piece rests on the battery-powered taper candles which cast a safe but creepy glow. You can pick a set of four remote-controlled tapered candles for £40 which can be repurposed for Christmas.

'The branch-inspired garland design brings a bewitching glow to home décor when styled beside a variety of TruGlow® dripping wax taper candles, ivory votive and spooky pillar candle designs, as the gentle flicker of candlelight and tarot-inspired touches of amethyst lend an astrological energy that uplifts living spaces for the spooky season.'

4. Embrace colourful Halloween

If you have spotted the Pinkoween trend you'll have noticed that Halloween isn't just for the cosy or spooky crew anymore. It has become a full-on colourful affair kitted out with vibrant coloured pumpkins, pink decorations and so much more.

Some say it is down to the Mean Girls anniversary this year, personally, we think it's because Halloween is the perfect time to be bold and brave with your decor. It is the time to dress up after all, so why not dress your home as the most colourful version of itself?

When choosing your colourful palette think about the colours already in your home and dial these up (or down) a shade or two with your decorations. This will create a seamless look between your everyday home and your home's Halloween persona.

5. Make your own spooky candles

While we love pumpkin candles as much as the next person (who really loves pumpkin candles), there’s no doubt that they can be a little big and bulky when you’re planning an epic Halloween-themed dinner party for your family or friends.

If you’re looking for something a little slimmer and a little more subtle, these bat dinner candles will still spook mere mortals. And while we love these from Ginger Ray, you could easily DIY these yourself if you fancy getting creative with the kids before the big day.

6. DIY pop-pom ghosts

Make these adorable characters from leftover yarn. To make the pumpkins, use a pom pom maker to make an orange pom pom. Cut a pipe cleaner into three pieces and bend one end of a piece around the middle, then curl the other end around a pencil to bend into shape. Tie fishing wire around the end to hang.

To make the ghost tassels, cut a 10x12cm piece of cardboard. Cut a small piece of wool and place it along the length of cardboard. Wind the rest of the wool around the width of the cardboard 25 times and tie the short piece tightly around one end. Snip the yarn at one end to release the tassel. Tie another length of wool round the neck of the tassel and knot to secure, then hang with fishing wire. Add googly eyes if you wish!

7. DIY a kooky neon sign

Mixing a cool and unusual lighting option with Halloween decor? Sign us up! And we're not the only ones who think neon signs are going to dominate spooky season this year.

‘Neon signs have been hugely popular over the last 18 months due to their vibrant, eye-catching and contemporary appearance, but Autumn has prompted a renewed interest,’ says a rep for The Range.

And while you can buy a pre-made neon sign, you could also give it a go yourself. We love using this JIGUOOR Orange Neon Light Wire from Amazon to create our spooky Halloween signs, and we think you will, too.

8. Reduce, re-use, re-spook

If you’re trying your hardest to be eco-friendly and cut costs at every corner, Halloween can be a challenge. But you don’t have to shell out a fortune on new decorations if you don’t want to. It’s super easy to make your own using materials you’d usually throw straight into the recycling bin - so why not reduce, re-use, and re-spook?

To make these toilet roll Halloween decorations, you’ll need Duck Tape (in black, green, orange, yellow, and white), cardboard toilet roll tubes, scissors, and googly eyes. Then, you can spread them out throughout the house, spooking your family at every corner.

9. Go chic, but make it creepy

While it can be easy to fall head over heels for plastic Halloween decorations, this can often look tacky. If you’re looking for a chicer alternative for older kids or an adult-only home, there are so many ways to make your house look spooky but chic for Halloween.

‘Opt for arranging tapered iron-look candle stick holders of differing heights together with smaller ornaments such as glass pumpkin candles and ghost-shaped candles. Pull the look together with black and red roses or a gothic garland,’ says a rep from The Range.

10. Mummify your kitchen jars

At Ideal Home, we love a Kilner jar. There are so many ways to use a Kilner jar, and this has to be one of our favourite hacks yet. This Halloween decoration idea is perfect for those who have left the decorating to the last minute, as this DIY creation will take just a few minutes to make - and can be removed as soon as the spooky season is over.

But more than anything, we love how this mummy jar can have so many uses. You could use it as a trick-or-treat jar, you could use it to store your homemade Halloween cookies, or you could fill it with lights!

11. Create a gothic tablescape

If you're hosting a Halloween party your dining table should be the centrepiece. Embrace a grown-up spooky theme and fill your table with gothic details.

'Your dining table is the place you can really go to town on the spooky settings,' says Home entertaining and tablescaping expert Lucy Hood, founder of Tableday.co.uk. 'Bright orange and jet black are usually key colours, and with Hallowe’en it's all in the details, black faux flowers, velvet fabric pumpkins, black skull place settings, eerie test tube vases, black candle sticks, paper fake spiders and bats, and a gothic table runner which will really pull together any Halloween party look.'

12. Swap cushions covers for creepier styles

One of the easiest ways to decorate your home for Halloween is to swap out your soft furnishings, especially cushions. ‘If you are a Halloween fanatic and will likely decorate your home every year, purchasing Halloween-themed bedding and cushion covers is a cost-effective way to transform your home, time after time,' says Leanne O’Malley home interior expert at Studio.

'Plenty of Halloween-themed soft furnishings are available at an affordable price, or you can simply replace your current covers with ones that are orange or black in colour, which you may already have stored away in your linen closet.'

13. Cast a magical glow with fairy lights

Fairy lights aren't just for Christmas, they work a treat for creating a magical Halloween display. Nestle battery-powered fairy lights amongst pumpkins as a safer alternative to tea lights. We love them scattered over a mantlepiece idea and tumbling out of cauldrons for a witchy glow.

'Take one-time measurements of your home so you know how many Halloween lights you'll need, there’s nothing worse than hanging some lights or decorations and realising they only cover half of the intended space!' recommends Paula Boston, Visual Merchandiser at Festive Lights.

'When Halloween is done, switch things up and place these lights around wreaths and baubles and keep the autumnal hues present during the Christmas season,' adds Danielle from Cox and Cox.

14. Use a chalk-pen to create a cobweb window

If you don't want to spend a lot on Halloween decorations, tracing a Halloween pattern onto your windows is a smart way to get in the festive spirit for a couple of pounds. This cobweb design was created by illustrator Hello Ruth. Simply download the free template, blue-tac it to the outside of the window and trace along the lines inside the window with a chalk pen.

A single chalk pen should cost a couple of pounds from a local stationary store. Alternatively, you can pick up a pack of 6 Chalk Pens from Amazon for £11.95. When the festive season is over all you need is a damp cloth to wipe your design away.

15. Change things up with a silver scheme

Orange and black might be traditional, however, for more sophisticated Halloween decorating ideas consider matching them to your existing colour scheme. Grey living room ideas will pair beautifully with a silver pumpkin display.

Layer together plush pumpkins, ceramic versions and real pumpkins for a multi-textured effect. Hobbycraft's plush pumpkins are perfect for this, as are white 'ghost' pumpkins which you can pick up for around £3 at most supermarkets.

16. Create a balloon arch

Make your Halloween party go with a bang (although not literally we hope) by creating a spooky balloon arch. Arrange a combination of black, white and silver balloons above a table laden with treats. Use a black marker to draw ghostly faces on the white balloons. Cut bats, spiders and webs from black paper and arrange among your display.

17. Display an autumnal wreath

Celebrate the season by adorning your door with a sophisticated autumnal wreath. Dress a grapevine wreath blank with leaves, berries and pinecones in warming red and orange tones. Attach mini velvet pumpkins for softness.

Use florist's wire or a glue gun to make sure components are securely attached. If you're worried about exposing your wreath to the elements, display inside on an internal door or as part of a table arrangement.

18. Make a spooky picture gallery

Make your own Halloween silhouette framed pictures. Cut creepy images and phrases from black paper and mount on a white background. If drawing out your shapes before cutting, don't forget to draw them back-to-front on the reverse of the paper. Pop your pictures in black frames and display on the wall or on a mantelpiece.

19. Welcome Trick or Treaters

Welcome visitors with a cute custom Halloween doormat. You can make your own using a Cricut cutting machine and vinyl to create a stencil. Secure in place with masking tape and use black acrylic paint and a stencil brush to fill in your design. Leave to dry for 24 hours, then seal with spray varnish.

