Looking for some killer Halloween door decoration ideas? With trick-or-treating off the cards in 2020, there's lots of making up to do. So brace yourself, as these designs are bad ass!
As well as shop-bought Halloween decor, there are a ton more DIY and creative Halloween decoration ideas that you can recreate, to not only dress up your exterior space, but also to keep the kids occupied for ages. We've gone all out with paint, pumpkins and autumn wreaths galore... with a healthy dose of googly eyes and giant spiders for good measure with our Halloween door ideas.
So sit tight and discover these Hallows eve jaw-dropping, door-scaping designs that are ‘too ghoul for school‘ . You‘re sure to have kids and adults in awe of your front door.
Halloween door decoration ideas
'Halloween is creeping closer and we are expecting decorations to be bigger and bolder than ever before!' says Lucy Kirk, creative and photography manager, Lights4Fun.
'Dressing your door is a key part to the décor as trick or treaters tip toe up your garden path and take the plunge to see what’s inside! Come October 31st, the clocks will have gone back and our evenings will be much darker, therefore adding a glow to your door will bring your outside space to life.'
'Start by choosing your wreath. Typically crafted from jet black twigs or cuts of autumn foliage, complete with netted fabrics and mini pumpkins. Wrap your wreath in outdoor micro lights to radiate an eerie perspective. Watch the lights reflect off the foliage and illuminate the pumpkins creating spine-chilling shadows and a ghostly glow.'
1. Mummify your home with white strips of material
If you're looking for front porch ideas to wow, this bandaged Halloween door decorating idea hits the nail on the head... and the coffin. Be the envy of your neighborhood with this overtly decorative design. The accompanying faux spider and web decor on the railings are equally frightening features in themselves.
'This mummy door was such an easy afternoon project that makes a big statement! It’s still going strong (although a little droopier) with our crazy weather. Can’t wait for the big day!' says Susan McInnis, a blogger from Austin, Texas.
2. Create a graveyard design at your front door
Full to the brim of mummies, skeletons and Jack-O-Lanterns, this Halloween door decorating idea will have you holding onto your momma's hand pretty tight. Complete with faux headstones, you can have all sorts of ‘grave fun’ with personalized messaging to spook your guests.
Our pumpkin carving hacks also make cutting into your squash as easy as (pumpkin) pie so they're worth taking a look at to boss this look.
'Using cardboard and spray paint, create a cemetery in your front garden. Place spot lights between headstones to cast light — and shadows — onto your spine-chilling spectacle,' says Giuliano Ghidini, commercial leader UK&I consumer market, Signify Commercial UKI (formerly Philips Lighting).
'Only the bravest trick-or-treaters will dare to approach your door when you use a smart light to illuminate the path. Set an ominous tone with our Outdoor Lightstrip, which allows you to use any one of millions of colors — our favorites are orange, purple or green — to creep out your Halloween visitors.'
3. Decorate your door with bats and a 'pumpkin tree'
'These are real pumpkins and I sprayed them using the small craft tins of PlastiKote spray paint that I purchased in my local DIY store,' explains Melanie Lissack, interior designer and founder of Melanie Lissack Interiors.
'I used rainbow colors and sprayed the stalk of the pumpkins gold for contrast. I’d long admired the typography, sloganed pumpkins that you find all over Pinterest. Thanks to now owning a Cricut cutting machine, this year I could print off my chosen slogans onto adhesive vinyl, which I then peeled back and stuck onto the pumpkins.
'As I am lucky enough to have quite a grand entrance to my home, I removed the two bay trees that stand on the entrance plinths and replaced them with these ‘scary trees’ full of bats! To create the scary trees, I hollowed out two pumpkins and filled them with quick-setting post-crete, which is the type of cement that holds up fence posts.
'I filled each empty pumpkin up with a third of water, then poured in some post-crete and gave it a quick stir, inserting the twigs into the freshly poured post-crete. As well as holding the ‘trees’ upright, the post-crete is heavy and stops my trees from blowing over in the in the wind.'
4. Go for a softer stance with an autumnal wreath
If the idea of novelty Halloween door decoration ideas gives you the ick, there are more conservative ways to introduce Hallow's eve design to your fall porch ideas.
Wreaths are no longer just for Christmas, as homeowners opt to decorate their doors all year round, and Halloween and fall are no exception. So set the scene with a beautiful autumnal and insta-worthy display.
It can be as simply as adding a basket next to the door, bursting with crisp autumnal oranges and reds, through artificial flowers and mini pumpkins, or all-out with big floral arches and displays around the door frames.
And if a fresh pumpkin isn't your thing, or you want a low-maintenance look, invest in a ceramic pumpkin that you can also personalize to create any theme or color you desire. This can be pulled out year after year, so is a cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly solution that won't see you dashing to your local store or pumpkin patch.
