How NOT to scare your friends away with your Halloween decor.

So you want people to know that you’re in the Halloween spirit, but don’t want your home to look like a Sprit Halloween store? Save your $300 on that 12’-tall Home-Depot skeleton, and check out a few of these ideas for Halloween home décor which will set your home apart. Here are five designer DIY Halloween décor tips that we know will be the envy of your friends!

1. Add a wreath to your front door. – It may seem obvious, but wreaths are the easiest way to set the tone at your doorstep and give that Trick-or-Treat feel to your home entryway. Choose a natural material like grapevine or even wheat and add a quality bow with maybe an accent pick or two. A little can go a long way here, but have fun with it. Though we typically think of black and orange for Halloween ribbon, you can always use a burnt orange, accompanied by a deep rich chocolate brown and even an acid green, which will allow you to extend the timeframe throughout the Fall. By changing out the decorative picks, you can have an Autumnal wreath take you all the way through Thanksgiving!

2. Pumpkins, mums, and gourds, Oh, my! – You can do this inside or out but fill an empty corner with various sizes of pumpkins, gourds, or mums clustered together. The grouping will warm up your home with very little effort. Use old crates or bundles of hay to vary the heights. If you want something super chic, use all white objects. Designer tip: stick to odd numbers in groupings. It will force your eyes to move around a series of objects.

3. Candlescapes don’t have to be relegated just to the dining room table. – Take the opportunity to dress up your fireplace mantel or even an entry hall table with a menagerie of candles and candlesticks. Make sure to mix your pillar candles with taper candles, and even add in a few special votives. Dig out all of your grandmother’s old brass candlesticks and just mix them up! The more varied the size and shape, the better. To emphasize your spooky interior design, mix in both black and white candles. I promise the visual will be striking!

4. Don’t forget those Gothic architectural elements. – Now understandably, not everyone is going to have remnants from an old cathedral just lying around, but if you happen to have a gargoyle statue in the garden, a small Gothic arch objet, or even an old abbey rubbing from your high school trip to London, you have some Halloween gold. Gothic architecture has long been associated with Halloween because of its “grotesque” nature. Mingling one or two of these items into a grouping of candles or pumpkins will give your holiday décor a sophisticated, and even haunted feel.

5. If all else fails, just make a centerpiece. – Nothing elevates a décor quicker than a vase of fresh flowers. And they don’t even have to be expensive! Just a dense cluster of the same flower can have striking visual impact. Choose flowers in darker, moodier tones for dramatic effect. To elevate the look even more, set a cylindrical vase of flowers in a larger glass vase of the same height and fill the interstitial space with candy corn, black feathers, or even mini pumpkins if your container is large enough. Guests will be sure swoon for this simple trick.

Whether you’re just dipping your toe in decorating the front door, or planning a dinner party worthy of Gomez and Morticia Addams, these simple design tips will let your friends and neighbors know that you’re ready for a little spooky fun. Seasonal décor ideas don’t have to be difficult or even kitschy, and likely you have many of these items lying around your home already. Above all, use things that bring YOU joy because they most likely have a great story behind them. Happy Haunting!