20. Shine terrifying tea lights

If you can't handle the mess of carving pumpkins, try placing flickering tea light candles in empty clip-top jars. Give them a Halloween twist by using PVA to glue orange tissue paper on the inside of the jars. Add creepy shapes like bats and spiders in black paper to create spooky silhouettes.

Place anywhere around the house, inside or out, to encourage a little All Hallow's Eve atmosphere. If you have children or pets, consider using LED candles to avoid accidents.

21 Hang bewitching bunting

Who doesn't love a bit of bunting? It's easy to whip up and can come out year after year. Cut triangles from black and white card. Use half an apple and orange paint to print pumpkin shapes in the centre of each flag. Once dry, paint on stalks in green paint.

Cut eyes and a mouth from black paper and stick to the pumpkin faces. To hang your bunting, attach string or twine to the tops of the flags using craft tape.

22. Opt for a retro theme

Vintage-inspired Halloween decorations are all the rage this year. The trend is divided into two camps the twee 1950s Halloween fans versus the disco Halloween obsessives.

'Nostalgia is dominating this spooky season as people head to Pinterest for Halloween decorations inspired by the past,' says Matt Siberry, Head of Home at Pinterest UK.

'We’ve seen searches rise for hippy Halloween looks, with references to the 70s and the days of disco. There’s a certain bewitching charm about vintage-inspired Halloween decorations - from bubbly lettering e, to smiling skeletons and mirror balls pumpkins.. With an array of items and scary styles available to shop through Pins, people can easily turn this groovy twist on spooky inspiration and make it a haunting reality.'

So whether you prefer a disco pumpkin or cute paper decorations, this is the year to time-warp your Halloween decorating ideas.

23. Paint a pumpkin

Not a fan of carving? Painted pumpkins are just as effective, especially when contrasted with worn wooden knick-knacks on a reclaimed dresser. Simply paint on your funny or scary face, then mix and match with different shapes and sizes of pumpkins for an attractive seasonal display.

Add a warm, autumnal touch with strings of berries along the top, intertwined with twinkling fairy lights.

FAQs

What is the best way to decorate for Halloween on a budget?

Everyone is feeling the pinch on there purse this year, but that doesn't need you have to forgo the festivities. There are plenty of items around your house you can repurpose into Halloween decorations.

'Part of the fun of Hallowe’en is creating some DIY decorations,' says Lucy Hood, founder of Tableday.co.uk. 'Cut out eye shapes in old loo roll holder and put a glow stick inside, when it’s dark it will look like devil’s eyes. Fill a Mason jar with cotton wool balls and paper spiders and put a green glow stick inside and they look really effective.

'Obviously, there are pumpkins that can be cut up and candles put inside, and then if you have white candles and drip red wax on them they look like they are bleeding. It’s great fun making them and they are so easy to do.'

How do you stop Halloween decorations from looking tacky?

This is an age old question when it comes to Halloween, while we all enjoy getting in the festive spirit the best way to avoid decorations from looking tacky is to skip the plastic and store bought confetti.

'The best rule is to avoid cheap plastic supermarket stuff,' explains Lucy Hood. 'Not only is it really bad for the environment and ends up in landfill in November, but it also just looks really obviously cheap.

'It’s so easy to make your own decorations that it’s really not necessary either. Also it’s best to avoid fake spiders’ webs if possible because they are just polyester and again not great for the environment.'

Confetti leaves made out of felt look instantly more glamorous than shiny foil. Alternatively, our paper bats or wool ghosts will all cost less to make than buying in the supermarket and a homemade approach will never look tacky.

I love all things Halloween, whether that's ghoulish Halloween decorating ideas or grinning jack-o-lantern. However, what I do not love is hollowing out the inside of a pumpkin, until I discovered a genius hack for carving pumpkins quickly. 

While there are plenty of lovely no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas out there, I love to dot pumpkin vases around my house and light up my windows with jack-o-lanterns on the 31st October. If like me you find trying to dig the stringy pumpkin insides out with a spoon a painfully laborious experience, I promise this carving hack will be a game-changer.

The hack involves using an electric hand-held whisk to clear out the inside of the pumpkin with minimal effort and fuss. I discovered the hack last Halloween and used it to whip up a mix of pumpkin vases and jack-o-lanterns in record time as it takes just minutes to do. 

The hack is easy enough. You start by cutting off the top of the pumpkin as you usually would before carving. Once you have the lid off move the knife to a safe location in the kitchen and get your electric whisk ready. I use my trusty Salter hand mixer available on Amazon for £21.99.

I would recommend placing your pumpkin on a chopping board on a kitchen worktop, this will protect the surface and give you more control over the whisk. Then put the whisk inside the pumpkin and turned it to the lowest speed. 

To avoid being sprayed with pumpkin seeds angle the whisk slightly and keep the speed low. The goal is to use the whisk to detach all the seeds and stringy bits from the side so they're easy to scoop out. 

Go up and down all the sides to make sure you've reached every last bit. To avoid overloading the whisk I'd do this in ten-second bursts, overall it should take about a minute. 

Once you remove the whisk, you should be able to scoop all the seeds and pumpkin flesh out easily with a dessert spoon. You should have a perfectly hollowed-out pumpkin in under 5 minutes (even 2 minutes once you become a pro). 

All that is left is to decide on your pumpkin design or whether you want to keep things simple with a pumpkin vase. It speeds up the process so much that I found it easier to curate a full pumpkin display without relying on buying extra decorations. 

Never dread hollowing out pumpkins again. 

Halloween is now just around the corner, and if you've been inspired by our Halloween decoration ideas but are yet to get your decs sorted, or are wondering if Halloween is worth splashing the cash on this year considering the cost of living crisis, then the good news is that the Amazon Prime Day sale has arrived just in the nick of time.

Along with plenty of great kitchen appliance and bedding deals – find all of the biggest discounts in our Prime Day home deals round-up – the two-day event, which now runs until midnight 12th of October, is offering discounts on plenty of quick-and-easy Halloween updates, with affordable ideas that will transform both indoors and outdoors into a spooktacular focal point. 

Plus, as well as many lines being discounted right now, if you pick a product with Prime next-day delivery, these last-minute decorating solutions will actually be with you well ahead of time, cutting out the stress and helping you to deliver big-impact family fun with minimal effort. Phew! Just make sure to hurry, as Prime Day sale discounts end at midnight tonight.

You can browse the whole selection of Amazon Halloween decor right here:

• Shop all Amazon Halloween decorations

But, of course, Halloween doesn't just stop at the decor. Browse these Amazon Halloween costumes and Halloween costumes for kids for some easy trick-or-treating outfit inspiration, and stock up on Halloween candy and chocolate to dish out to visiting wizards and witches on the big night itself. 

Plus, whilst there are discounts happening, it's never too early to think ahead for Christmas. Whether that's stocking up on secret Santa gifts while the sales are on, or finding an affordable gift for the kids' teachers, friends, or family. 

If you're looking for inspiration, you'll find all of Amazon's bestselling gifting products right here:

• Browse Amazon Christmas gifting

Whether you're a fan of Hallowe'en or not, pumpkin decorating ideas are hard not to love. They can be spooky or just simply decorative, adding a little seasonal style to your home.

Hallowe'en has become more and more popular each year, with TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest bursting with Halloween decorating ideas. While we're obviously fans of decorating, we tend to favour a more autumnal vibe, rather than the terrifying jack-o'-lanterns that adorn doorways all over the country near the end of October.

Carving tends to be the most popular of pumpkin decorating ideas, but it can be a messy and - let's face it - a rather time-consuming and difficult task. Thankfully, there are plenty of other ways to decorate with pumpkins - whether you work with the real thing or create your own from fabric or card - the no-carve pumpkin trend offers virtually endless ways to decorate your home with the epitome of autumnal motifs.

What's more, as no knife is required you can tackle any of these crafty ideas with the whole family so everyone can have a go at creating their own pumpkin creation. 

So what are you waiting for, grab a pumpkin and a paintbrush some card and a little fabric and have a go at creating some of these gorgeous gourds to adorn your doorway, porch, dining table or mantel this season!

No-carve pumpkin decorating ideas

1. Draw on designs

Let your creativity flow with hand-drawn motifs. First, spray your pumpkin with a primer – this will help with the application of the coat of paint. 

