The Homesteading Cottage: 31 Days :: Prepare for Halloween with Holiday Curb Appeal

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Yesterday our prep focus was pumpkin inspiration and today we're shifting to curb appeal to get our homes ready on the outside.

Since you probably don't have a spell handy to turn your house into a pumpkin cottage this year, we've collected a few great ideas to conjure up a designer's recipe for Halloween delight.

Show your Halloween spirit with these great window silhouettes. They're easy to make and you can find the patterns here.

I love the idea of adding plaques to step riser fronts. This particular tutorial mentions using paper, but I'd recommend something more substantial like a thin piece of wood so the plaques can be used again and again. They would be great for any time of the year too...simply change out the message with the seasons.

Adding a Dead and Breakfast Sign in the front yard is so fun!! The ravens are the perfect touch and a must if you make this sign! You can find the templates and tutorial instructions here to make one of your own.

Orange is not one of my favorite colors, but for some reason as soon as fall hits, things shift and I LOVE it! The backdrop of crisp white with that pop of bright orange and black accents feels so right...and what about those potted "trees!!" Such a simple project...they could be created by using limbs that are probably already in your yard.

The fall elements of leaves and pumpkins are perfect for Halloween, but they also transition well into November for Thanksgiving. Not only is it a frugal option, but a time saving one too! No need to decorate twice (; Just remove the ravens and your set!

A flock of bats swirling about the front door is something to see! Hop over to Country Living for the templates to design your own spooky entryway.

It's always good to have valet parking for any witchy friends that might stop by on Halloween night (;

We've all seen them...those upside down legs in the ground that always make an appearance for All Hallows' Eve. I've never really been a fan...it's a little too creepy for me, but for some reason these make me smile so I had to include them (;

Every homestead needs a mason jar somewhere in their Halloween design (; The glass jars make perfect candle holders...fill with candy corn and then perch in wire baskets.

Create an outdoor dinner area for those cool fall evenings. Autumn foliage, crows, candlelight and plenty of jack o'lanterns cast a welcoming spell for an outdoor buffet. I don't quite know how they made this pumpkin chandelier, but I'm on a mission to figure out how to create this look for next year! Sooooo cute (;

I love everything about this photo! The big BOO with the witch's broom on the back wall, the rich tones and textures, the comfy velvet victorian chair, the pumpkins and black birds...oh my! Who wouldn't want to curl up on this front porch with a spooky good book (;

Give your porch pillows a makeover with new Halloween covers. We made these quite easily with orange fabric, black felt, buttons and ribbon...and it didn't even require a stitch of sewing (;

Jessica over at Chapman Place has a great tutorial for Halloween pillows. Amazing what canvas drop cloth and paint can become with a little creativity (; We love the long narrow Frankenstein shape...it would be perfect for our front porch bench!

Jessica also created these trick-or-trick pillows, but flip them over and...

you're ready for Thanksgiving!!

Cast a spooky spell over your garage door by treating it as a canvas for a Halloween scene. Use black contact paper, which sticks well and comes off easily. You can find the ghostly garage pattern template here.

If you want to operate on the creepier side, use cardboard cutouts to create mysterious silhouettes. Paint them black and make sure to cut out holes for the eyes to give the illusion of glowing peepers (;

I hope these outdoor inspirations will encourage you to cast a spooky spell over your neighborhood this Halloween. Try something new and add a little fun to the holiday. Please join us again tomorrow as we continue our 31 Days of Preparation journey...we'll be sharing some great wreath ideas for inside and outside of the home so stayed tuned!

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