4 hypoallergenic fabrics your skin will thank you for

One of our most asked questions is: “Do you have any hypoallergenic fabrics? Am chemically sensitive!” (This is one of the *many* variations we get on a daily basis).

As someone who struggled with eczema, finding a fabric that didn’t give me those small, painful bumps was a battle of its own.

I made the switch after reading about hypoallergenic fabrics online haven’t looked back since.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Hypoallergenic fabrics: who are they for?
  2. All about the hypoallergenic collection
  3. Pure Linen
  4. Everyday Linen
  5. Brushed Cotton
  6. Cotton Canvas
  7. Wrap-up

Hypoallergenic fabrics: who are they for?

If you have sensitive skin, any seasonal or year-round allergies (or have bouts of eczema like me), you should definitely give them a try.

The best part: we have an entire collection dedicated to hypoallergenic sofa covers. These fabrics are all-natural and certified free from harmful chemicals.

A man and boy around an IKEA Karlstad sofa in a living room.
No skin sensitivities, no problem.

All about the hypoallergenic collection

There are 4 fabrics under this collection: Pure Linen, Everyday Linen, Brushed Cotton and Cotton Canvas.

These linens, cottons, and blends are breathable, which means each of these weaves is well-circulated for your comfort. They are also OEKO-TEX certified declared free from harmful substances and safe for human health.

Pure Linen

True to its name, Pure Linen is our 100% premium linen – a timeless favourite that will fit right into any space, no matter the aesthetic.

It is currently available in two classic, elegant shades:

  • White
  • Natural

Linen sofas in a farmhouse style living room.
Comfort Works partnership/Mum Little Loves

You don’t have to sacrifice comfort for style this soft, textured fabric is perfect if you’re after that modern farmhouse look.

If farmhouse isn’t really your thing, you could also go shabby chic! We’ve developed our very own Signature styles to give your sofa an instant facelift, Comfort Works-style.

A beige sofa and coffee table in a living room.
Our Signature style on the IKEA Soderhamn

Tip: If you’re the type to do anything and everything to get out of ironing, this living room style is the one for you.

Thanks to its natural fibres, Pure Linen is best for most households, especially those with skin sensitivities. 

Everyday Linen

Everyday Linen blends linen and cotton that’s two natural textiles, making it the ultimate skin-friendly fabric. This ultra-soft blend is also safe for the kids to lounge (or bounce) on every single day.

It comes in 4 earth-inspired shades:

  • Cream
  • Natural
  • Hazel
  • Charcoal
A beige sofa next to a wooden side table.
Comfort Works customer/Katy Makes A Home

Its highly breathable weave makes it great for those with year-round allergies, as it leaves little room for dust mites and any dander to collect. 

Brushed Cotton

Brushed Cotton is our premium 100% pure cotton fabric, stonewashed for a soft, luxurious finish. 

It is available in 4 modern, neutral shades:

  • White
  • Coal
  • Ash
  • Sand
A beige sofa in a living room with a stone backsplash.
Comfort Works customer/Alisa Swire

Lush, velvety and breathable, Brushed Cotton is the perfect choice for those who are prone to skin flare-ups from certain fabrics.

Cotton Canvas

Cotton Canvas is our trusty, resilient 100% pure cotton fabric. This collection is ideal for active, busy homes (read: excited children and pets).

It is currently available in a mix of neutrals you know and love, along with not-so-conventional shades:

  • White
  • Black
  • Charcoal
  • Navy
  • Sand
  • Pacific Blue
  • Forest Green
  • Silver Sage
  • Taupe
A dark blue sofa in a grey-themed living room.
Comfort Works customer

Soft and breathable, Cotton Canvas is best for households with members prone to year-round allergies.

Wrap-up

And there you have it! If you found this helpful, click the button below to start your journey to staying safe (and stylish) with some hypoallergenic fabrics.

Order fabric samples now

8 easy steps to plan an unforgettable Halloween house party

Inviting your favourite ghouls and goblins over for Halloween this season? Here is a totally foolproof, fail-safe, step-by-step guide to plan the most enjoyable Halloween house party which works for both adults and kids as guests.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Plan a guest list 
  2. Prepare enough space for the party
  3. Choose a theme 
  4. Plan the menu
  5. Make party favours
  6. Plan party games 
  7. Pick some movies 
  8. Pick a costume
  9. Bonus: Protect your couch!

1) Plan a ghouls guest list and set a date!

This is the first and most important part of planning any party!

Not only would you want to know who is (tentatively) going to be at your party, but you’ll most definitely need to know how many people are estimated to arrive so that you can plan everything else out – like food, decor and space. 