Once the primer is dry, spray the stalks of your pumpkins – we chose gold to tie in with our hand-drawn designs. We then used leftover white and grey-blue emulsion to paint the pumpkins. 

If applying two coats, allow the first coat to dry thoroughly before applying the second. Once the paint is dry, use a metallic pen to draw on your designs.

2. Create a pretty mini vase

This looks pretty packed with little fresh flowers – or fill with dried leaves, grasses and seedheads for a seasonal display. 

Hollow out a mini gourd or pumpkin using a spoon. Set a small jar inside and add water. Cut the stems to the right length, then arrange your flowers and greenery in the jar.

3. Make it personal

A tiny gourd with a paper and dried leaf combo makes a cute place setting your guests will love. 

Cut out the shape of an oak leaf from decorative paper. Use a gold pen to write guests' names or little messages on a dried leaf. Attach both leaves to the top of the gourd with a pin.

4. Decorate with leaf découpage

You can découpage onto a natural pumpkin or paint it first (following the steps above in idea number 1). 

Gather a selection of dried leaves. Brush a layer of Décopatch glue onto the pumpkin. Carefully press on the leaves then brush another layer of glue over the top. The flatter the leaves, the easier this will be. The glue will appear white but dry clear.

Get the look: Decopatch Paperpatch Glue Varnish, £7.50, Hobbycraft

5. Create an autumnal wreath

Why let everyone else have all the joy - hang your autumn wreath on your internal door for you to see every day!

Wire in mini gourds to a wreath made of dried autumn foliage that can be used year after year. 

Get the look: Willow wreath base, £12, Hobbycraft

6. Have fun folding

These are so enjoyable to make – you can get the whole family involved. 

Start by making a template: fold a piece of scrap paper in half and draw half a pumpkin shape from the fold so when it’s unfolded, it makes a whole pumpkin. 

Cut 20 pumpkin shapes out of the patterned papers then fold them in half with the patterns showing. 

Glue the straight edges of the pumpkin shapes together – alternating the patterns if you wish – to form a circle. Glue a twig to the top for the stem.

7. Fashion a floral centrepiece

Create a striking table centre with season pumpkins and foliage. We’ve used a mix of dried and fresh blooms. 

Use a drill to create holes in the pumpkin in which to push in the stems of your flowers. Start with your dried flowers then add in the fresh blooms at the last minute.

'Seasonal garden flowers such as Rose Hips, Bloom Chrysanthemums, Dahlias and foliage such as Oakleaf are perfect for this and give a truly autumnal feel around the home,' suggests Chris Wood, horticulture expert at Waitrose Garden.

8. Make some everlasting pumpkins

Craft yourself some cute fabric pumpkins that can be bought out year after year. 

Begin by cutting out your chosen fabric - use a selection of varying size plates to create circular templates. Next, using a strong thick thread create a running stitch around the outside (approx 0.5cm in from the edge) of the circle. 

Fill the base with rice to weigh it down and toy stuffing to pad it out, slowly pull the running stitch tight as you go until all the edges come together in the centre. Secure with a couple of stitches and a double knot. 

Use hot glue to attach a stalk to your pumpkin, you can buy draft ones online or use twigs or dried stems. 

Prefer a quick fix? Try these beauties: Fabric pumpkins, from £1 each, Hobbycraft 

9. Paint them in pretty pastels

Forget the carving knife and use sugary shades to create pretty pastel-painted pumpkins.

Give them a quick wash first. When dry, use a chalky finish paint to cover your pumpkin. Next, add some sparkle with metallic or glitter paint to create an ombre effect.

Get the look: Rust-Oleum medium shimmer glitter paint in Rose, £11 for 250ml, Wilko

10. Add Matisse-inspired pattern

Take inspiration from Henri Matisse by covering your pumpkins in colourful abstract shapes. Paint your pumpkin white, then use a Cricut cutting machine to cut out a selection of vinyl stickers.

Stick the shapes all over your pumpkin so the colours and patterns are random. Alternatively, use different paint shades to hand draw your shapes onto your pumpkins.

Get the look: Cricut Joy cutting machine, £189.99, John Lewis & Partners

11. Brighten up ghost pumpkins

This spooky all-white pumpkin has proven hugely popular in recent years. To make your pumpkin stand out, Chris Wood from Waitrose suggests giving it a botanical twist. 

'It's perfect to add a splash of natural colour to ghost pumpkins and make them stand out,' he says.

'Take stems such as ferns or grasses, or other thin leaf plants, and attach them to pumpkins using adhesive.'

12. Make a spooky mummy

This one's definitely for the kids (or the kid in you!)
If your local supermarket all sold out of pumpkins, it's time to think outside of the box! Try using a butternut squash to make a whimsical Egyptian mummy instead.

Start by painting the squash white. Once dry, apply hand-painted grey lines to look like wrapped bandages. Add googly eyes with a glue gun or super glue. Display alongside spooky fake cobwebs, spiders and skulls for the full Hallowe'en effect.

13. Create some super cute (and super easy) characters

This one is great for younger kids! Get crafty with stickers, tissue paper and card to turn your pumpkins into fun Halloween-themed characters. 

Decorated paper cups make perfect bodies for mummies, vampires, cats and even Frankenstein's monster.

It might only be August but we think we've found the must-have Halloween accessory for 2022 already. Hobbycraft plush pumpkin.

Hobbycraft is a great place to pick up crafty bits for creating Halloween decorating ideas. However, the plush pumpkin is set to be the most popular decoration this year.

The Hobbycraft plush pumpkin last year completely sold out (all 40,000 of them!) by September 2021. What the gonk has become to Christmas, and basically every other festive season, we predict the plush pumpkin will be to Halloween this year. 

'The Plush Pumpkin range has always been a huge hit with our customers! Last year, we had sold all 40,000 by September and social media was flooded with thousands of Brits posting about the must-have squishy autumn accessory,' says Katherine Paterson, Customer Director at Hobbycraft.  

If you're wondering what exactly a plush pumpkin is, it's a squishy cushion-soft toy hybrid in pumpkin form. They are relatively easy to make from scratch with fabric offcuts and cotton wool, however, for just £1 for a small one Hobbycraft has taken care of the hard work of making one. 

Hobbycrafts plush pumpkins are available in four sizes small priced at £1.00 (6.5cm), medium at £3.00 (9cm), large at £4.00 (12cm) and extra large at £5.00 (17cm). Previously, the plush pumpkins were available in a limited range of colours however, Hobbycraft has expanded it to include black, burgundy, purple, rust, blue, green, grey and pink. 

Last year the rust colour, a lovely autumn-y orange hue was the most popular colour. However, the expansion in colours means you can match your plush pumpkin easily to your current home decor scheme.

Hobbycrafts says they have bought in extra units this year so you should be able to pick some up - though we have been informed that they're already flying of the shelves.

'These are now available to buy, and we’ve already started to see sales ramp up as people prepare for the Autumn Winter season,' explains Katherine.

Decorating for Autumn and Halloween took off hugely in 2021, we've already spotted autumn door decor ideas trending on Google ahead of the 'ber months. Aswell as record sales, last year Hobbycraft saw a 519 per cent increase in searches for it is plush pumpkins compared to 2020. 

These plush pumpkins can be styled as a table centrepiece or around a mantlepiece from September onwards, pair them with some no carve pumpkin decorating ideas for a layered look.

Will you be investing in a couple for your Halloween spread?

The boundaries between Halloween and Christmas are starting to become more blurred than working out when to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. First came Halloween trees, now this year Poundland has launched a range of spooky Halloween nutcrackers to get your home ready for the spooky season.

Forget fake bats and spider webs, nutcrackers are set to be the number-one decoration in town to help you celebrate Halloween at home in style this year. Traditionally a Christmas decoration, Poundland has brought out a range of spooky figures in the usual nutcracker style - a collab Jack Skellington would be proud of.

The Christmas decoration cross-over comes dressed as Count Dracula, Frankenstein and even a skeleton in a top hat. Crazily creepy, but just right for bringing a novel touch to your home – and, of course, those Instagram photo-snapping moments!

Poundland Halloween Nutcrackers

Now, it's said that the original Christmas nutcrackers, dressed as mini toy soldiers, were a symbol of good luck, frightening away any evil spirits and protecting your home. In our book, that makes these Poundland versions perfect for Halloween!

