Halloween Home Decor: How To Style A Sophisticated Halloween

Now, we love a plastic spider and pumpkin-shaped neon orange bucket as much as the next trick or treater, but we think there’s a more sophisticated way to do your Halloween decor – one that feels atmospheric, considered and just the right side of Gothic chic. 

This is the Rockett St George take on Halloween: classic, characterful and with a few theatrics thrown in for good measure.

Before Halloween became synonymous with sweets, scary outfits and a little neighbourly one-upmanship, its roots lay in Samhain (pronounced sow-en), an ancient Celtic festival traditionally associated with the end of the harvest and the beginning of the 'dark half' of the year. 

Celebrated between 31 October and 1 November, Samhain was a time when the boundary between the living and the spirit world was believed to become blurred, making it easier for spirits and ancient ancestors to cross back to the world of the living. 

Communities came together to celebrate the lives of loved ones no longer walking the earthly plane, but there was a sinister side to this thin veil, too. 

Evil entities were also able to cross, and bonfires were lit to ward off these evil spirits (modern-day versions of these are pumpkins, or Jack o'lanterns, lit from within with a candle or flame).

Over the centuries, Samhain became intertwined with Christian traditions including All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, with the evening before All Saints’ Day becoming known as All Hallows’ Eve, which we now know as Halloween. 

As the holiday evolved, so did Halloween folklore, which eventually became associated with dressing up, spooky home decor, pumpkins and trick or treating. 

The origins of trick or treating are a particularly fascinating mix of traditions.

Medieval practices such as souling saw people visit homes in exchange for food or 'soul cakes' (a spiced biscuit), while Scottish and Irish guising involved dressing up and performing songs, poems or tricks in return for treats. 

Modern trick or treating developed over time from these customs and became firmly established as the familiar doorbell-ringing tradition we know today.

So how to set the scene for a modern-day Halloween? 

If you’re looking for a Halloween decor scheme that feels more Gothic romance than haunted house, paper decorations are a classic place to start. 

Our Samhain Sewn Paper Halloween Garland features mythical creatures alongside moonscapes and Gothic mansions, and is inspired by ancient traditions and rooted in the history of Halloween. We love that it adds a subtle nod to the season without resorting to the usual orange-and-black clichés. Drape it along a mantelpiece, twine around a staircase or frame a hallway mirror to introduce just the right amount of Halloween chic to your home.

Prefer something a little more playful? 

The Bats Sewn Paper Halloween Garland brings a little winged charm to your Halloween decor. We think these characterful creatures make fabulous additions strung from wall lights, or draped around kitchen cabinets or along shelving.

Then there's our Haunted House Paper Chandelier, which brings all the spooky feels with its skull detailing and black hessian webbing. Hang in your porch or hallway to set the scene, or suspend above a dining table for a different take on mood lighting. 

Spooky, certainly, but decidedly grown up.

Not all pumpkins are created equal - and not all pumpkins are orange. 

Our gorgeous velvet pumpkins are more of an amber, in fact - but no less delightful for it!

Their sumptuous velvety-ness introduces a plush, tactile quality to your Halloween decor that's perfect for a more luxurious take on Halloween. Nestle them on a hallway console, pile them artfully around a fireplace or scatter a few along the dining table. Their rich texture makes them feel as much like interiors accessories as seasonal decorations.

For something with a beautifully timeworn quality, turn to our Rustic Patina Glass Pumpkins. With their foxed, aged finish, they bring an antique sensibility to Halloween styling – as though they've been discovered in the attic of a particularly fabulous old house. Pair them with brass, dark wood and candlelight for an effortlessly gothic look. 

Then there's our Amber Glass Pumpkins. 

Small but mighty, they bring warmth and depth to a Halloween decor scheme, particularly when styled next to soft candlelight. Their smoky, autumnal tones look spectacular against darker interiors, but can just as easily be used to add richness to a lighter scheme. And don't be afraid to mix them. Velvet, foxed glass and smoked amber pumpkins are a dream combination: tactile, reflective and wonderfully atmospheric.

The trick to turning your Halloween decor into a treat is to layer it throughout your home, rather than full-on 'theme'. 

Create a focal point on your hallway console with a cluster of velvet and glass pumpkins, a gold or black candle and a clutch of treasured objects. 

On the staircase, trail a paper garland alongside velvet pumpkins positioned on the steps or landing. 

At the fireplace, layer the Bats Garland with candlelight and a selection of glass pumpkins for a little gothic drama.

And remember that Halloween decorations don't need to live in isolation. 

Mix Halloween decor into your existing interiors. Pair smoked amber glass with brass. Place velvet pumpkins alongside coffee-table books. Let paper bats flutter around artwork. Use the Haunted House Chandelier above a dining table dressed for an autumn dinner party.

The result should feel seasonal rather than themed – atmospheric rather than frightening, sophisticated rather than saccharine.

Because at Rockett St George, we're firm believers that Halloween deserves the same care and consideration as every other design moment in the calendar. 

A little darkness, a touch of drama, some sumptuous texture and just enough mischief to keep things interesting.

Who's with us? 

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