There is a particular kind of Halloween decorator who finds orange pumpkins a bit... expected. If you prefer your spooky season monochrome, moody and a little bit elegant, ceramic skull baubles might be your thing. A set of four white ceramic skulls has a sculptural, almost gallery-like quality — far from the plastic tat end of Halloween. Our set of 4 ceramic skull baubles is £15.00, and it is currently 10% off until 1 November.
Beyond the pumpkin
Alternative Halloween decor is really about restraint: a tight colour palette (black, white, grey, maybe one metallic), natural materials, and letting a few strong pieces do the work. Skull baubles fit perfectly because they read as design objects first and Halloween second. They would not look out of place styled with your everyday decor, which means they earn their shelf space for the whole of autumn, not just one night.
The branch display
Our favourite way to show them off: gather some bare branches from the garden or the park, stand them in a heavy vase, and hang the skulls from the branches with their strings. It takes five minutes and looks incredibly striking — like a spooky little tree. Add a string of warm fairy lights woven through the branches for the evening, and you have a centrepiece with real drama.
Scatter them through the house
You do not have to keep all four together. One skull on a stack of books, one nestled into a plant pot, one on the bathroom shelf — little surprises dotted around the house feel more sophisticated than one big display. They also work beautifully mixed with candles and dried foliage, which brings us to scent: a monochrome display pairs wonderfully with a smoky or woody fragrance, and our autumn home fragrance guide has ideas.
Keep the palette tight
The one rule of alternative Halloween: do not let orange sneak in. Stick to black, white, cream and grey, with maybe antique gold or copper as an accent, and the whole look stays chic instead of chaotic. The ceramic finish of these skulls catches candlelight softly, so style them where the evening light hits. See more moody-season pieces in our Halloween & Cosy Nights collection.