Line the figures upon a mantelpiece or have them in your window ready to greet trick or treaters – they're sure to get a smile. The best part is, each of the nutcrackers is only £2, so they won't break the bank and you could get the whole set.

Or, why not have them guarding a festive snack table? Poundland has lots of Halloween-themed plates, cups and edible snacks to make it devilishly fun, including (our favourite) milk chocolate eyeballs!

Surround your figures with Poundland's Halloween tinsel, light-up spiders and ghosts and hanging bats to make a truly spooky display. Hang some fake cobwebs, add some easy pumpkin ideas, a few LED tealight candles and dim the lights to set the scene.

We think these nutcrackers would make a great gift for anyone going to a Halloween party or gathering this year, too. Would you buy just one, or all three? And if you had to choose, which would it be?

Have these nutcrackers made your list for Halloween must-haves this year? If so, you'll be pleased to know that they're in store now, but it's always worth ringing ahead to check they have them in stock.

Well done Poundland, we think they're fab-BOO-lous!

We've given up on summer and full-on autumn mode has been activated. For Halloween fans, this means planning ways to decorate our homes for the spooky season.

People are loving The Range's brand new Halloween-themed gonks, including Stacey Solomon. The Loose Women star, who is expecting her fourth child, caused sales of gonks to surge after sharing her delight at the launch of The Range’s Halloween collection.

It's good news for gonk-lovers decorating on a budget this autumn because they're just £7.99.

The Range recently shared an image of the new Halloween gonks on Instagram captioned 'Ok, the secrets out... Yes, we have NEW Halloween Gonks, and yes they are now in store.'

Stacey Solomon was quick to comment: 'OMG I can’t cope, bring on autumn!' And she isn’t alone in her love for Halloween decor and gonks, given that the post has received thousands of likes and comments.

'OMG NEED IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!' one exclaimed. 'Gonk lovers unite,' wrote a second, while others tagged their fellow gonk fans to alert them of this development.

Stacey Solomon is always sharing her home decor ideas and IKEA hacks with her 4.6 million followers. And she’s not one to miss out on any key opportunities to dress her home for a seasonal celebration.

The Queen of Halloween was very excited to see the Nordic gonks get a black and red makeover. If you're looking for spooky garden ideas for October, The Range is also selling Halloween LED Gonk Outdoor Lights, £24.99.

Gonks are inspired by gnomes and hobgoblins found in Scandinavian and Nordic mythology. They're a firm favourite among shoppers at Christmas along with large nutcrackers.

These Halloween gonks sold out in just 48 hours . But while they're currently out of stock online, you can pick one up in one of the retailer's 180 stores across the country.

They'll look great on a sideboard or shelf in the hallway or living room, or perhaps yours will settle at the bottom of the stairs. That's if you can get your hands on one.

Will you be picking one up?

How scary is too scary for 202? With Halloween just around the corner, this new Aldi Halloween range is set to spooky shoppers.

While parents across the country will be eager to unleash their little monsters for long overdue fun, trick or treating looks like it’s off the cards. As a result, Aldi has adjusted its great value Halloween offering to encourage safe social distancing, with a stronger focus on horrifying decorations.

The range is for creating spooktacular doorsteps for passing thrill seekers, rather than physical trick or treating products. With products starting from £4.99 for the Halloween Light Up Doorbell, all the way up to the huge inflatable pumpkin.

 More in store this week: Cook like a pro with Aldi sous vide stick – part of new kitchen Specialbuys range

For the second year running, the most petrifying products have been banished from the middle aisle  – these will only be available online now. The rest of the range will arrive in stores from next Thursday 15th October.

Aldi Halloween range for 2020

Inflatables

Nothing says 'don't come near my house' quite like a gigantic three metre tall inflatable pumpkin. Yeah that should do it for deterring any would be trick or treaters this year.

New for this year are the brilliant inflatables – most popular as part of the supermarket's Christmas range. The huge inflatables offer maximum impact for front doors, with very little effort required. The easy to inflate three metre high arches come complete with LED lights to add even more wow factor, plus fixings, pegs and guy ropes. All you'll need is a pump to do all the hard work for you.

Available in the pumpkin design above and an eery mummy version. These are both online exclusives.

Buy now: Giant Standing Inflatable Pumpkin, £99.99, Aldi 

With Halloween celebrations get bigger and bigger with every year, decorating for the occasion is taken almost as seriously as Christmas nowadays. As a result there are many more exterior decorations on offer this year at Aldi.

Buy now: Giant 2.4M Inflatable Mummy, £49.99, Aldi

Animated halloween decorations

There's nothing scarier than a clown. How about this Zombie? This along with a Talking Clown are both banned from the shelves this year. Ensuring little ones and those of a nervous disposition, aren’t scared in stores.

Aldi say, ‘This 1.4m high Hanging Animated Half Zombie is a spooky season essential! This half zombie comes to life through it's built-in sound sensor, turning it's head, moving it's arms and making the groaning sounds of the undead for a frighteningly good scare!’

We've purposefully not shared the picture of the clown – it's online here if you do want to see it!

Buy now: Hanging Animated Half Zombie, £29.99, Aldi

Decorate the house for less with the supermarket's spooky low prices. We predict other items to look out for in store, based on the range last year...

Pre-lit Pumpkins

Save yourself the effort of pumpkin carving with this handy colour changing design. Simply switch on the battery powered light inside to get the party started.

Pumpkin pom-poms

An instant win! Hang pretty pumpkin pom-poms to instantly jazz up any room. the tissue paper decorations are sold in a pack of five, meaning a little goes a long way. They sold out quick last year, we hope they make a return.

Tinsel wreath

Wreaths are not just for Christmas, as this fabulous pumpkin tinsel design demonstrates. Hanging this on your door's an easy, understated way to add decoration.

Halloween lights

OOOooo these scary light garlands instantly add a ghoulish touch to decor. We know there are lights in the new range, we just don't know if they will be these –from last year. Whatever spooky design they may be hang them at the window or drape them around a door to create the biggest impact.

Related: Halloween craft ideas to make your home look frighteningly good

Scared of missing out? Get yourself down to a store next Thursday to bag these fiendishly good Specialbuys.

Are you itching to celebrate a spook-tacular Halloween this year? Well now you can fill your home with the scent of sweet and spicy pumpkin with the new Halloween Yankee candle.

Related: Pinterest has revealed the Halloween trends set to spook us this year!

Enchant any of your ghoulish guests with the nostalgic scent of pumpkin carving with the new candle Pumpkin Patch. The candle promises to fill your home with a gorgeous sweet and spicy scent. This candle is definitely one for fans of pumpkin pie or a pumpkin spice latte.

Yankee candle halloween range

The fragrance includes top notes of black tea, pumpkin spice, hazelnut and nutmeg, mixed with a luscious base of vanilla, praline, maple, sugar and sandlewood. We defy your guests mouths not to be watering when they catch a whiff of this candle.

The new scent is available in five sizes. The large candle has a burning time of 110 to 150 hours perfect for filling your home with the delicious scent. It is also available in a medium size, small size, votive and tea lights.

Why not give your carved pumpkins are little extra wow factor by using the Pumpkin Patch tea lights to illuminate them?

Buy now: Pumpkin Patch, £23.99, Yankee Candle

The new Halloween scent will be joining the other autumn scents including Autumn Glow, a gorgeous mix of autumn blossom, sparkling citrus and patchouli. The Pecan Pie Bites candle, promises to fill your home with the scent of this delectable pastry, including the scent of cinnamon, honey and smoke cedar.

The Spiced Orange candle is a winter warmer that will see you through till Christmas, with the scent of citrus and ginger. While the Tonka Bean and Pumpkin candle is a grown up candle perfect for this time of year with notes of toasted marshmallow and amber.

Last years Halloween Yankee Candle range

Yankee candles previous halloween candle range  included Witches' Brew – which mixes clove and cinnamon – and Haunted Hollow, a pine fragrance to evoke the creepiest of creepy woodlands.

Enchanted Moon  is a tad less sinister, blending peony with teak and juniper, while Blue Twilight Storm captures that pre-rain heady feeling with black sesame, patchouli and balsam.

