Upcycled DIY Halloween Decoration Ideas

Don’t want to fork out a lot of extra money this Halloween season for new decor?  The good news is that you can create a totally new haunted vibe with these upcycled DIY Halloween decorations.

Upcycled DIY Halloween Decorations

Halloween is the perfect time to shop your house for old and outdated decor that can be upcycled into something new.  

This spooky season, start with holiday decor from last year.  If you’re not loving it anymore, imagine what it might look like deconstructed, painted, or arranged in a new display.  

Thrifted Wood Bird Cage

This old wooden bird cage was a thrift store find from a couple of years ago. It’s been sitting in my basement gathering dust since then, because I just didn’t quite have a vision for it yet.

Recently, while sorting through some things to donate, I came across it and suddenly saw its “spooky spirit”. I imagined it in a haunted house, covered in spider webs and knew it would make a great focal point for a seasonal display.

Paint = Big Impact

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Paint goes a long way in updating the look of an old or thrifted decor piece, especially when your goal is to add Halloween spirit.  Think of the colors you could use!  Orange, bright green, purple, black, yellow….

I know, I painted mine white, but hear me out.  I originally began with the idea to paint it black, and even picked up a can of flat black spray paint from Home Depot.  

But, I knew I wanted to add black crows and spiders, and I worried that they wouldn’t show up at all against black paint.  

So I decided to use a can of white chalk paint that I already had.  I liked this idea because now I can also use this birdcage for other purposes after Halloween celebrations are over.  Wouldn’t it be cute this spring with a little green plant inside?! 

Anyway, my point is to use your imagination.  Picture your old decor pieces in your mind and envision how they’d look sporting a creative new color!  Even if you land on white. 🤣

More Upcycled Old Decor

I failed to get good pictures (I was just so excited about finishing this project, I guess), but this little Autumn sign was also a cheap thrift store find a while back. When I brought it home, I knew it wasn’t going to stay as it was; I just didn’t have the creative vision for it at the time.

I gave it a quick spray with the black spray paint (see, it didn’t go to waste!), and then printed out a new sign that I designed using AI. You can see my tutorial HERE about how awesome AI is for things like this!

TIP: Instead of gluing down the sign and making it permanent, I used double-sided, removable mounting tape, so that I can make a new sign and easily change up the look whenever I want.

Adding Inexpensive Accessories for a New Look

The only things I bought new for this entire vignette were the black crows, a set of orange string lights, and a can of black paint (of which I only used a tiny bit, so there’s plenty left for another project).

The rest of the things I already had, and most were thrifted!

Once I got this far, I stood back and took a look…still missing something.

Back to my stash of old decor from past years I went, and came back with these…

Much better.

Welcome to The Black Crow Inn

Isn’t the orange and black contrast against the white birdcage better than if it were black? 🎃 Sometimes you have to trust your gut.

New Arrangements for Last Year’s Decor

I still love some of my decorations from past years and still wanted to use them again. It’s fun to think of new ways to display them so my home doesn’t look exactly like last year.

For example, my adorable DIY Ghost Candles are still one of my favorite, easy DIY projects. I used them in vintage crystal candle holders to make an arrangement of spooky candles next to my haunted birdcage. This year, I mixed in some of these dramatic “vampire tears” candles.

If you’re making your own upcycled Halloween display, think about adding in some faux pumpkins, witch hats, or scary ghosts. If you’re creating upcycled DIY Halloween decorations for outside, consider a fog machine for extra impact!

Finally, I added a cute Halloween garland from years gone by along the front of my sofa table dresser for one last finishing touch.

The best Halloween decorations are the ones that not everyone else has, because they can’t be purchased from the store.  

Making your own unique, upcycled DIY decor will give you a look that is truly one-of-a-kind and won’t blow your budget either.

Happy Halloween Decorating!

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