Clara has always loved small creatures—she genuinely finds snakes and spiders adorable—and this year she’s also obsessed with apples and pumpkins, which feels perfectly autumnal. So we decided to adopt a loose “nature” theme for Halloween. That lets us include pumpkins, gourds, and apples alongside creepier elements like spiders, black crows, and snakes.
To get started I picked up some inexpensive plastic spiders and a couple of wooden toy snakes from the craft store (the snakes were in the wooden toy aisle, not the Halloween section, but they were perfect for this project).
I transformed the spiders by coloring over the orange bands on their legs with a black Sharpie so they look more realistic and a bit scarier. The wooden snakes immediately looked like they’d be haunting in flat white, so I painted them that way rather than glossy to achieve a chalky, ceramic-like finish.
And I love how they turned out. As usual, the console table was my first decorating target—it’s become a bit of a Halloween tradition for us—so I arranged the new snakes and spiders there.
I added a few faux apples I’d picked up on clearance for a pop of color and stretched some leftover spiderweb material from my Halloween storage bin across the vignette for atmosphere. Yes, I keep a labeled Halloween bin—don’t judge.
The rest of the display mixes the new pieces with everyday items that live on the console: an oversized vase, a faux tray that’s actually a box from a photo album, an antler candlestick, a yard sale greenhouse, and a faux plant. The snakes and a lone black spider add the Halloween twist.
So far Clara hasn’t been able to reach anything on the console, which is a small miracle—I’ll probably regret saying that aloud. She’s seen the spiders and snakes when we’ve held her up, though, and now walks by saying things like “bye bye spider” and “hi apples,” which is way too cute.
Next I decorated the kitchen mantel. I didn’t get a straight-on shot, but you can see the overall feel: a mix of gourds and pumpkins in green and white, mismatched candlesticks, and a set of dripping “blood” candles I made for a gory touch.
I also incorporated some favorite books I drag out each year—they help set the mood—along with a faux crow for an extra spooky accent.
Ignore the slightly crooked candle in one picture—accidentally spooky, perhaps.
There are still a few more corners of the house I want to spook up, but this is the setup so far. For fun I also dug up some photos from Halloweens past to show how our decorations have evolved over the years.
How are you all preparing for October 31st? Any early candy-corn cravings—or regrets—yet?