Also Sweet Seduction, a concoction of vanilla cream and caramel, with a dash of rum.

Plan your own spooktacular: Halloween party ideas to spook the kids (and adults)

Will you be indulging in the new pumpkin scent this Halloween?

If you've yet to give your home the spooky treatment then you had better get a move on, as Halloween is just around the corner. These Asda Halloween decorations are bound to add a little ghoulish glamour to the holiday.

The terrifyingly glitzy Asda Halloween decorations are currently available in stores and online. This year Asda has given its decorations a millennial make-over, complete with glittery pumpkins, neon lights and an iridescent skull.

Related: Don't miss this new Lidl Halloween range – including that infamous spider-dog costume

Why don't we take a look at some of the spooky highlights?

Pastel pumpkins

As soon as we clapped eyes on these pastel-coloured mini pumpkins we were smitten. Costing just £1 each, they come with three captions including 'boo', 'creep it real' and our personal favourite 'witch please.' We'll take all three please.

In store only: 'Witch Please' pumpkin, £1, George at Asda

Glitter pumpkin

If pastels aren't your thing you can keep things a little more traditional – with a glitter twist of course – with a black or orange glitter pumpkin. They are available in mini-version for just £1 or normal pumpkin size costing £3.

Buy now: Glitter pumpkin, £3, George at Asda

Iridescent skull

If you have a slightly macabre taste in interiors, like us,  you could be tempted  to leave this iridescent skull up all year round in a hallway or living room. The skull includes LED's and is battery powered, so when lit up gives off a creepy shimmery glow.

Position it in-front off a dark backdrop for the full effect.

Buy now: Iridescent skull, £8, George at Asda

Neon bat light

This gothic neon-style bat light is a funky finishing touch to any monster bash this Halloween. The light is battery powered so you won't need to worry about a cable ruining the psychedelic purple glow.

Buy now: Neon bat light, £8, George at Asda

Day of the Dead bunting

The supermarket's Halloween bunting has had a day of the dead makeover. Inspired by the Mexican holiday celebrated on the 2nd November, the skulls are decked out in roses and hats. There is even a paper skeleton with movable arms if you fancy going the whole festive hog.

In store only: Bunting, £1, George at Asda

Related: Pinterest reveals the Halloween trends set to spook us in style for 2019

Will you be adding any of these creepy treats to your shopping basket this weekend?

With only three weeks to go until Halloween celebrations, John Lewis & Partners reveals its top sellers and spookiest picks for this year! These are the John Lewis Halloween decorations to help host the most spooktactular style party for 2019.

As a nation we’re increasingly pulling out all the stops when it comes to Halloween decorating. With sales of wreaths, wall hangings and table decorations bigger than ever before.

More to frightfully delight: Pinterest reveals the Halloween trends set to spook us in style for 2019

John Lewis & Partners' top ten Halloween buys 2019

‘The spooky season is officially upon us and we’ve seen that the trend for all things Halloween shows no signs of slowing down this year,' reports Lizzie Batchelar, Seasonal Events Assistant Buyer at John Lewis & Partners.

'Customers are really going all out, getting into the spirit of Halloween and experimenting with creative ways to decorate their houses - from weird and wonderful wreaths to sinister LED-lit trees, laden with ghoulish trinkets and decorations.'

1. Suspended shaking Ghosts

These wibbly wobbly ghouls are more cute than scary.

2. Bauble decorations

Just like Christmas, only with more spooky characters. The biggest being Boots, hat, cat and witch hanging decorations – all £8 each.

3. Hanging skulls

Inspired by the Day of the Dead celebrations are these Skull hanging decorations, £14.40 each.

4. Decorative Halloween Wreath

Sales of wreaths are up this week and trick or treat baskets also remain firm favourites, with sales up 21 per cent year-on-year.

Buy now: Decorative Halloween Wreath, £22, John Lewis & Partners

5. Ghost And Witch Scene Tealight Holder

Seasonal votives are ideal for creating an enchanting ambience.

6. Haunted House Halloween Decoration

Sadly the £18 haunted house has already sold out, but should be still be available in stores.

7. Pre-lit trees

'Halloween trees' are also proving popular, up 57 per cent on last year. And not longer just for Christmas, shoppers are snapping up ghoulish baubles, Halloween-themed decorations to adorn said trees. This £22 design is only now available in store.

8. Halloween LED Bat Decoration

Like a bat out of hell this creepy character lights u to attract attention.

Buy now: Halloween Bat Decoration, £15, John Lewis & Partners

9. Trick or Treat Halloween String Lights

Light up the room, Halloween style. £12.50

10. Party Fogger

The smoke machine of the modern age, party foggers are the big thing for setting the scene in style. The one at John Lewis & Partners is £50.

Related: There's nothing scary about the prices of this Aldi Halloween range

In another news! Following on from the popularity of last year’s miniature chocolate pumpkins, this year John Lewis is introducing a supersized pumpkin treat.

For the first time the star of Halloween is a huge, hollow pumpkin – which can be filled with gruesome goodies or used as a party serving bowl. The hand-sculpted design is made from Belgian milk chocolate, yum.

Fright and delight guests with any of these gruesomely great Halloween decorating ideas. Where better to look for the latest decorating trends than Pinterest? The search engine has shared with us its Halloween Trends 2019.

Dissecting the trends it it's no shock to see Stranger Things proving ultra popular this year, but more surprisingly gnomes are also big!

For more ideas read: Halloween decorating ideas that won’t scare away the neighbours!

Dust off your witches hats and prepare your cauldrons because Halloween is right around the corner folks. From boho to pink themes, there's a decorating idea for all decors.

Want to create the haunted house of dreams for this year? Look no further, Pinterest has it covered...

Pinterest Halloween trends 2019

1. Stranger Things theme

With the return of season three this summer it’s no surprise that a top trending party theme for Halloween this year is Stranger Things. Searches for 'Stranger Things Halloween decorations' are up a staggering 549 per cent.

2. Fashionable boho decorations

Following on from fashion another key theme is boho! Not one you'd necessarily associate with a scary party, but it's a good one to ensure it's a stylish affair. 'Boho Halloween decorations' searches are up 68 per cent.

3. Ghoulish gnomes

Before you think of the 'tacky' garden dwellers these are more tasteful. The gnome for Halloween is more of a stylish Nordic character. Halloween specific gnomes are up a whopping 385 per cent.

4. Halloween blankets

Ideal for wrapping up warm in the autumn chill or to hide under when things get too scary, a dedicated blanket is a thing. So much so, Halloween blanket  searches are up 89 per cent.

5. Pops of colour

Don't want to stick to a monochrome colour palette or pumpkin orange? you're in luck, because 2019 is the year for alternative Halloween colours. Trending colours are 'pink Halloween', up 221 per cent and   'pastel Halloween', up 164 per cent.

6. Amazing mazes

For fright night try turning your house into a spooky maze of mystery. The term 'Halloween maze' is up in search 54 per cent. Hang blankets, sheets and decorations across doorways to create intrigue and interest as guest move throughout the house.

7. Garage parties

Throwing a party in your garage is the thing to do this year, making the most of this extra space. New to us, 'Halloween garage decorations' are up 71 per cent.

8. Spooky weddings

Who says weddings have to be white? The appetite for 'spooky weddings' is up 195 per cent, and particularly 'Halloween wedding ideas purple' which is up 89 per cent.

Still giving us the creeps (in a good way) from last year

1. Floating witch hat lights

This floating fancy was up 485 percent on Pinterest search last year. This simple but effective decorating idea looks straight out of a movie.

2. Dry ice centerpiece

Not since the days of dodgy discos has dry ice been such a hit! Dry ice cocktails are taking the world by storm, as are dry ice centerpieces – searches soared by 280 per cent.

3. Skeleton flamingos

Day of the Dead includes the animal kingdom clearly, as skeleton flamingo searches rose by 140 per cent. Thanks to the 2017 Disney animation Coco, we're all familiar with the concept of magical spirit animals. What better than a spirit flamingo?

4. Drip candlestick holders

The epitome of a haunted house is the drip candlestick holders. Up 33 percent, this look is easy to recreate. Simply burn tapered candles right down and collect the wax drips along the holder.

5. Spider eggs

Spiders eggs, up 45 per cent, who know it could catch on? Filling white tights with fake spiders, sounds scary in itself but it's quite genius.

