In a normal year, I always make sure to decorate the entryway for Halloween. After all, it’s the one part of the house — aside from the front porch — likely to be seen by trick-or-treaters and their parents. With the big sideboard we have in our foyer, it’s also a perfect stage to welcome guests with seasonal decor.
I guess old habits die hard. Even though I’m not sure we’ll get any trick-or-treaters this year, I still put some thought into the decor here, changing it up from the early fall neutrals to a moodier, spookier vibe.
I knew I wanted a new foundational piece — a little set of drawers or cubbies — to add height and display some small, cute and creepy little pumpkins I’ve had for years. When I went to a barn sale last weekend, I found the perfect thing, this little cabinet of industrial drawers. That rusty red patina almost looks like wood or leather. Just what I was looking for!
Once I started playing around with the chest, I had a couple ideas to bring the space together. First I got a diptych of photos of my ancestors from the early 1900s. By itself, it’s not creepy, but put in a Halloween setting? There’s something about those unsmiling faces peeking out of early photographs that can be a little unsettling.
Second, I got the idea to do a raven-themed craft project. I have a lot of bird decor, and spooky birds are a natural for me. I’ve seen art made from old book pages, and I love the look. I had two black frames, so I took a deep breath and ripped two pages out of an old book. On one, I drew a raven — first in pencil and then ink. On the other, I used stamps to print “nevermore,” from the Edgar Allen Poe poem.
Add my cute witchy owl, a candle, an amber bottle (to which I added a temporary “beware” label), some foraged foliage and some old books, and I’m very happy with how it all turned out!
Wexford Lane 