How to create a Halloween ambiance

Halloween is fast approaching! Have your purchased enough chocolate for trick-or-treaters? You may also want to consider giving your home a festive makeover to coincide with the fun holiday. Decorating for Halloween doesn’t always have to be childish or tacky. In fact, expert interior designers shared some spooky styling tips with the Associated Press. Take a look at some of the ideas below to transform you Milwaukee home into a haunted mansion.

• Creative crafts: Get crafty this Halloween. Many people incorporate pumpkins into their home during Halloween, but you can put an original spin on this décor. If you want your decorations to be chic, try spray painting a gourd  with fall hues like dark gray or gold. You can even add glitter to the pumpkin for a fancier look.
• Dracula-like décor: Interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn suggests transforming your ordinary wall space into a haunted art gallery. Take down your standard decorations in favor of eerie décor. Flynn suggests browsing flea markets or antique shops for paintings.
• Festive fabrics: Swap your standard tablecloth for a festive look. Creating a Halloween tablecloth is a great DIY craft. Stick to natural fabrics like cheesecloth, which resembles the bandages that were used to cover ancient mummies, or burlap, which exudes the look of a scarecrow. Browse our Milwaukee fabric store for even more ideas!
• Loopy lighting: Set the spooky mood with the right lighting. Some hosts even decide to turn off all of the lights in favor of candles during Halloween night. If you want to block out light from outside, try browsing Bazaar Home Decorating Center’s array of stylish blackout drapes.