Booo with the Bowers

Usually the Bower household doesn’t decorate specifically for Halloween but Fall in general.  I’ve said that before.

But this year?

This year we got a little fright in our sight when it came to our header and home decor.  Doesn’t my boyfriend make a splendid monster?!  I’d like to frank his stein 🙂  And besides sharing some photoshopped photos, I thought it would be fun to show you how we made our home a little more eek-cellent 🙂  And no better place to do a little scary-switchup than starting in the fear-ridden heart of the home…the kitchen.

Our little bookshelf/dishware storage shelves are usually very content with a simple oblong bowl and a couple faux topiaries. We end up throwing coupons in that bowl, or that random piece of fruit, or sometimes even our spare change. 

But for Halloween it was the perfect place to put our chocolate goodies.  That’s right people.  The real star of Halloween is THE CANDY!  Specifically chocolate covered mini belly achers.  And to prep for that delish cellulite causer, I wanted to prep the top shelf that would get the Hounds of Baskerville ahowlin’ (which, by the way, is the inspiration for this tableau…gotta love that Sherlock Holmes!)

I removed the topiaries and subbed in some tree-like candlesticks for height.  And the piece of art that I slipped in front of the mirror whispers ‘moor-like’ to me.  And let’s face it…there is nothing spookier than a foggy moor.  Take that back…maybe a small child that has no pupils and comes outta the fog to tell us one word – MURDER.  But other than that…nope.  Nothing. 

Anyhoo…the art was free (courtesy of a past bathroom art choice).  Adding three candles (two little votives in plain white bowls and one small pillar candle on a black wrought iron stand adds a little more substance to the arrangement (without costing a dime).  And the final touch is the bear skull.  Yes, I own a bear skull.  My mother gave it to me as a gift one christmas.  Don’t ask.  This skelatal freakiness is exactly the kinda finishing touch that gives my dish-hutch the spookliciousness to be complete.  Now all it needs is candy.  Until Jeremy promises not to eat every last morsel of chocolate…thus leaving me to rot in a black hole of dispair…those black avocados will hold down the fort.  

In the den, I wanted to do a bit of a glam-spook decor arrangement.  Something very reminiscent of Phantom of the Opera.  Can you tell I like to decorate according to themes? 

So I cleared off the counter and put in a black candelabra with a few black candles.  I also placed a West Elm faux antler that I got at the Pottery Barn outlet around it for a little contrast.  Next to that a black glittery pumpkin.  It was a sale purchase that really sparkles with Halloween glamour.  And on the other side of the little storage chest I placed a shmancy feminine frame that has a pin board.  I just printed out a spooky picture of a man’s face (he totally looks like what I imagine the Phantom to look like!) on regular paper and pinned it up.  A sculptural black B and a white mask complete the look.

 Our last display is in the dining room.  And boy is it frightful!  Drawing on my love of the movie Young Frankenstein (“WAIT MASTER!…It might be dangerous…you go first.” classic!) I wanted to recreate a eery lab environment that has ‘fright’ written all over it.  After it was done – it even scared my mom.  Not really.  We totally staged that.  But it is hilarious none the less 🙂

Actually she was a huge help in putting everything into the spooky setting…and we worked together to create the “Bloody Finger Food Buffet” arrangement.  It made sense to only put out napkins, appetizer plates and a tall tiered plate holder which could hold the finger foods.  Silverware & regular sized plates were not needed.  And this left more room for our creepy ‘experiment lab’ creations. 

The buffet was draped with a piece of plain black fabric and topped with a white tray to give the space some groups.  As the appetizer-hungry folks approach the sideboard, they are immediately greeted with black & white pictures of the human skeleton and creepy insect specimens.  

Guests can grab a simple white napkin with a tarnished silver napkin ring (very Translyvanian style) and grab a plate by the light of the jarred candle.  The backdrop of a boney hand and a silver platter help give the tray a little more weight.  And the dead plant in the black vase screams ‘danger’…or just accidental lack of watering from Katie.  The real star of the show for me is the apothecary jar that has floating eggs in black colored water. 

Note that it is a good idea to hardboil & peel your eggs first before putting them in the food coloring water (red & green make black!) and don’t forget to add vinegar to prevent the eggs from rotting (and putting off a foul odor).  And don’t forget to be ready for when people ask what is in the jar…”why it’s eyeballs of course!” or “oh just extra squid brains”. 

And now for the scariest part of decorating….how much we spent on spooky supplies…a grand total of $20! Not too bad.  or scary.   

Now that you have three different ways to arrange decor for Halloween (without the witches, warlocks, and goblins) – which is more your style?  Are you simple & understated with Sherlock Holmes, glamorous & ornate with the Phantom of the Opera, or biological & experimental with Dr. Frederick  Frankenstein?  Or maybe you draw your inspiration from a different scary source?  Do spill those Halloween guts on your favorite way to decorate for the spookiest time of the year.  And stay plugged in for more frightful posts in the next two weeks as we put the boooo in Boooower Power!

Whhhaaa ahh ahh!!!! 

(that is a menacial laughter fading into the distance)

(it’s very scary if you do it outloud. just try it.  And be sure to bring your coworkers a papertowl in the next cubicle when they wet themselves.)    

 

For more glam spookiness & table setting ideas – check out this post and this post and this post over at Hostess with the Mostess.