5. Entice trick or treaters with a bright front door
If there's one way to show that you've got the coolest house in the neighborhood for candy and all-around Halloween fun, it's with a bright (almost biohazard-like) yellow front door! Yes, it's not orange, but not everything has to be in this zesty hue, so don your entrance with an electric, neon yellow color instead. This idea doesn't take up any space so is the perfect idea for a small porch idea.
Citron by Farrow and Ball 'has a bright intensity in small spaces and is fantastically welcoming in halls.'
Decorate your door with ghoulish ornaments for an exciting start to the festivities.
* Scooby Doo-style ghoulish pups not provided.
6. Work with your period features for a glam Gothic look
Quintessentially Gothic, there's something about stain glassed front door design ideas that have a mesmerizing effect on us here at Real Homes. So less is more when you're dealing with busy patterns and beautiful, church-like design.
Novelty is a no-no in period home architecture and style, so you'll want to keep your accessories to a minimum when there's already so much to admire anyway (especially that tiled exterior floor!)
Here Stacey Dyer, interior content creator and owner of Instagram home renovation account, @end_of_the_row has used lanterns to provide a gentle glow to her gated end of terrace Edwardian property. Dotting a few orange pumpkins around has acted as a color contrast to the blues and greens in her exterior scheme, offering a much-needed warmer palette.
A pampas door wreath and a few bat accessories hidden into the climbing plants add texture to this scene. And if your loving the blue door paint she's used, get the exact look at Fenwick and Tilbook in shade Major Tom (previously named Abalone).
7. Make a 'Halloween monster door' using masking tape
Looking for a Halloween door decoration idea that only costs a few dollars, but is big on impact? A little masking tape is all you need to magic up a 'Halloween monster' design.
If you're wondering how to decorate a front porch and keep the kids entertained, get them on board with cutting out the materials needed and sticking duties. Like Dr. Frankenstein, they can see their masterpiece come to life!
'This was made with just using black, white and red poster board from Michael's Stores and then Command strips to attach the poster board to the door. Super easy, non permanent, no tools needed!' explains Liz Morrow, interior designer and DIY evangelist.
8. Use your front door color as a foundation for decor
Hallows eve is a great time to get little ones involved in a bit of interior design so this idea, so if you're searching frantically for Halloween craft ideas for kids – this is it. The devil makes work for idle hands after all.
But don’t panic! If you don't want your front door looking like your child's first painting from pre-school, there are some more subtle ways to style your space.
'Every year, we dress up our door for Halloween to match that year’s door color!' explains Laurel Harry, a blogger and mom from Utah, who paid homage to her kid‘s favorite film and TV characters in the past.
'Last year we had a pink Jigglypuff door, and we have also done both a good Minion and evil purple Minion, and Mike Wazowski! This year was probably our easiest door yet - our kids said the teal-y green color should be a Frankenstein door!'
'I went and bought poster board and giant glow in the dark googly eyes at Hobby Lobby and it took me about 15 minutes to put it together! If you still want to decorate your porch for Halloween, this is a simple and cute way to do it, and kids love it - plus, bonus, you don’t have to store it all year long!
'Because pink is the color to symbolize breast cancer awareness, I chose pink pumpkins.'
Keeping the kids happy and supporting a good cause? Kudos to that!
9. Support local businesses where possible
What's better than one set of Halloween door decoration ideas? Two of course! So go for double trouble with a twin door design.
A quick way to do this is to buy two of every decoration, but don't be afraid to create a space that doesn't exactly mirror the other side. The asymmetry of this design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also gives you greater scope if windy weather causes your accessories to blow away or get damaged.
And, when sourcing decorations, try your best to use small businesses. Not only are you helping out independent retailers, but the chances are that you'll have a bespoke accessory that no one else will.
'We’ve enjoyed choosing our pumpkins from The Pop Up Farm and Willows Activity Farmand I am in love with our new wreaths from The Big Door Wreath Company,' says Katy, owner of Ten Teeny Toes.
'It’s so important that we support small businesses when we can and we always get so many comments on our other wreaths she has made for us.'
While the potted plants are a lovely color contrast to the orange, you can also experiment with DIY pumpkin vase ideas to go the whole hog!
10. Use chalk paint to create a dark and dramatic look
The color black is so synonymous with the 31st October. Think black cats, cauldrons, witches hats and more. So it's only natural that this shade should be at the top of your list of hues to use in your Halloween door decoration ideas.
'How did I go about it? I bought some bats on strings and some gourds from Aldi,' explains Kate of Instagram account, @an_irish_homelife
'I took the bat's off the string and attached them to the door. I then used black paper to make some more bats, gathered leaves and attached some faux foliage to the door, the wreath I had made earlier. The door was previously green but was painted in Loof by Frenchic Paint.'
