10 Halloween Pieces From a Discount Aisle
On this page15 sections
- The three rules that make cheap decor look better
- Plastic skulls, painted matte
- Faux crows and ravens
- Black taper candles
- Cheesecloth for an aged look
- Apothecary bottles
- Battery tea lights in everything
- A plain black wreath
- Faux pumpkins, repainted
- Picture frames for spooky portraits
- Black lace or gauze table runner
- Where to splurge, if anywhere
- Three vignettes to copy
- Store it for next year
- Common questions
The discount aisle in October is a strange place. Next to the inflatable spiders and neon signs, there are pieces with real potential: plastic skulls, faux crows, candle holders, black glass bottles, cheesecloth, and little battery candles. On their own and straight from the shelf, many look exactly as cheap as they are. With a can of matte spray paint, a little restraint, and some thought about where they go, the same pieces can look like part of a moody, grown-up Halloween.
These ten pieces are the ones worth picking up, along with a quick way to improve each one. The approach is the same throughout: tone down the shine, limit the colors, and group things instead of scattering them.
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The three rules that make cheap decor look better
Kill the shine. Glossy plastic is the biggest giveaway. A coat of matte spray paint in black, bone, or stone gray makes plastic look like ceramic, plaster, or iron.
Pick a palette. Black, cream, and one accent color, such as deep orange, moss green, or burgundy, look deliberate. Every color of the rainbow at once looks like a party store.
Group, do not scatter. Five pieces clustered on a sideboard read as a vignette. The same five spread across five rooms read as clutter.
One more principle helps: decide on a mood before you shop. A Victorian, gothic look leans on black, brass, candles, and old portraits. A natural, woodland look uses bare branches, moss, crows, and cream pumpkins. A playful look uses friendly ghosts and orange. Choosing one keeps the cart from filling with pieces that will not work together at home.
1. Plastic skulls, painted matte
Plastic skulls are inexpensive and everywhere. Out of the package, they are usually shiny and a little too white. That is easy to fix. A coat of matte bone or stone-colored spray paint, then a light dry-brush of brown or gray into the crevices, makes them look aged. Stack two or three on books or under a glass cloche.
Spray paint outdoors on a calm, dry day, with the skulls on a piece of cardboard. Two light coats look better than one heavy one. For the dry-brush step, dip a stiff brush in a little brown craft paint, wipe almost all of it off on a paper towel, and flick it lightly over the raised areas.
Get the look
2. Faux crows and ravens
Black feathered birds look surprisingly real, and they are cheap. Perch one on a mirror frame, a lamp shade, a stack of books, or the top of a bookcase. Several on a branch in a tall vase makes a striking centerpiece. Bare branches spray-painted black make the best perches, and they cost nothing if you gather them from the yard. Choose matte feathered birds rather than glossy plastic ones.
Birds usually come with wire feet or clips, which makes them easy to attach without damage. A single crow looking down from the top of a doorframe is one of the most effective Halloween details for its cost.
3. Black taper candles
Plain black tapers in clear glass or brass candlesticks look elegant and moody, and a pack of them costs little. Group candlesticks of different heights on a tray. Mismatched thrift-store candlesticks look great here, especially once they are all painted the same matte black or left in a mix of clear glass and old brass. Odd numbers, such as three or five, look more natural than pairs. On a mantel, run a loose line of tapers from one end to the other at varying heights for a dramatic evening glow. Dripless candles keep the mess down; dripping candles make a dramatic look if you protect the surface beneath.
Get the look
4. Cheesecloth for an aged look
A pack of cheesecloth, torn into strips and draped across a mantel, a mirror, or a table runner, gives a dusty, abandoned look far better than stretchy synthetic webs. For a more aged effect, soak it in strong tea or coffee, let it dry, and pull it apart in places. It packs flat and can be reused.
Drape cheesecloth loosely and unevenly. The effect comes from it looking forgotten, so avoid neat swags. Pull a few threads out at the ends and let them hang. Keep it well away from candle flames.
5. Apothecary bottles
Small glass bottles from the discount aisle, or empty bottles from your recycling, can be turned into an apothecary collection. Print simple labels with names like “Eye of Newt” or “Nightshade,” age them with a tea stain, and glue them on. Fill bottles with colored water, sand, or dried herbs. Group them on a tray or a shelf.
