People celebrate Halloween with the same zeal as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Decorating for Halloween has evolved over the years, and many homeowners now go to great lengths to turn their humble abodes into horrific haunts. Achieving a haunted house vibe is easier than one might think with some creative ideas.
Dim the lights
Turning down the lights immediately increases the spooky factor for Halloween. The mind may jump to its own conclusions about what is nestled in a shadowy corner or just around the bend. Turning off lights and relying on flickering candles or battery-operated lanterns will also hide any imperfections in your decor.
Direct light upwards
Outdoors, position low-angle spotlights or floodlights pointing up at walls or trees to cast long, harsh shadows that seem scary.
Board up the windows
Tape lightweight painted cardboard strips across windows to mimic the look of an abandoned home. Scary shapes cut from cardboard or black paper can be taped inside of windows and backlit by dim lights to create an eerie atmosphere.
Utilize fog machines
If available, a fog machine near an entrance or in a hallway can provide a dense, disorienting haze. Again, it will reduce visibility, which can make a haunted house seem more frightening.
Tactile scares
Hang loose, dark pieces of string, tattered scrap fabric or faux spider webs from ceilings so that they will lightly brush against passers-by in dark areas. A hidden fan can be positioned to blow a sudden, chilly draft across a doorway to mimic a passing spirit.
Haunted portraits
Inexpensive thrift store frames can dress up eerie vintage photos or lenticular shifting images purchased online. For a real fright, have someone pose behind a frame and actually move or reach out as visitors go by.
Creepy dolls
Gather tattered, old plastic dolls and hang or display them clustered together. Or paint them all white and splatter them with red paint to look like blood.
Obscured paths
Create blind corners and obscured paths so visitors cannot anticipate what is waiting ahead. Use dark sheets or black painter’s canvas taped securely to the ceiling. Position actors along the way to achieve jump scares.
Scary sounds
Place Bluetooth speakers throughout the haunted house to play a loop of screams, squeaky hinge noises or footsteps to keep guests off-kilter.
