25 Spellbinding DIY Halloween Door Decorations

Get in the Halloween spirit and give your front door and porch a spellbinding makeover with our scary-good ideas that'll delight trick-or-treaters and Halloween guests, alike.

By: Katie Friedman and Chelsea Faulkner

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Make an Enchanting Entrance

Come Halloween, your front door isn't just a feature of your home. It's also a spectacle for neighborhood passersby and a beacon for trick-or-treaters. Our advice? Have fun and attract heaps of attention by going all out with your decorations. Here are 35 festive Halloween wreaths, backdrops, props, planters and more that'll maximize your front porch's potential and magic up one enchanting entrance.

See More Photos: 35 DIY Halloween Wreaths and Door Decorations

Turn Crepe Paper Into a Mummy Monster

Turn your door into a not-too-scary mummy with some non-damaging adhesive putty and a large roll of white crepe paper party streamers. Get the complete list of instructions at the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Mummify Your Front Door for Halloween

Or Turn Cardboard Into Cautionary Planks

Create an (un)inviting entry and warn guests of the monsters that lie within by "boarding up" the front door. We covered the door in a bright green plastic tablecloth, then fashioned "wood" planks from upcycled cardboard shipping boxes. Black permanent marker circles mimic the look of nails and caution tape from the craft store adds an extra-spooky touch. We finished the look with spooky, oversized googly eyes, faux spider webs and the words "Keep Out" scrawled in dripping black paint.

See More Photos: 70+ Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Halloween

Install a Headless Horseman Door Greeter

Hold onto your heads, friends! Bring the The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to life in a big way this year by crafting your own "Headless Horseman" door greeter. This DIY is much easier than it looks, and requires just a bit of old clothing and shredded newspaper. Follow our step-by-step tutorial, below, and swap the painted pumpkin for a bucket of candy.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Headless Horseman Figure for Halloween

From: Sam Henderson

Or Invite an Invisible Man

If Sleepy Hollow isn't your scene, then channel another monster movie: The Invisible Man. To make this unsettling figure for your front door, you'll need to apply clear packing tape to a spare dress form or mannequin. Be sure to keep your first layer sticky side up, then wrap the form again with the sticky side down. Repeat until the transparent torso is firm enough to stand on its own and "hand out" Halloween candy.

See More Photos: 35 DIY Outdoor Halloween Decorations

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Build a Bewitching Sign Post

Come, little children, to the witch's cottage! Set the scene for a magical Halloween with a directional sign post, cascading plants, a black urn and some pointed-toe shoes. To make the directional sign post for your door, paint a few pieces of plywood and nail them askew to a thin board. Then slip the sign into a black urn.

GET THE HOW-TO: 3 Ways to Put Outdoor Planters to Good Use This Halloween

Hatch a Trail of Spiders

Amber Vanee, blogger and owner of Etsy shop, Dixie + Twine, gave her porch a festive facelift by arranging a parade of inky DIY spiders, from large to small, across her bright yellow front door. Paired with pale pink spider web and a statement-making balloon arch, this entry is sure to elicit plenty of oohs and ahhs from trick-or-treaters of all ages. See more of Amber's work on Instagram at @DixieandTwine.

See More Photos: 40+ Enchanting Halloween Decorating Ideas That Aren't Black and Orange

Or Unleash a Cauldron of Bats

You read that right — a group of bats is sometimes called a cauldron! Transform your plain front porch into a haunted Halloween haven by covering it in a cauldron of creepy paper bats. Get our step-by-step instructions and free printable bat template at the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Cover Your Front Door in a Spooky Swarm of Bats for Halloween

Turn Porch Plants Into Carnivores

Design your own Little Shop of Horrors by placing man-eating plants around your door. This thrilling DIY calls for a flexible hose, foam balls, green spray paint and plastic vampire teeth. Proudly display the carnivorous creatures in colorful pots and point their devilish grins at trick-or-treaters.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Decor: Turn a Peaceful Plant Into a Man-Eating Monster

From: Sam Henderson

Or Give a Planter a Mummy Makeover

For less than $10 and with just a few minutes of assembly, you can give your fall planters a not-too-scary Halloween costume. Our tutorial, below, walks you through each step.

get the how-to: Halloween in a Hurry: Easily Mummify a Fall Planter

From: H. Camille Smith

Park Cloaks and Broomsticks

Pull style inspiration from Hocus Pocus and decorate your door like the Sanderson Sisters. Grab three velvety cloaks in emerald green, ruby red and amethyst purple, then top them with classic witch hats. Place a few DIY broomsticks next to your front door, too, so it looks like the treacherous trio hopped off their rides, kicked off their shoes and disappeared right inside.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Witch's Broom or Besom

DIY a Googly-Eyed Monster

Create some googly curb appeal with a mischievous monster door. Inexpensive card stock, crepe paper and tape can make a creative funky face for your front door. Get crafting with our tutorial, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: DIY Halloween Outdoor Decor That Will Have "All Eyes on Boo"

Or Assemble a Silly Skeleton

When in doubt, tickle your neighbors' funny bones by transforming your door into a friendly skeleton. To achieve this adorable aesthetic, you just need a white base, double-sided tape and black construction paper cut into large shapes. Stretch fluffy faux cobwebs around your door hinges and knob to make the skeleton look fresh from the grave.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Makeup Tutorial: Skeleton

Break Out the Bloodshot Eyeballs

Nothing says, "I'm watching you," like a bunch of giant, bloodshot eyes. Give your neighbors the heebie-jeebies by scattering these scary peepers all over your doorstep. (And down the stairs and across the front yard for good measure.) You can craft your own with foam balls and exterior paint, or opt for an all-seeing garland.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Eyeball Garland

Parade Some Pumpkins

Invoke the warm and fuzzy feelings of fall with this stylish front door design. Cover your door in brown craft paper, then cut white foam pumpkins in half. Attach the pumpkins with removable picture hanging hooks and accent with a waterfall of faux fall foliage and plaid ribbon.

