Designer Q&A: How to Halloween

Time Several Hours

Budget $ $$$

Skill Level

WORDS BY Gillian Grefe

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Published on October 16, 2019

Wondering how you can incorporate seasonally-relevant decor in a way that doesn’t feel kitschy? Shleby Girard, our VP of Creative and Design has the answers. Her approach to decorating for Halloween? Add a few tasteful accessories that feel like a variation on your style, but not a complete departure from it.

Affordable places like Target or Wayfair are the first place to look. No one wants to spend a ton for decor you only use for a month. I also love retailers like CB2 and Anthropologie for dark decor that could be more versatile and used throughout the year (but really played up during Halloween).

I’ve been seeing a lot of crows and black butterflies in place of spiders and bats. I’ve also been noticing more deep reds, purples, and dark blues rather than all black and orange decor. This palette works especially well for a Halloween-inspired flower arrangement.

Honestly, I love using black anywhere, any day of the year, but for most I’d recommend using black paint in a powder room, walk-in closet (if you’re lucky enough to have one), or even a master bedroom. These are great spaces to make a statement without overwhelming your home. A black-stained wood dining table or a black velvet sofa are big furniture pieces that can make your place look really sleek and luxe. 

Forte Channeled Charcoal Velvet Sofa from CB2, $1,899

An easy update to make your space feel spookier is to replace any taper, tea or pillar candles with black ones. 

I’d also choose one or two areas in the home to really create a moment. Fill your mantel with skulls and black candles or place a lot of smaller stick-on bats along the walls and ceiling of your hallway. It can be a more statement-making way to decorate that doesn’t require touching every area of your home.

Source: @stepheniewatts

The classics! Snickers, Reese’s, and Twix were always my favorites. No need to reinvent the wheel here.

I’ve been binge-watching Schitt’s Creek recently and think Moire Rose would make for an amazing costume! 

Share your Halloween style with us on Instagram by tagging @thehavenly and using the hashtag #myhavevly. We’d love to see how Shelby’s sophisticatedly spooky tips transform your space from ordinary to something otherworldly. 

Words by Erika Torvik