If your guests are scared of spiders this is one way to frighten them. Urgh, it's so good but so creepy.

6. Drip painted pumpkins

Image here

Carving is soooo old news. Last year everyone was drip painting pumpkins.

7. Halloween string lights

A string of lights is fashionable for any season, but the emphasis here is on spooky designs. Particularly black cats, but also ghosts and ghouls  – search up 301 per cent.

8. Pumpkin lanterns

If you still prefer a more traditional pumpkin, turning them into arty lanterns is a big trend - up 324 per cent.

9. Spooky window silhouettes

cast a spooky shadow with simple paper silhouettes at the windows. Black paper creates an eerie effect during the day and a wickedly good illuminated shadow by night. The search for window silhouettes was up on Pinterest 147 per cent.

10. Halloween wreaths

No longer just for Christmas, wreaths are adorning doors in celebration of Easter and Halloween. Autumnal feel Halloween wreaths are up in search on Pinterest a whopping  254 per cent.

Related: 7 reasons why you should celebrate Halloween

Happy Halloween decorating.

Are you looking for Halloween craft ideas to perk up your party? Be inspired by these spooktacular decorations that will be sure to scare your ghoulish guests.

Want to learn how to make slime for Halloween? READ: How to make slime without borax

1. Create a DIY doormat

Customise your doormat for Halloween.

Takes 2hrs

You will need:
Cricut Explore Air, £240, Hobbycraft
Cricut iron-on black vinyl, £12, Hobbycraft
Grey washable doormat, £2, Dunelm
Iron

1. Download the BOO! Mat project onto your Cricut machine and follow the instructions to print it onto black iron-on vinyl. Be sure to use the ‘mirror images’ box so the image is flipped.

2. Follow the application instructions to adhere the iron-on vinyl to the surface of the doormat and try to remove any air bubbles with the iron as you go for a smooth finish.

2. Fashion glue gun webs

Try your hand at these decorative DIY spiderwebs.

Takes 30mins

You will need:
Small hot glue gun
Black glue gun sticks (7mm diametre), £4.18 for 10, Amazon
Grease-proof paper

1. Plug in the glue gun and insert a black glue stick. Leave to heat up. Working on a sheet of grease-proof paper, carefully draw a vertical line with the gun, then repeat to draw a line across it to make a cross. Add two more diagonal lines to make a star shape.

2. Use the glue gun to join up the lines in a spiderweb shape. Leave to cool slightly then peel the web off the paper and place on a flat surface to continue to dry.

3. Scare with pompom pumpkins & tassel ghosts

Make these adorable characters from leftover yarn.

Takes 1hr

You will need:
Clover 65mm pom pom maker, £7 for two, Hobbycraft
6 x DMC tapestry wool in orange, 85p each, Cloud Craft
Dark green pipe cleaners, £1.10 per pack, Hobbycraft
Scissors & pencil
Clear fishing wire
Ruler & cardboard
White wool, £2.89 per ball, Minerva Crafts

1. To make the pumpkins, use the pom pom maker to make an orange pom pom. Cut a pipecleaner into three pieces and bend one end of a piece around the middle, then curl the other end around a pencil to bend into shape. Tie fishing wire around the end to hang.

2. To make the ghost tassels, cut a 10x12cm piece of cardboard. Cut a small piece of wool and place it along the length of cardboard. Wind the rest of the wool around the width of the carboard 25 times and tie the short piece tightly around one end. Snip the yarn at one end to release the tassel. Tie another length of wool round the neck of the tassel and knot to secure, then hang with fishing wire. Add googly eyes if you wish!

4. Transform pegs into bats

Transform wooden clothes pegs into playful decorations.

Takes 1hr

You will need:
Wooden pegs, £3.50 for 50, Sainsbury’s
Black crafters acrylic paint, £1.00, Hobbycraft
Paintbrush
A4 black card, £1.80 for 10 sheets, Hobbycraft
Pencil & glue
Scissors

1. Paint the pegs all over (try not to paint over the hinges if possible) with black paint and leave to dry. Draw a single bat wing onto a sheet of black card and cut out. Repeat to make more bat wings.

2. Carefully glue the painted pegs to the middle of two black card wings and leave to dry before hanging up as decorations.

5. Frighten guests with blood drip candles

Give pillar candles a spooky finish.

Takes 30mins

You will need:
Fenomen white candles, £4 for five, Ikea
Sinnlig red candle, £2.50, Ikea

1. Light the red candle and let it burn for a few minutes so a little pool of wax forms at the base of the wick. Working on a sheet of newspaper, carefully tip the red candle onto one of the white candles so the red wax drips onto it.

2. Repeat the process until the candle is covered with red drip marks all the way around. Take care not to touch the candle or wax whilst it is hot and do not allow children to try this project.

Will you be making any of these spooktacular Halloween craft ideas? Which on is your favourite?

Put the knife down and pack those plasters away! Creating a Halloween centrepiece just got a whole lot easier – and less dangerous – thanks to M&S.

Style so good, it's SCARY: Halloween party ideas to spook the kids (and adults) 

Yes, there's no need to spend hours intricately carving a jovial jack-o'-lantern that you're never going to be truly happy with. Because instead, you can buy Peter, the limited-edition Marks and Spencer floral pumpkin, and leave all your fingers intact!

Marks and Spencer floral pumpkin

With his wide smile and inanimate black eyes, we think Peter strikes just the right balance between spooky Halloween menace and classy floral display. Available for delivery from 23rd Oct 2018, Peter Pumpkin is made up of approximately 12 orange spray chrysanthemum. There's also a eryngium, to represent the pumpkin stump, perched at the top.

Order online: Peter Pumpkin Flower Arrangement, £30, Marks & Spencer

'Nothing says 'Happy Halloween' like Peter Pumpkin greeting guests over the spooky season!' says the M&S website. 'Made of fresh flowers, Peter the friendly pumpkin is bound to put a smile on anyone's face.'

Not everyone is a fan, however. Here in at Ideal Home HQ, it's caused great debate! For example, will that £30 price tag – ahem – 'scare' people off? And isn't pumpkin carving with the kids one of the best things about Halloween? What do you think?

Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer isn't the only store offering frightening florals this Halloween. Waitrose, for example, is hoping to scare us silly with its glow-in-the-dark roses...

Waitrose glow-in-the-dark roses

The 'boo'-tiful bouquet is made up of 10 Avalanche roses that have been sprayed with a special chemical, which, after being exposed to the light, will make the flowers glow green when it gets dark. They've also been arranged with black-dyed green bell foliage to really up the spooky factor.

You can order your bouquet now for arrival from 24th October.

Order online: Halloween Glow in the Dark Roses, £35, Waitrose Flowers

We'll assume that they arrive 'spectre' delivery...

The American tradition to pick your own pumpkin has become increasingly popular in the UK in the autumn months. Being such an iconic and striking vegetable for this time of the year, many farm shops up and down the country now host huge Halloween and pumpkin festivals with pick your own pumpkin patches, maize mazes and much more. We've picked some favourite places strewn with pumpkins for you to pick up a monster just in time for the spooky night of October 31st.

Enjoy the outdoors? 7 autumn walks for dazzling seasonal colour

Here's where to go...

Lested Farm, Kent

Farmers Jake and Mark Thompson are gearing up for Halloween by opening their fields to the public for some pumpkin picking. There's no entry fee, you just pay for what you pick and prices range from (a very reasonable) £1 for a small pumpkin to £4 for the "Monster" pumpkin. Wellies advisable.

Where: Cheesmans Green Lane, Sevington, Ashford, Kent
When: 10am - 4pm on weekends up to and including Sunday 29th October

Crockford Bridge Farm, Surrey

Another relatively close option for those living in London. Offering pumpkin picking from their dedicated patch, there's also a host of half-term Halloween activities for children, including apple bobbing, pumpkin carving and face painting. This year the farm will have pop up food vendors, including some fancy ice-cream. Entry to the pumpkin patch is £2 and face-painting and food are charged separately.