Or Scatter Fall Foliage

Add some harvest hospitality to your entry by covering the front door in rustic, brown craft paper, faux fall leaves and hand-lettered words of welcome.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make Your Front Door Say "It's Fall Y'all" With DIY Decor

Take Tarot Cards for a Spin

Flirt with destiny this Halloween and fashion a mystical tarot card wreath. This spine-tingling project can be completed in one sitting with a deck of Rider Waite tarot cards, a flat wreath form and a hot glue gun. Want to take the charming display up a notch? Transform your porch into a full-blown fortune teller's tent, complete with shimmering fabric, paper stars and string lights.

See More Photos: 35 DIY Halloween Wreaths and Door Decorations

Or Add a Trio of Teal Pumpkins

Fun Fact: Teal pumpkins symbolize that you're handing out allergy-free treats, like lollipops and bouncy balls. Send the message loud and clear by adding these bright blue embroidered jack-o'-lanterns to your door. You'll stretch teal fabric over three embroidery hoops and use jet black thread to stitch in some smiling faces.

See More Photos: Halloween Teal Pumpkin Jack-o-Lantern Ideas

Craft a Candy Corn Garland

Some people love it, some despise it, but everyone recognizes candy corn as a Halloween staple. Put your love of this polarizing Halloween candy on display by decking your door in a banner of handcrafted candy corn pennants. All you need is a store-bought cardboard pennant banner, some craft paint and wood beads to pull off this yellow, orange and white display.

Or Create a Creepy Silhouette

Welcome Halloween visitors with a spooky tree silhouette on your door. Draw twisty branches and roots, and add a couple of owls to give the tree a haunted feel. You can use adhesive vinyl for this, or if your door is sheltered from the weather you can cut your shapes from poster board and mount with double-sided picture hanging strips for a damage-free fix.

See More Photos: Make Frightening Garden Silhouettes for Halloween

Drape Some Tattered Cloths

Establish an eerie atmosphere around your door with a few yards of cheesecloth and our simple tutorial. You'll cut, dye and dry the fabric until it looks nice and tattered, then staple it to poplar strips for easy hanging. Every time the wind blows through the curtains, guests will question if they've actually seen a ghost.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make Ghostly Outdoor Draperies for Halloween

Create a Bogeyman Backdrop

Who knew that white bunting could pass for monster teeth? Create the illusion that "The Bogeyman" is lurking in the shadows of your porch by covering your door in black craft paper. Give the fiend a menacing grin with purple, white and black construction paper.

GET THE HOW-TO: Monster Up a Pop-Up Canopy for Outdoor Halloween Fun

Flaunt a Fuzzy Spider

Now here's a Halloween door decoration that you can really sink your teeth into. Wrap your entire porch in faux cobwebs, then construct this colossal black spider. All you need is an empty milk jug, two red caps, four pool noodles and black masking tape. Attach the arachnid to your door frame with clear zip ties and matching hooks.

GET THE HOW-TO: Two Ways to DIY a Giant Spider for Halloween

Embrace Bloody Streamers and Bats

Halloween calls for some vampires, no? Convert your home into Dracula's Castle using a stone wall backdrop, crimson red streamers, tattered black cloth and paper bat decorations. Our quick-and-easy guide, linked below, will help you craft hundreds of bloodthirsty bats for your door.

GET THE HOW-TO: Flying Bats

Hang a Haunted Mirror

Go for a Gothic look and add an antique mirror to your door this Halloween. You can achieve this cloudy, "centuries-old" finish with a little spray paint, acetone and a flexible-neck lighter. When all's said and done, guests will be equally tempted and terrified to peer into the hazy surface.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Ghostly Antiqued Mirror

From: Marian Parsons

Introduce Some Oversized Rats

The only things worse than rats are Rodents of Unusual Size. Earn squeals of delight from Princess Bride fans by flanking your door with these massive creatures. You'll need some scissors, gray exterior paint, a jigsaw and our step-by-step instructions below to carve the pests out of plywood. Pick up flameless pillar candles, too, to backlight the R.O.U.S.s at night.

GET THE HOW-TO: Giant Rat Outdoor Halloween Decoration

25 Spellbinding DIY Halloween Door Decorations

Related To:

Shop This Look

Make an Enchanting Entrance

Turn Crepe Paper Into a Mummy Monster

Or Turn Cardboard Into Cautionary Planks

Install a Headless Horseman Door Greeter

Or Invite an Invisible Man

Build a Bewitching Sign Post

Hatch a Trail of Spiders

Or Unleash a Cauldron of Bats

Turn Porch Plants Into Carnivores

Or Give a Planter a Mummy Makeover

Park Cloaks and Broomsticks

DIY a Googly-Eyed Monster

Or Assemble a Silly Skeleton

Break Out the Bloodshot Eyeballs

Parade Some Pumpkins

Or Scatter Fall Foliage

Take Tarot Cards for a Spin

Or Add a Trio of Teal Pumpkins

Craft a Candy Corn Garland

Or Create a Creepy Silhouette

Drape Some Tattered Cloths

Create a Bogeyman Backdrop

Flaunt a Fuzzy Spider

Embrace Bloody Streamers and Bats

Hang a Haunted Mirror

Introduce Some Oversized Rats

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