This gorgeous self-priming, self-leveling and self-sealing paint has with no odor and is a smooth and gorgeous product with excellent coverage. Because of this, you can literally paint and go without buffing your front door.
Wipeable qualities mean that you can easily clean off sticky fingerprints, slime and residue from naughty devils who might egg your home!
But if you still want to get off to a flying start when decorating your door, our how-to guide on how to paint a door contains a concoction of expert tips and tricks to ace this space.
11. Create a 'cute' balloon design to welcome guests
Balloon animals have long been a bit of fun for children at fairs and parties. So why not incorporate these into your Halloween door decoration ideas?
Here Jen, from @jensballoons has created a display outside her front door, complete with a black and pink balloon dream catcher with silver 'pumpkins'.
Adhesive bats clad onto a wall paneling idea and a distressed door mat also add to this vampy vibe.
13. Create an inviting entrance with fairy lit pumpkins
'We’ve seen doorscaping increase in popularity with each season over the last few years and a long list of celebrities have showcased their themed entrances all over Instagram. Your door is the first thing guests and trick-or-treaters see, so it’s the perfect opportunity to really transform your doorway and impress,' says Jess Martin, decoration expert at Ginger Ray.
'Pumpkins are a classic addition to autumnal decor, but have you ever considered spray painting them with different colors to match your theme? After an obligatory session of pumpkin carving, you can then place some fairy lights inside the pumpkins and position them in front of your door to instantly set the scene.'
'For extra impact, frame your door with foliage - our black Ivy vine provides all the drama! You can then attach smaller decorations to any sparse areas throughout to really build it up. To tie everything together, add a fun door wreath as a warm welcome for guests, such as our ‘happy Halloween’ hanging wreath.'
How should I style my front door for Halloween?
'Choose a theme – like spooky skeletons, pumpkin patches, witches, or ghosts – and decorate the inside and outside of your home,' says Sarah Fishburne, Director of Trend and Design at The Home Depot.
'Homing in on a specific theme for Halloween will help define the space and guide you as you bring your seasonal look to life. For example, a haunted castle aesthetic comes to life when pairing the Animated King of the Underworld with the Bone Throne and adding Posable Skeletons. All have a decayed, yet royal look to evoke the mood.'
Lauren Hoyal-Mitchell, brand and creative Lead at Hobbycraft says: 'Stand out on your street and decorate your door for the seasonal period by using a selection of autumnal garlands and floral picks in autumnal hues to frame dress your door frame.'
'This simple addition will really elevate the entrance way to your home and create real impact. Surround your door with a selection of different pumpkins; we have a wide range to chose from this year including ceramic, plush, wood and mache, and you can nestle real ones among them to create impact and interest. Finish your autumnal scene with hanging decorations to add height and baskets filled with logs to add texture.'
While Kirk adds: 'Add an illumination along the ground too, by popping black outdoor lanterns on the steps outside, with outdoor LED candles inside. Featuring realistic flickering flames, our outdoor LED candles are perfect for keeping your visitors safe yet radiating a spooky and devilish glow.'
How do I secure decorations without damaging doors?
'Even though outdoor doors are sturdy and robust, the wrong methods to secure your Halloween decorations can cause damage to your door,' says says Marc Husband, purchasing director at Leader Doors.
'If you want to secure a wreath or any other hanging decorations, you can either use a special over-door hanger or a self-adhesive hook. You can place them upside down at the back of your door to secure your decoration with a ribbon or clear thread - invisible from the outside. This is a super easy trick and it won't damage your doors.'
While Tal Hassid, founder of ETO doors has has a few utilitarian recommendations when it comes to decorating your door for Halloween. He says: 'When you're decorating your front door for the holidays, keep in mind that your door is an important part of your home's aesthetic. It is also an investment. Be cautious when hanging decor, since there are different ways doing so can damage the door or its finish.'
'Adhesives should be used carefully, depending on the finish, so that they can be safely removed with a product such as Goo-Gone. Consider using removable adhesive strips, like Command Strips, instead of hooks that actually bite into the door, as this can expose the inner materials of the door to the elements.'
'It's always better to keep the exterior finish of your door in good shape to protect it from moisture and temperature fluctuations. Taking good care of your door means it will stand up to every knocking Halloween trick-or-treater for years to come.'
How can I incorporate pumpkins into my door decor?
'No one likes a rotting pumpkin — or a fire hazard! DIY a faux jack-o'-lantern you can use inside that will last a lifetime (with no need for candles). Place the portable Hue Go inside your decorative pumpkin and set it to a creepy glow or use the Hue Labs Candlelight scene for a more realistic feel.' says Ghidini.