Be sure to send out your invites at least 1-2 months in advance to give your potential guests enough time to RSVP a month before the date of your party.

2) Ensure there is enough space for your party to happen

No space = no party!

This may sound redundant, but setting up an appropriate space for your party is very important.

If you’re having it in your living room for instance, you might want to start off by removing anything that is breakable. You’ll also want to move the furniture around or bring out the extra chairs for the party guests.

Another thing to consider is to set up food stations – this would be where you’ll put snacks, finger food and drinks for your guests.

3) Choose a theme for your party

This is where you decide what kind of decor you want your party to have (or how spooked out your party guests should be!)

Now we’re getting to the fun part! House party decor is very important for festive seasons like Halloween. To set the mood, you may consider picking a theme and then aligning all of the party decorations to go with it. 

If you’re feeling stuck or uninspired, you could always look up “Halloween house decoration ideas” – and even save a couple of bucks by DIY-ing it yourself!

4) Plan the menu for the party

It’s pretty much impossible to throw a party without serving food – or at the very least; snacks.

Whether your house party is going to be a big one (like frat parties) where it’s all soda, alcohol and Doritos, or a small and intimate gathering with a full course meal, you’re definitely going to want to prepare food to serve your guests. 

If your party is going to be big, you may want to consider having it at a time that is after lunch or dinner. This way, you can plan for some fun Halloween snacks to serve. 

If your party is on the smaller side or limited to a few close friends and family members, then you may want to plan a proper menu for the evening. In either case, we’re always prepared with our ultimate Halloween party food bible for any Halloween occasion.

5)  Make party favours for your guests – optional

Like souvenirs, party favours are great mementos of an enjoyable time.

Whether they’ve just arrived or if they’re just leaving, a small treat is a great way to commemorate your awesome Halloween house party. The most common party favours contain treats, like candy and small snacks packed cleverly into Halloween themed party-packs

Here are some of our favourite party favours:

Broomstick Candy Treat Bag

Follow these instructions to create this super simple broomstick candy bag as party favours for your guests. The best part? You can display them by the door with a sign that says “Broom Valet – don’t forget your broomsticks, witches!” so that party guests will see it before they leave.

Personalised Tombstone Party Favours

These printable candy boxes are such a fun way to make personalised party favours for your guests! Fill it up with candy, treats, or even tiny pranks – the possibilities are endless!

Spider-In-Jar Lantern

Not feeling like handing out candy this year? Then try handing out something anyone would use this season; spider jar lanterns! They’re very easy to make and make great Halloween decor in any home.

Although completely optional, party favours are highly recommended as your guests will be pleasantly surprised when receiving them!

6) Plan party games and activities – optional

Unless it’s not that kind of party, games and things to do aren’t a bad idea at all.

It’s easy to think that party games = kids’ parties. However, that is not necessarily true.

While we may not go out of the way to deliberately announce that it’s time for everyone to play a game, it’s always a good idea to have certain party game materials available at hand – especially at house parties! 

Here are some of the games that just cannot go wrong at a party:

1) Normal playing cards (for Blackjack, Poker, etc.) 
2) Cards Against Humanity (many different variations of these deck of cards!) 
3) Spin the bottle (the empty bottle can also be used to play Truth or Dare) 
4) Never Have I Ever 

There are also certain activities that can be planned beforehand and announced in the party invitations. These would be things like a pumpkin carving (or no-carve pumpkin decorating) after dinner, or a karaoke night around a certain time. 

When in doubt, just start telling ghost stories and it’ll be sure to spread!

7) Pick some Halloween movies – optional

You’d be surprised at how many people go to a party and end up watching a movie there.

In this case, some old Halloween movies would not be a bad idea. 

Depending on what kind of party you’re planning, you could pick some classic Halloween movies and set up a corner where party guests can snuggle up with a cup/glass of whatever Halloween drink is being served, some snacks, and share a nice blanket after a whole night of fun.

If your guests are known to frequently crash over, you could also prepare some additional sleeping spaces out of sleeping bags and spare mattresses for them to doze off after the movie.

8) Last but never least, pick a killer costume!

Now, you can’t just host a Halloween party without being in costume, can you?!

Planning and hosting a whole party can be an awful lot of work on its own – planning a substantial Halloween costume on top of that can feel overwhelming! 

If you’re up for the challenge, it could be great fun. However, if you don’t have the energy for the effort that goes into it, then fret not; we have a comprehensive list of the best Halloween costumes for any Halloween occasion (how-tos included!). 

And when all else fails, just wear some fake blood and freaky contact lenses (optional) and call it a day.

