60+ No-Carve Halloween Pumpkin Ideas

Turn those regular orange pumpkins into Halloween masterpieces — without the goo and mess of carving — with our favorite no-carve pumpkin ideas. We're exploring painted pumpkins, glittered pumpkins, decoupaged pumpkins, pumpkin topiaries and more to inspire creative and crafty pumpkin decorating ideas for the season. Because there are no sharp tools involved, these no-carve options double as the perfect Halloween kids' craft. So gather those pumpkins, and check out our designs that will impress all October and November long.

Spooky and elegant? Sign us up. This old-school image transfer technique gives plain white pumpkins an imperfect, antiqued look and is an exquisite addition to your creepy-chic Halloween decor.

Add playful color to your front porch by turning a pumpkin and a terra cotta pot into a fun gumball machine. With a little patience (and a whole lot of gumballs), you can create a one-of-a-kind decor piece that trick-or-treaters will flock to this Halloween.

If you're wanting the look of an intricate-patterned pumpkin but lack the necessary painting or drawing skills, then this inexpensive decoupage hack is for you. Start by choosing a printed napkin in your desired pattern (chinoiserie for our project). Apply a coat of decoupage glue to the pumpkin, place the napkin over top, then finish with a top layer of glue. Let it dry, then display your patterned pumpkin proudly.