Where: New Haw Roadl, Addlestone, Nr. Weybridge, Surrey KT15 2BU
When: Until the end of October, 10am - 5pm

Piglets Adventure Farm, North Yorkshire

Pick your own from the 10,000 pumpkins at the Pumpkin Festival on this 152-acre farm, complete with a trailer ride to the dedicated pumpkin patch. There will also be pumpkin carving, spooky story telling and fancy dress competitions taking place from now until Halloween. There is an admission fee, but every child will receive a free pumpkin. Children 1-16yrs, £8.95, adults £7.95.

Where: Piglets Adventure Farm,  Towthorpe Grange, Towthorpe Moor Lane, York YO32 9ST
When: Eery weekend in October and every day from 21st October to 5th November

Cairnies Fruit Farm and Mega Maze, Scotland

You could easily spend all day at Cairnies, where picking your own pumpkin is just one of the numerous Halloween activities taking place on the Cairnie Pumpkin Festival weekend: 28th-29th October. There are also Spooky Torchlight Maze Nights: 27th, 28th, 29th & 31st October (8yrs + advised).

Where: West Craigie Farm, South Queensferry, Edinburgh EH30 9AR
When: 10am - 4pm until  31st October

Farmer Copley’s, West Yorkshire

It promises to present the UK’s largest pumpkin festival. There will be more than 120,000 pumpkins both ‘warty’ and smooth, in a rainbow of red, green, white, blue, black, yellow, mixed and, of course, orange. There will also be a fancy dress parade with prizes, witches story telling and face painting.

Where: Ravensknowle Farm, Pontefract Road, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF7 5AF
When: Over the weekends of 7-8 and 14-15 October, and half term, 21-29 October.

Get your garden autumn ready: Jobs to do in the garden in October

Undley Pumpkin Patch, Suffolk

A great day out for the whole family. For 2017 the farm is offering an all-new pumpkin picking experience with the choice to pick from their largest ever pre-picked sea of pumpkins or directly from the pumpkin plant. Approximately 20 varieties of pumpkin will be available within a 5cre pumpkin patch and a range of other attractions are on offer, including a maize maze, inflatables and a hay bale climbing installation. Entry to the site is FREE, there are additional prices for other various attractions once on-site.

Where: Pumpkin Patch & Maize Maze, Undley Road, Beck Row, IP288BX
When: Every weekend in October. Also all of 23rd -27th October half-term week as well as  Monday 30th  & Tuesday 31st October from 10am until 5pm

Spookley at Farrington’s Farm Shop, Bristol

Pick from thousands of home-grown pumpkins from their pumpkin patch, carve Spookley shapes and try some seasonal pumpkin dishes. Or cosy up and listen to the heart-warming story of Spookley, the square shaped pumpkin. £3 per child for all activities.

Where: Farrington's Farm, Home Farm, Main Street, Farrington Gurney, Bristol, BS39 6UB
When: Over the weekend of 14th and 15th October and the half term week from 21st – 29th October

Already thinking about Christmas? Book now! The Santa’s grotto tickets that are selling out fast already

Once you've picked your perfect pumpkin you need to decide on the carving - traditional scary face or on trend pretty pattern?

Welcome to Christine McConnell's
Halloween inspired home: an eight eyed raging monster equipped with gnashing teeth, a labyrinth of cobwebs and an eerie green glow.

As an artist, photographer, baker and author, Christine has long been creative, and her enthusiasm for old-school horror classics has allowed her to outdo herself at her favourite time of year.
Inspired by everything creepy, macabre and decrepit, we invite you to Christine's home. Read on if you dare...

Inspired by Sony Pictures'
haunting cartoon, Monster House, Christine set about the design, which took ‘three solid days to create the pieces and decorate and then a full day to photograph it.'

By lacquering foam-core insulation boards in exterior latex paint, she was able to create bold, weatherproof features that personify Sony's living creature. Think stealth-like eyes watching you as you dare to cross a boundary of fangs.

As you can imagine, the masterpiece is becoming a local celebrity, with ‘tons of people stopping their cars to take pictures,' Christine told us. 'Kids are dragging their parents down the street to get a closer look. Even a few older neighbours who I've known since I was little, were in awe of it.'

Christine's 2013 Halloween creation received similar acclaim, epitomizing Tim Burton's Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas:
a stitched burlap sack whose shadow fills the moon each night.

Why not create a similar masterpiece this year? As Christine gets her inspirations by ‘binge watching every creepy movie imaginable during this time of year,' try transforming your home into a thrilling movie set by embodying barren mansions and murky graveyards.

Equally, decorate your garden and porch with ghostly silhouettes in dimly lit rooms or by piling up pumpkins to create an eerie lantern glow. These creepy visuals will give your sugar-ravenous guests a real treat.

After years of decorating her family home, Christine says this is ‘one of my favorite projects that came out even neater than I had planned,'
so why not give it a go too?

Follow Christine on Instagram for more haunting inspirations and seasonal bakes @christinehmcconnell.

The combined force of orange and black may instantly conjure up dark images of Halloween, but this colour power couple have far more longevity than your annual carved pumpkin lantern.

Strike a balance between the two hues and you're guaranteed a space that is terrific, rather than terrifying.

Cobwebs most definitely not included.

1. Gently, gently...

Slices of warm orange - found in the cushions, rug and pouffes - breathe life into a cool monochrome scheme. The black elements come in the form of patterned wallpaper and fabrics, with fine lines and flourishes to keep things light and modern. See? Not scary in the slightest!

2. Dine on pumpkin

If you want a taste of black and orange, but are a little scared of accidentally creating something that resembles a haunted house, take a look at this dining room. A black table grounds a white vintage-style space, while butternut-squash-coloured seating offers a cheery punch of colour.

3. Clearly not a kitchen nightmare

Is it us, or does this kitchen look like it was inspired by the classic Le Creuset earthenware? You know the one we mean - glossy burnt orange with a matt-black handle? Whatever, we love it. That glowing orange worktop, sandwiched between a matt-black tiled wall and zebrano wood cabinetry, all finished with minimal stainless steel hardware... It's breathtaking, in a very good way.

4. Burnish it, don't banish it

The only scream you will hear in this living room is one of delight, as you take in this perfect scene. Black-stained wooden floorboards and a hefty cast iron fireplace perfectly balance a nephrite green base, meaning the orange tones of the bronze-coloured elements glow like embers in a coal fire. Pretty much poetic.

5. Teen spirit

Shock horror! Power struggles are a common feature of life with teenagers, but this bold retro-style bedroom should help restore the balance. Not only does it feature plenty of black (a favourite with young rebels) but the equally strong orange hues offer parents a secret power: it's known for lifting moods and encouraging communication.

6. Fantastic Mr Fox

Some people find foxes a menace, but here they are just plain cute. Skewed more to the orange end of the scale, black frames and detailing are used to punctuate this playful bedroom.

7. Dressing-up box

Halloween is the perfect opportunity to raid your wardrobe or dressing-up box, giving those long-lost treasures a new lease of life. This room is the decorating equivalent of said treasure chest: the textured black wall creates depth, and grounds the many layers of carefully chosen pieces. Meanwhile, terracotta tones found in the intricate furniture and artworks are pulled through the scheme and framed by the floor and painted window recess. Not a trick, this is a pure treat.

8. Ghostly glamour

Period properties always have a sense of history attached to them. Use their original features to your advantage and create a dramatic living space. Colour and texture really stands out against the almost-black walls and dark woodwork - golden highlights lift seaweed green and aqua hues, amongst which a striking amber wingback chair makes its presence felt. Just add a ghost-ship-style chandelier, and you're set.

******

Ever had a morbid thought about how many people have died in your hotel room? How many murders have taken place there? Or, how many souls still walk the corridors?

LateRooms.com
has revealed the most haunted hotels in Britain, just in time for
Halloween.

If you're after a memorable night filled with footsteps along barren corridors, passing figures with an uncanny ambience or gusts of children's chitter-chatter throughout silent nights, then these hotels are sure to raise your hairs and your heart-rates.

We dare you...

Lumley Castle, County of Durham

Passages lined with stone heads, a deep tone of ravenous red throughout the interior and secluded underground chambers mark this hotel with a haunting feel. Lumley Castle, once the residence of a 14th century family, is a spectacular building with hidden corridors, secret gardens and plenty of dark corners. History reads that Lily Lumley tragically fell to her death down the well and now wonders the grounds in a fogged aura - but don't let her see you peeking from your bedroom or she is said to sought revenge.

