Happy Halloween week! It’s one of my favorite times of year. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the candy is flowing. As I said in this Halloween post, I typically have decor up by the beginning of September at the latest, but this year was different. I hosted my neighborhood bunko group a few Mondays ago and managed to get the house haunted before then. I’ve got all of my favorite elements and a few new ones. When it comes to creepy chic, there is strength in numbers, so one of my biggest tips for a glamorous look is to keep like items together. There are rats in the living room, owls in the library, bones and ravens in the dining room… Keeping decor pieces together gives great impact and also keeps the look calm and sophisticated. Gauzy clothes are great for texture and creep, and using monochromatic colors against the object they’re on feels rich I use black in the dining room, cream in the living room, an army green one on the sofa…
I had my sister-in-law cater bunko again here’s last years decor and what she made, and the food and drink did not disappoint. She is so talented, and the food is always decadent and delicious. We had some wonderful charcuterie with roasted butternut squash tahini spread and fall herb aioli. Dinner was slow cooked carne adovada, squid ink pasta with alfredo, and roasted purple sweet potato soup. For dessert Mandi did poached pears with mascarpone whipped cream. She also did a blackberry gin fizz, because I just love a refreshing, gin beverage.
As always, the kids get to tackle the playroom decor on their own including a strange version of a baseball trophy, and they love adding spider webs. It’s all I can do to not “fix” the webs, but I do dare – I love their passion for decorating and the fun they have doing it too!
Some highlights along the way… The owls are from Grandin Road. The vase, skull mirror, and lace overlay on the game table are from At Home. The shrunken head branches are Grandin Road. The large, gilt mirror is from Frontgate. It’s my favorite new addition! I wrote a movie title I both loved and was a little creeped out by on it with lipstick.
For us, Halloween is spent with family. Both of our families come over for chili, we celebrate Domino’s birthday, and then all of the kids go trick-or-treating with a handful of adults while the others stay behind to relax and pass out candy. It’s one of my favorite traditions. How about you? How do you spend the holiday? Happy Halloween!
My favorite Halloween decor for 2020 here.
Explore more haunted Halloween posts.
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You do this amazingly well… I have goosebumps. It’s just the perfect combo of classy/creepy that makes you feel like you entered some old manor house… (and there are the shivers!). Happy Halloween!
Thanks so much, a big compliment!
Being one of the Bunko Babes, I was lucky enough to see all this in person! Extravagantly beautiful in a creepy sort of way. Gwen has a way of adding an element of surprise in every room and “yes” the decor does take on what you would find in a spooky stately manor house. Unfortunately for Gwen……(actually, I think she likes it) but she is now our permanent Halloween Bunko Hostess……..And We Love It………And We Love Her!! Well Done Gwen!!
Awe, love you lady! Thanks so much!
Love what you’ve done. We have life-size skeletons sitting in chairs too. I’d love to get my hands on that skull mirror you so perfectly styled. Do you mind if I ask where the photo of the opulent interior above the mantel from?
Hi! It’s from here, Nicole is so talented! https://nicolecohenart.com/
We visit family and neighbors, too. It always feels like a celebration of creativity and reuniting with neighbors we might not see often. Beautiful post!
Awesome! Hope you had a great holiday!
Those owls! So good.
Thanks so much!