So, are you ready to throw one of the best Halloween house parties you’ve ever had –and then clean up after? Don’t worry – to make it easier, we’ve got you (or rather, your sofa) covered with our Performance Weave slipcovers. It’s spill-proof and stain-proof, so soda spills and food smudges are one less thing you’ve got to worry about. ;)

Check out Performance Weave

IKEA Flottebo sofa bed review: Offbeat design, unusual structure

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Overview & price
  2. Technical details
  3. Designs, aesthetics & slipcoverability
  4. Comfort
  5. Verdict

Overview and price

Launched around October 2017 and designed by C Halskov/H Dalsgaard, the Flottebo is not how a sofa in a home would normally look – it’s really more like a sofa you’d see at a waiting room of the dentist’s office.

Even though it’s marketed as a sofa bed, it isn’t the same as the other sofa beds commonly found in IKEA. Instead of pulling out the top of the sofa to turn it into a bed, you simply shift the cushions around, make space and there you get a bed.

The Flottebo sofa is currently only available in Australia, starting from a price of AUD1,099 depending on the colour.

IKEA Flottebo Vissle Dark Grey
Image: IKEA

Technical details

When it was initially launched, 2 models with different seat depths were offered: 90cm and 120cm. However, we’re now left with the 120cm model, which I think is better anyways because as a tall person, I’d never complain about more seat depth and space. With a width of 120cm and bed length of 200cm, the IKEA Flottebo would be great as my day bed. But also, the fact that the sofa bed is 200cm makes it not so ideal for smaller spaces.

IKEA Flottebo measurements
Image: IKEA

Designs, aesthetics & slipcoverability

The Flottebo comes in 3 colours: Gunnared Medium Grey, Vissle Dark Grey and Vissle Purple. They’re all removable covers made out of 100% polyester. 

This model has a storage compartment beneath for you to store anything from pillows and blankets to accommodate guests when they come to visit. The storage is pretty spacious, but the con is it does not open up enough, so it can be a little inconvenient when you’re trying to retrieve an item from the deeper end. 

To prevent the movable cushions from sliding around, they have an underside that’s made out of anti-slip material. This is useful when you decide to shift them into a backrest or a divider for your 2 children who argued just a while ago and haven’t made up yet.

Design rating: 6.5/10

IKEA Flottebo sofa bed storage
Image: IKEA

Comfort

The Flottebo’s individually wrapped pocket springs offer sufficient density to the seats, so the seat cushions are on the firmer side. We reckon it’s quite alright to sleep on for a few nights a week. However, we’d still recommend getting a real bed for your back in case you’re thinking of using the IKEA Flottebo as a bed for the long term.

Rating: 7/10

Verdict

Even though the anti-slip material on the cushion creates a bit of a friction with the sofa seat, it doesn’t really help because it still slips when you try to lean your back against the backrest. Unless your IKEA Flottebo is pushed up against a wall, then the cushions can make sturdy backrests. But I personally prefer a higher backrest for a fuller support.

If it’s a sofa you’d purchase for a waiting room or a room where it’s not often being used, the Flottebo would fit very well in the space with its offbeat design. Or, if you’re sure that the sofa will always be leaning against a wall and you don’t intend to ever move it to the centre of the room, then you’ll be fine purchasing the IKEA Flottebo.

Overall rating: 6.5/10

Plan to get a Flottebo but you’re not digging the slipcover designs? Hop on over to our website and make your Flottebo a lot more interesting to look at with our 70+ fabric styles today.

Style up your Flottebo

Zero-iron quick fixes for wrinkled sofa slipcovers

Have you ever ordered an IKEA slipcover online and you get so excited when they arrive but when you put them on, your sofa looks wrinklier than a raisin? Yeah, we know that one only too well.

So, the most obvious solution would be to iron them. But, it’s going to take you ages to get through the entire set of covers.

And what if, the covers are not meant to be ironed. How on earth would you get rid of those unsightly creases that make your sofa look ten years older than it actually is?

Before we begin, remember to check your slipcover care guide to make sure you’re able to use the methods below to get a wrinkle-free slipcover. You definitely do not want your slipcover to be damaged when you’re only trying to make it look better!

#1 Hot-Water Spray

The first fix for wrinkled sofa slipcovers is one we picked up from the staff at IKEA. And you’ll be able to find everything you need around the house.

What you’ll need is:

  1. A spray bottle filled with somewhat hot water (about 50°- 60°C would do) and;
  2. Your (clean) hands

Here’s how it goes down:

So, first, lightly spray some of the hot water onto your super wrinkled sofa slipcovers.

Then, smooth them over with your hands and let dry.

And, voila! Wrinkles gone!

Here’s a before and after of the slipcovers from the back.

#2 Damp Slipcovers Hack

This hack works really well with almost all types of wrinkled slipcovers without having as much manual work.

