Guest Post: Christina Johnson

Today is a bit busy, because I am guesting over at DIY Kinda Girl (come see how to make this cute skirt) AND I have a guest poster on my blog today!  ALSO, come back FRIDAY to see the other cute little things I made to go along with this skirt!  So fun!

Today we get to hear from Christina Johnson.  She has written an article on tasteful Halloween Decor.  I found it to be very helpful and I figured all of my readers would too!   And, if you haven't already, go ahead and follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter to get the latest updates and join in some conversations! 

 Here's Christina:

Don't Scare the Trick or Treaters Away?

By: Christina Johnson

With fall just around the corner, so is sweet fun of Halloween. Just as everyone likes to dress up for the holiday, feel free to dress up your house too! Halloween decorations don't have to be all orange, black and covered in cotton spider webs—with a little thought and creativity, you can transform your home or Manhattan rental into a festive and tasteful Halloween-ready home.

Follow these simple tips to avoid your house looking frightful for all the wrong reasons:

Simplify: While it might be tempting to stroll down the Halloween aisles and pick up anything with an orange or black color, show some restraint. Focus on a few, key pieces within a theme for a classic, lasting look.

Don't Be Too Scary: Halloween is about monsters and costumes yes, but you don't have to have every square inch of your yard covered in Halloween paraphilia; fake cemetery, plastic spiders, ubiquitous cobwebs, and inflatables. Try not to be that house. Instead, go for a few items that will make a big impact. A big fall wreath on the door will last through to Thanksgiving. A hay bale and a couple of well-placed jack-o-lanterns will jazz up any entryway. Lanterns up the steps provide much-needed lighting for little trick-or-treaters, and look festive, as well.

Themes: Focus in on one major look, and do it well. Think about a timeless black and white theme; black and white Halloween dishes, black cauldrons filled with Spanish moss and white-painted pumpkins. Take a white plate and add black Halloween decals, then add it to a collection of black and white patterned dishes for a classy look. A fall cornucopia theme is another option. Place colorful gourds of varying sizes in a glass urn for a fabulous centerpiece. For a little Halloween bling, paint pumpkins, leaves, and sticks gold. A benefit of this look is that it will last all autumn long.

Keep it in the Group: Within the chosen theme, group items together. Place a group of ceramic jack-o-lanterns together on the fireplace. Fill a unique grouping of different sized glass containers with candy corn, caramel popcorn, and licorice. With the black and white theme, use black and white candies. Stack apple crates filled with pumpkins for a holiday display where some height is needed.

Tasteful Halloween decor makes a house inviting to guests, looks festive and avoids the cheap or kitschy look that sometimes goes with the holiday.

Thanks so much, Christina!  Doesn't she have such great tips!


Linking this up here and here.