Redworth Hall Hotel, County of Durham

Redworth Hall has sustained much of its Jacobean architecture - from inglenooks to original arched doorways, its history is present at every turn. Secluded in 150 acres of woodland and gardens, this prodigy house is the perfect backdrop for weddings, however, rumour has it that once upon a time a jilted lover threw himself to his death in the hall and is now heard stalking particular corridors at night. Along with his footstep creaks are high-pitched shrills and reverberating giggles of children, but their deaths cannot be accounted for in records...

Coombe Abbey Hotel, Warwickshire

This 12th century abbey is complete with period features that date back to its construction: boasting over-sized princess turrets, a surrounding moat, original stonework and hand painted glass windows. However, the Coombe Abbey Hotel has a savage history of danger and debacle. The murder of a monk within the abbey in 1345 haunts the grounds as a cloaked figure now wonders the gardens and passes over the bridge. More recently, the abbey has been searched for hidden bodies amongst the resting places of significant clergymen.

The Holt Hotel, Oxford

Suffocated in creeping ivy, this Inn is shrouded in a dark past. At the height of the Highwaymen movement, The Holt Hotel was a favourite amongst a particularly aggressive thieving gang who operated centuries ago. Frequenting the pub after nights of contracted robbery, the gang became infuriated with the landlord one evening and slaughtered him on location. Never to be convicted, the highwaymen fled, but the landlord remains. Many guests have since recorded sightings of the gentleman and an eerie feeling of being watched where no one stands.

The Langham, London

Celebrating its 150th birthday, The Langham has a long and significant history. Considered one of London's most significant hotels, it has seen a handful of coronations, multiple wars and a fair few deaths. Most infamous the tale of a Victorian doctor who killed his wife, promptly followed by himself.
Thereafter, a German prince jumped from a multi-storey window and another man with a harrowing wound wonders the corridor at night. If you dare stay here, request the most haunted hotel room in London, Room 333, for a momentous evening.

It's a known fact that every festivity has some kind of decorating challenge attached. At Christmas it's the tree/ your entire home, at Easter it's bonnets and eggs and Halloween, well, it's a creative marathon.

Before you even reach the challenge of fancy dress, if you plan to do it 'right', there's a whole pile of pumpkins to tackle! A show of creativity, knife skills and humour, the way you treat your pumpkin is oh-so-revealing...

Starter for 10.

Is it one pumpkin, or the whole farm's worth? How many pumpkins you tackle can be quite telling: taking just one could be a sign of confidence - you know you've got this down - while buying a few allows room for mistakes... then again, it could be the other way around, couldn't it?! Those who don't even attempt a pumpkin? Well, at Chistmas you'd hear the word 'humbug' being bandied around.

Careless carvers

If you've taken a segment out of your pumpkin, rather than slicing off the top, it's pretty clear that you are a clueless carver. When it comes to creating doorstep decorations from the hollowed shell of an autumnal squash, everybody knows that you slice the top off to scoop out the insides (see our How to Carve a Pumpkin guide). This scene might also indicate that you prefer to cook for the neighbours, rather than scare them senseless. Bless.

Fearless Foodies

When the only evidence of pumpkin in a house is baked into a cake, you might assume that the carving session didn't go very well. These pumpkin people abhor waste of all kinds, so that fresh flesh will be eaten (no vampire or zombie puns intended). Nothing scary about this, unless you are counting calories, in which case RUN AWAY and don't look back!

Clean cutters

Ahhh the classic angular pumpkin face. Simple and relatively child friendly, this pumpkin tells us that while you may not be very adventurous, you are a good sport (because at least you tried, right?). It also tells trick-or-treaters that you probably have lots of sweets inside. Prepare to dismantle the doorbell...

Creative carvers

As soon as you start getting a bit more creative with your design, this much is clear: you are a) competitive, b) want everyone to see how talented/ creative you are, or c) take Halloween very seriously indeed. Looking at the design itself will tell you which of these is top of the list: the spook factor should be the thing that hits first. If that's the case, we'll applaud your enthusiasm. Pumpkins carved with anything non-eerie? That's just someone showing off.

Eerie individuals

Some carvers like to mark out their individuality with a little extra effort, which may or may not pay off. Spray your pumpkin black and add a layer of lace? Well it's sufficiently gothic for a haunted house party, but it misses the point a little bit: it's more pretty than petrified. Saying that, if you're lucky you might win a fancy dress award for successfully dressing your pumpkin as Miss Havisham...

The parents of precious pumpkin

Turning a pumpkin into a lifesize carriage bed? You just took it too far.

******

Create these fun (and super easy to make, promise!) trick or treat collecting pots for Halloween.They don't cost a lot to make - time or money - but will add a real sense of fun to proceedings on October 31.

Step 1: Select round boxes to decorate.You can either dig out old buckets for your own children to carry around, or create individual pots to hand out. Visit Calico Crafts for small readymade containers, or cut the bottom off a drinks bottle for a plastic one that will work equally well.

Step 2: Decorate around the box or bucket with painted spiders and torn up tissue paper attached with glue.

Step 3: Create spooky messages, or add children's name tags for a personalised Halloween feast. You could also use pretty letter transfers from Fred Aldous.

Step 4: Use spare scraps of tissue paper to line the inside of the pot, or make a stylish trim around the top of the bucket.

Step 5: Fill with sweets and chocolates for everyone to enjoy.

Looking for more ideas? Check out our guide to creating the perfect trick-or-treat table.

From the 15th - 31st October, The London Dungeon unveils its most terrifying event ever. A gruesome 'Stingy Jack' will be back stalking the dark hellish corridors, and if you manage to escape him, you'll be faced with with an infamous recording of the 'Sounds of Hell' echoing throughout the Dungeon's mirrored labyrinth. Children, from £11, when you book online.

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Experience ‘Helloween’

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Spooky walkabout

Discover the myths and legends of Dartmoor on a ghostly ramble around Witch's Wood in Lydford Gorge, Devon, with prizes for all completed trails. Suitable for ages 4 upwards. Sunday 22nd - Monday 31st October. Children, £1.50.

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The London Bridge Experience at The London Tombs

The London Bridge Experience
and the London Tombs have joined forces to create Phobophobia 2011.
From 17th October - 1st November, Phobophobia returns to London Bridge
for a terrifying experience, described as the ultimate Halloween show.
During the day, the History behind the horror of Halloween takes place
between, 10am-6pm 17th October - 1st November (Family friendly). After
dark, be prepared for  extreme scares - Halloweens most hellish event,
from 7pm-Late 27th October-31st October (over 11's only). Child, £14.50
when you book online.

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Give yourself a fright

From 15th - 31st October, Scarefest returns to Alton Towers Resort.
The 2011 Scarefest promises to be the most spooky yet, with something
for thrill seekers and families alike. The theme park will be open until
9pm. Child, £19.44.

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Get crafty

Venture into Wilderness Wood's sustainable forest, Hadlow Down, East
Sussex on 26th October and gather materials to make scary spiders,
wands, witches' brooms or dreamcatchers. Call 01825 830509, wildernesswood.co.uk.

6/9

Fight your fears

From 6th - 31st October get ready for the ultimate horror experience at
Fright Night, Thorpe Park. With gates open until late, dare to face the
live action, horror mazes and ride the scariest rollercoasters in pitch
black. Child, £32.40. Save 50% when you book before 2nd October. That's
adult tickets for just £21.60 - saving over £21! Visit Thorpepark.com to buy tickets.

7/9

Blast from the past

Gruesome and gory tales of residents past await the fearless at Old Wardour Castle, Wiltshire from 29th - 30th October. Join the evening candlelit tours or try less spooky activities for younger visitors. Call 0970 333 1181, english-heritage.org.uk. 

8/9

Celebrate pumpkins

Thousands gather for the Spalding Pumpkin Festival
in Lincolnshire on 7th October to celebrate harvest and horticulture
with everything from pumpkin throwing and 'extreme pumpkin carving' to
night mazes.

9/9

Give the kids a treat

The Hop Farm
will be hosting their annual 'Skeletons and Scarecrow' event, with lots
of fun activites for the little ones, including a host of menacing games
and spine tingling activities - apple bobbing and broomstick games!
Open 10am - 5pm daily, between 22nd - 30th 0ctober. Child £10.80, if
pre-booked.