Halloween parties can be a fabulous event. There is more to Halloween decor than pumpkins, skeletons, bats and white bed-sheet ghosts. Here are some chic tips from some luxe-decor experts:

Use A Simple Color Palette:

Elle Decor recommends keeping it simple when it comes to selecting a color. Black is always chic and is perfectly appropriate for a Halloween bash. Not to mention it looks great with accents of gold, silver or even a vampy red. If you just can’t stick to simple Aimee Beatty, Pier 1 Imports’ in-house stylist, recommends opting for a simple color with a pattern to create sophisticated contrast in your decor.

Use Lighting to Set The Mood:

Another tip from Elle Decor, lighting to set the spooky atmosphere. Forgot the fake blood and spider webs instead decorate groups of antique looking candle holders or even glass bottles, which can also be used as candle holders. And lighting the candles pre-party allows the wax to trickle down leaving a creepy effect.

Themed Food Is Your Friend:

Keeping your decor simple helps avoid cliches or worse the kiddie trick-or-treat feel. Now take it one step further by serving Halloween themed food like a signature cocktail. Martha Stewart has a recipe for eye ball martinis made with lychee and berries that are both creepy and delicious. A great way to celebrate Halloween with adult only fun. Elle decor also suggests creating spider web designs on cookies or the cake with a large spider detail added to bring some more traditional Halloween motifs to the party without going over the top.

Paint Your Pumpkins:

Carving pumpkins is so passé, if you want your party to stand out you should decorate with completely white or black pumpkins. Add patterns or a face in a second color as recommended by Harper’s Bazaar and then you really have something special. Black pumpkins look great with beautifully contrasted gold painted patterns like the one’s found on the Grandinroad website.

Seriously Scary Skulls Are A Must

If pumpkins are too PG for you then skulls is the way to go according to VOGUE. From pillows, glasses, candles and plates to a $8,000 limited-edition Swarovski encrusted decorative skull by L’objet you should be sure to add this dramatic piece to your haute Halloween decor.