Vary the heights and shapes. A tall, slim bottle next to a squat round one and a tiny vial looks like a real collection. Add a short candle or a battery tea light behind the group so the light glows through the glass.
6. Battery tea lights in everything
Packs of battery tea lights cost very little and make every other piece look better after dark. Tuck them into hollow pumpkins, apothecary bottles, lanterns, and jars. Warm white is better than flickering orange, which can look artificial.
Buy a larger pack than you think you need, since you will find more places to use them than you expect. Many have timers, which saves turning dozens of tiny switches every evening.
7. A plain black wreath
A bare black twig wreath or a wreath form painted matte black makes a simple Halloween door decoration. Add one faux crow or a few black feathers to one side and stop there. Restraint is what keeps it from looking homemade.
If you prefer something a little fuller, weave a few stems of dried black-dyed grasses or bare twigs through one side of the wreath, keeping the other side open. Hang it with a length of black velvet ribbon rather than a metal hook for a softer, more finished look. After Halloween, leave the twigs and swap the crow for a few pinecones and a sprig of dried wheat, and the same wreath carries you into November.
Get the look
8. Faux pumpkins, repainted
Discount faux pumpkins are often bright and shiny. Spray them matte black, cream, or a soft gray-green, and they suddenly look stylish. Leave the stems unpainted or touch them with brown paint for realism. A group of black and cream pumpkins on a porch step looks expensive.
Get the look
9. Picture frames for spooky portraits
Thrift-store and discount frames can hold printable vintage portraits, eerie botanical prints, or simple silhouettes. Spray the frames matte black or antique gold for a cohesive look and group them on a wall or lean them on a mantel. Swap the prints back to everyday art after Halloween.
Libraries of public domain images include many vintage portraits, botanical engravings, and old illustrations that suit the season. Printing them on matte paper at home or at a copy shop keeps the cost very low.
Get the look
10. Black lace or gauze table runner
A length of black lace or gauze from a discount aisle, laid over a plain tablecloth, instantly turns a dining table into a Halloween table. Add black tapers and a few skulls and you have a centerpiece for very little. Lace also works draped over a lampshade, as long as it stays well clear of a hot bulb; use an LED bulb, which runs cool.
Where to splurge, if anywhere
If you have a little more to spend, put it into lighting. A couple of good battery candles with realistic flicker, or a set of warm string lights, raise the look of everything else around them more than any single decoration.
The second-best place to spend is on a few natural materials that cost little but add a lot: bare branches from the yard, a bag of sheet moss, and a few real pumpkins. Mixing them with discount pieces makes the plastic far less noticeable, because the real textures carry the arrangement.
Three vignettes to copy
A sideboard apothecary. A dark tray, five or six labeled bottles, two painted skulls, a stack of old books, black tapers in glass holders, and a strip of tea-stained cheesecloth draped across the back.
A front door in black and cream. A matte black wreath with one crow, three repainted pumpkins in black and cream on the step, and a lantern with a battery candle beside them.
A dining table for a Halloween dinner. A black lace runner over a plain cloth, a row of black tapers down the center, a small skull at each end, and battery tea lights in small jars scattered between the plates.
Each of these uses only a handful of discount pieces, and each looks considered because it sticks to a palette and keeps everything in one place.
Store it for next year
The painted pieces and candleholders last for years. Wrap skulls, crows, and bottles in tissue and store them in a labeled box with the cheesecloth and frames. Remove batteries from tea lights before storing so they do not corrode. Next October, setting up takes an hour rather than another shopping trip, and you can add one or two new pieces each year if you like.
Common questions
How can I make dollar store Halloween decor look expensive? Paint plastic pieces matte, stick to a limited palette, add candlelight, and group items into a few vignettes.
What are the best cheap Halloween decorations? Plastic skulls, faux crows, black tapers, cheesecloth, glass bottles, battery tea lights, and faux pumpkins you can repaint.
What spray paint works on plastic Halloween decor? A spray paint labeled for plastic, in a matte or flat finish, bonds best and hides the shine.
For more Halloween ideas, see our washable Halloween windows and lived-in Halloween decor guides.