Throw a Hogwarts-Inspired Party With These Magical Decor Ideas

The new Hogwarts Legacy video game may be as close as most of us Muggles will ever come to the infamous school of witchcraft and wizardry. And in honor of its release, we're rounding up some of our favorite Hogwarts-inspired decor and DIYs to plan the most magical wizarding party at home, complete with homemade wands, fantastical treats and creative crafts to honor your Hogwarts house.

You don't need Tudor-style windows for Hogwarts Castle vibes — just a couple of dollar-store picture frames! Rep your favorite Hogwarts house with these DIY stained glass panels. It's a great alternative to the house pennants we typically see, and it also reminds us of the ornate glass windows in the Prefects' bathroom. To create this art, you just need peel-and-stick lead tape and stained glass paint.

Don't tell Mr. Ollivander, but we hacked a way to make your own wand. It all starts with a 24-inch dowel rod. Carefully, carve one end so the wand tip is slightly pointed. For the decorative handle, use polymer clay to shape and form your own designs or riff off of popular designs from the Harry Potter and Wizarding World films. (I'm partial to Luna Lovegood's tulip-shaped handle.) Metallic wax gives the wand an Old World style and a magical, glimmering finish.

Turn your snack table into a mini Great Hall with magical, floating candles. No enchantments necessary. You just need a little bit of fishing line and slim LED flicker candles from Amazon. The effect works best in low lighting with other candlelight.

No castle, no problem. This giant brassy metal Hogwarts crest from PBTeen is the perfect wall decor for a wizarding party. Displayed over the fireplace here and flanked by enchanted portraits, it creates an Old World castle vignette. And while this plaque looks heavy, it's actually thin, laser-cut steel, which makes it much more lightweight for hanging.

While you can't make your staircases move on guests, you can recreate another hallmark design feature of Hogwarts: the enchanted portraits. Remember, the walls at Hogwarts are cluttered maximalist style with paintings so don't be afraid to make this display lovingly cluttery. The thrift store is a great place to find vintage frames.

Instead of taking coats to a closet or bedroom, you could create a mini Hogwarts coat corner with these metal hooks from PBTeen. The four designs feature each house crest so, alternatively, you could display Hogwarts house robes or create four house zones with enough hooks and robes.

Fifty points to your house if you paint your ceiling like the Enchanted Ceiling, but most of us want party decor that doesn't leave a trace. This removable wallpaper mural from PBTeen features a moody watercolor rendering of Hogwarts, making it the perfect backdrop for a Harry Potter-themed party. The nearly floor-to-ceiling size creates a dramatic statement wall, but it's easily removable and doesn't leave a sticky residue.

Before you go out and buy a ton of new decor, check your Halloween stash or your local thrift store for wizarding finds. Old brass pieces have tons of witchy vibes. An old brass planter could be a cauldron. Two vintage owls could hold beverage napkins upright. And these brass scales give the perfect nod to a potions class.

If you're hosting a Harry Potter movie marathon or game night, set out plenty of cozy blankets so guests can curl up and get comfy. This plush faux fur blanket from PBTeen features the Hogwarts school crest, perfect for subtle Wizarding World decor.

We think the Trolley Witch would be impressed with these clever chocolates. By sandwiching a chocolate peanut butter cup and a chocolate kiss piece together, it creates the silhouette of a pointed witch hat. You can use peanut butter, melted chocolate or colored icing to stick them together.

Maps can help give your space Old World vibes and there are several ways to use maps in wizarding decor, from a map of Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest to a map of Hogsmeade. You can buy your own Marauder's Map on Amazon or make your own magical map. If you don't have antique-looking paper, you can stain printer paper with brewed tea.

This trunk doubles as decor and party activity. It's full of Hogwarts house robes and accessories, perfect for playing dress up for group photos and honoring your favorite house. You can find Hogwarts house-inspired ties, scarves, hats and more on Amazon as well as handmade and handknitted designs from Wizarding World fans on Etsy.

You could buy a Sorting Hat for party guests to wear and pretend. Or you could sort everyone into Hogwarts houses by snack. These flaky pastries are shaped to resemble the Hogwarts Sorting Hat and all you need is a can of refrigerated crescent roll dough plus a pie filling of your choice. To sort guests, use food coloring or different pie fillings to represent each house. Then once a guest takes a bite, they'll find out the flavor and see the color. Apple pie is a good choice for Hufflepuff, and apple pie with green food coloring is great for Slytherin. Blueberry works for Ravenclaw. And for Gryfindoor, you can use cherry pie filing or turn pumpkin red with food coloring.

We're big fans of repurposing the furniture you already have for parties and a desk masks the perfect Hogwarts vignette. Display vintage finds, make it a craft station for kids or turn it into a sweets station complete with sugar quills.

The most magical party snacks are the ones you can throw together at the last minute. Mini peanut butter cups and tiny pretzel snack sticks become little brooms in a flash. Serve beside red, yellow and brown candy-colored chocolate pieces (to represent the three different Quidditch balls) for a full wizarding sports spread. You can also use pieces of string cheese for the broom end for a savory option.

No trip to Diagon Alley necessary! Most of this wizarding decor was sourced from the thrift store, from old books in Hogwarts house colors to apothecary-style beakers. You could even repurpose old Halloween decor for a more sinister vibe. This artist's modeling hand could be painted and positioned to look like the Hand of Glory from Borgin and Burke's.