The Reading Nook

[Shop the Look] Neutral Halloween Decor Ideas + House Tour

by admin | Oct 9, 2017 | Decorating, Home

This year I’ve scratched the traditional Halloween decor to opt for a more neutral color scheme that’s inspired by a dark, mysterious author. Edgar Allan Poe, one of the founding authors of horror, terrified audiences worldwide with his works: The Raven and The Masque of the Red Death.
Not only does this neutral theme compliment my current style, but I can reuse a few key accessories already in the room to complete the look. The decor is mostly limited to our entryway, living room and eat-in kitchen, since those are the main areas of the home where we spend most of our time.
I’m loving the way it turned out! Our fireplace mantle, shelving unit and other tabletop surfaces have a mixture of old and new Halloween decor displayed in various neutrals, textures to create a dimensional masterpiece Poe would be proud of.

Refresh Old Decor

Go through your Halloween decor to determine what can be used to create this neutral look. Many of the items that I already had from Halloween past were orange, so I used white and matte black spray paint to change the color of pumpkins, lanterns and skulls to highlight this color scheme.

Corral Accessories

I find having random decor pieces on tabletop surfaces with no rhythm or reason doesn’t really create a seamless flow for the eye to full intake what it’s seeing. When you anchor the decor together than your eye sees the entire group, rather than each individual piece. So, how do you do this? For Halloween, I start off decorating each area using either spider webbing, lace runners, or gauze swags — this acts as a base for the other decor to rest on and begins to group items together.

Playing with Height + Scale

Once you have a base to anchor the decor, next you want to group items together by using varying heights. You should use small, medium and large pieces combined to create a cohesive look. Not to mention, you should make sure the items are to scale with one another. Here’s an example, I had originally ordered a 3-foot skeleton from Target to sit next to the typewriter, but the skeleton looked too small (basically the same size as the typewriter) and the set-up didn’t look quite right. So, I exchanged the skeleton for the larger 5-foot skeleton, which sets scene and makes the skeleton the focal point since it’s the largest piece in the display.

Antiques On Display

Speaking of displays, often times I will use old cameras, video cameras, lanterns and typewriters in my decor throughout my living room. It’s just some items I like to collect, but I thought rather than put them away for Halloween, why not use them with this theme? I find using antiques deepens the story or theme you’re trying to promote. Poe was an author in the 1800s, these types of antiques could’ve been found in his home to record his life and thoughts, so it makes sense that they’re used in recreating this theme.

Mix in Metals

While I did use a lot of white, cream and black — I also highlighted gold and silver objects in my decor to enhance the neutral color scheme and introduce some glitz to Poe’s otherwise macabre tales.

Where I Shop

When I’m looking for holiday decor pieces, I keep in mind my budget and while I browse Pottery Barn, Grand In Rod and West Elm. I purchase look-a-likes from stores like, Michael’s, Target, HomeGoods and Wayfair.Want to mimic this look?

(Scroll through the Halloween decorations or click the links below)

The Raven

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—

Only this and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

“’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—

This it is and nothing more.”

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—

Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—

Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—

’Tis the wind and nothing more!”

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Click here to read the rest of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (it’s one of my favorites) and tell me how you plan on decorating for Halloween or share a photo of your decor set up over on Facebook.

Happy Halloween,

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