We at Joshua Allen Design have a confession... we're a little (read: a lot) obsessed with Halloween! A time for dressing up in costumes, picking out the perfect pumpkin, and scaring your friends — who doesn't love the Halloween season?! In this blog, we've gathered our 7 favorite Halloween decorating tips that are super easy and guaranteed to impress friends, family, and trick-or-treaters this Halloween.

Take the "Tacky" out of Halloween: When the usual fake skeletons and orange & white decor just doesn't "speak" to your home's aesthetic, take a more elevated approach! Use subtlety when decorating for the season by incorporating spooky decor that makes a statement without saying too much. Ditch the cheap plastic decorations (although we do love those in the right situation!) and glam it up with some metal lanterns, rattan wreaths, or glass candleholders for a classier approach to Halloween decorating.

Shop at stores like Pottery Barn, or even Home Goods, and pick up some faux gourds and pumpkins that'll look great strewn anywhere throughout the house. Another awesome way to subtly decorate your home and still capture the Halloween spirit is by switching out your doormat for one that's festively fall. You can find plenty of autumn-themed doormats for an affordable price on Amazon.

Creep It Real: Let's not forget that one of the most fun Halloween traditions is to scare the heck out of your friends and family. Don't shy away from using your favorite overly creepy decor when preparing your home this season. We recommend designing your own spooky yard scene to blow away your trick-or-treaters. You can conjure up a haunted forest or cemetery using fake tombstones and lots of cobwebs!

If you're looking for some specific ideas on how to decorate, try going with a spooky life-size skeleton made from plastic and jute. You'll excite trick-or-treaters and liven up your seasonal outdoor station when you throw theatrical pieces into the mix.

Set The Ultimate Scary Scene With Halloween Mood Lighting: As is true for any design project, lighting is absolutely essential when perfecting your space. Most people think of Christmas when you talk about hanging string lights throughout your home, but we think tastefully hung orange, green, or even purple colored lights look great and really add to the Halloween vibe.

You can't go wrong using a few vintage-looking illuminated lanterns to add more atmospheric lighting either. Place chic bronze lanterns with flickering flameless candles along your lawn or porch to direct guests towards the candy bowl, or maybe use them as a centerpiece on your dining room table. Lanterns and flameless candles can be used practically anywhere because of how easy they are to pick up and move around — and they pose zero risk for a fire!

Candles, Candles & More Candles: Building off of our last tip about using lighting to create a specific atmosphere, candles are another amazing way to create mysterious and spooky feels or even to welcome the cozy feeling of fall into your home. So whether you're looking to make your space more inviting for Halloween party guests or just setting the mood while you're curled up with a great book and a plush throw blanket, you can never go wrong with adding some candles to your life!

Pro Tip: Opt for fall scented candles to give your home a seasonal aroma that you and your guests will love!

Don't Be Afraid to Use Lots of Pumpkins: Pumpkins are obviously a must when it comes to decorating your home for Halloween, so what kind of post about decorating for the season would this be if we didn't talk about them?! Don't be afraid to use them everywhere, the more the merrier! Pumpkins as decor are one of the easiest and best ways to bring the feeling of autumn into your home and can also add awesome pops of color throughout.

While always a great seasonal tradition and fun activity to involve the kids, pumpkin decorating can also do wonders towards making sure your home really stands out this Halloween. And while we love a good old fashioned toothy grinning Jack-O-Lantern as much as the next, if you're looking to shake things up this season try painting simple, yet festive designs onto your pumpkins and putting them on display. Be creative, involve your friends and family, and really let your personality shine through your pumpkin decorating skills!

Spook-ify Your Dining Room: If you're looking to entertain this Halloween make sure your dining room is up to par with the rest of the creepy festivities. Bring your table's centerpiece into the fun by including some Halloween themed decor such as faux pumpkins, spooky eyeballs, or plastic skulls inside a glass terrarium.

Update your tablecloth for a stylized autumn look or go with a more simple black and white color scheme. Add some emphasis to the sideboard in your dining room by cutting out some paper bats or littering some faux falls leaves throughout.

Do It All On A Budget: While reading through this blog you may be thinking it must cost a fortune to create the perfect Halloween home display. This does not have to be the case if you know where to shop and how to hunt for deals.

We think some of the best finds when decorating for Halloween are real vintage and antique pieces rather than the plastic replicas and decorations typically found in retail stores. Peruse your local thrift shops to find some hidden gems like old candlesticks, glass bottles, or antique books that can completely transform your Halloween vignettes.

We hope you've found this blog on Halloween decorating totally spooky! As always, we appreciate any ideas, input, and feedback from our community and clients. So drop us a line in the comments below, chat with us on our Facebook page or email us at josh@joshuaallendesign.com! Don't forget to follow us on instagram (@joshuaallendesign) Twitter (@j_allen_design) and subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we post design-related videos!