10 Ways of Upping The Ante This Halloween

Up the ante this Halloween by steering away from the normal pumpkin heads and sheets draped over children – it's no longer scary and for the most part boring and so yesterday you don't even give the decorations a second glance.

Spooky dark staircase with glowing Halloween themed silhouettes alternating from left to right up the stairs

Itwram

Tea light in non-flammable bags placed up the stairs make a real change from spiders hanging from the banisters.

A decoarive raven on a mantel piece, as well as glass of skulls and spiders over mouldy apples

Vital Design

Subtle, yet deliberately un-tasteful accessories can make your guests look twice.

A cutout black bat, and two black candles on a mantel piece

Outmc

Bats seem to be 'in' this year; placed in-front of a candle they'll cast a fabulous shadow.

White skulls and black spiders in a glass jar

Shelterness

A bowl of ivory coloured shrunken skulls is enough to turn heads, especially when placed on a dinner table.

Novelty Halloween tonics, such as moonbeam juice

The Home Sitter

Cleverly placed decorative bottles with Halloween style tags are perfect for bringing the vibe into your bathroom or downstairs loo. I'd be tempted to half fill them with different coloured water (using food dyes) just to see who's tempted to remove the corks to have a smell or a taste!

Traditional staircase with pumpkin, bat and skeletons decals on the front of each step

Gallery Hip

Loving these staircase stickers.

Pumpkin carved out to make an ice bowl for cooling bottled drinks

Moco Choco

If you're going to have a pumpkin the least you can do is put it to good use by filling it with ice to chill your drinks.

Cardboard cutout of a mummy, behind a french door window

Wegli

Use this and your guests will think you've mummified your other half or your mother-in-law!

White voile ghost on a wooden side table

Parentables

It's not quite the same as kid's with sheets draped over them, and you have to agree it is kinda cute.

Cobwebs drooped over two white chandelier style light fixtures, all the while a large black spider looms in the background

Thick spiders webs hanging from your lights make a nice change from the normal Halloween décor – just don't forget to place a large spider on the wall too!