Here’s what you need to do:

dry sheets in the sun
Image: Pinterest

After a wash, air-dry them until about 75 – 80% dry.

Put them back on your sofa.

Smoothing Wrinkles with Hands
Image: Cotton Stem

Smooth the creases with your hands. Tug and hold for stubborn creases or use a hair dryer. Let dry.

And that’s it! No irons, no steamers, no fuss.

Pretty neat, huh?

#3 Commercial Wrinkle Removers

Another way to solve your wrinkled sofa slipcovers predicament is by using commercial wrinkle removers, which easily find at your local laundry or even at departmental stores.

All you need to do is spray a generous amount on the covers.

Hold them taut for about 2 minutes.

Let them air-dry.

Spray on, hold and bye bye wrinkles. It’s as simple as that.

#4 Roll-Up Hack

This is probably the only hack with the almost zero hands-on time. You can just set it and go about your daily routine.

Here’s how it works:

roll up fabric cloth
Image: purewow.com

Lay your wrinkled sofa slipcovers on a flat surface and roll it up. Make sure you smooth out the big wrinkles as you roll it.

lift mattress
Image: sleepez.com

And place the roll under the mattress. Or anything that’s heavy. Leave it for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Remove and unroll it and you would have a set of “pressed” sofa slipcovers.

If wrinkle-free slipcovers sound good to you, take our soft, feathery Eco Chenille or Comfort Chenille for a test run. Maybe you could then say goodbye to wrinkled sofa slipcovers, now and forever more.

Get free samples

The best (and easiest) DIY Halloween decorations of 2022

If you’re not a Halloween fanatic, it would be easy to totally forget about setting up Halloween decorations until the very last minute. And even if you’ve started planning early this year, easy DIY Halloween decorations are always welcome, aren’t they? 

Whether you’re totally in the mood or not, here is a compilation of some pretty impressive Halloween home decorations that are not only simple, but fun to do with your friends and family.

PS: Some of these are also great for getting the goblins kids to help out!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Timeless DIY decor ideas 
  2. Dark vintage DIY decor ideas 
  3. Easy-peasy kid-friendly DIY decor ideas 

Timeless DIY decor ideas 

Let’s start easy. Some of the best Halloween decorations are the ones that would never become “so last year”. Here are our top favourites that you may recycle annually!

1) Floating Witch Hats 

Now here’s a clever front porch decor idea.

If you plan on not turning on your porch light at night, you may consider adding some battery-powered candles/lights inside and around the floating hats! 

You will need: 

Witch hats (as many as you want) 
Fishing line 
A long needle 
Safety pins  
Command hooks 

How to make this decor:

  1. After deciding how many witch hats you want hung over your porch, attach some command hooks to the ceiling where they will be hung.
  2. Using your needle, pull a fishing line through the point of the hat.
  3. Remove the needle and attach the fishing line to a safety pin.
  4. Hang your witch hat to the command hook on the ceiling, as high or as low as you wish.
  5. Repeat the process for all of your other hats and voila!

PS: you may include some hanging lights or fake candles (battery-powered) around the hats for a more Harry Potter themed look ;)

2) Personalised Tombstone Chair Covers 

This is the ultimate dining seat setup if you’re hosting a Halloween dinner at home!

This is one time-consuming decor idea, but we promise this is well worth it when properly executed. 

You will need:

Some RIP stencils with birthdates and names 
Pillow cases in a similar colour of tombstones 
A craft knife/scissors to cut out the stencils 
Some tape 
Black fabric paint 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Print out the tombstone templates on a large paper (or make your own by drawing them) based on the guests you’re having over. Be sure that each tombstone stencil contains RIP, their birth year to the current year, and their name.
  2. Cut the templates out into stencils and tape them over the pillow cases.
  3. Paint the stencils in carefully, using the black fabric paint.
  4. Carefully remove the stencils and let them dry completely for a few hours.
  5. Place them over your chairs! 

PS: You can make the tombstone chair covers as personalised or as generalised as you wish.

3) Rubber Snake Wreath

This one’s easy and creepy – and definitely a keeper!

For best results, be sure to hang this on your front door. It forces people to look at it! 

You will need: 

Many rubber snakes of various sizes, ranging from tiny to medium 
A hot glue gun 
A wreath 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Start by weaving each snake into the wreath, wherever they will fit.
  2. Continue doing this until all parts of the wreath’s original twigs are covered and only snakes are visible.
  3. Glue them using the hot glue gun wherever needed.

And you’re done! Welcome to the tombs of Medusa :) 

4) Blackened Plants

It is said that when Death walks into a room, all traces of life get sucked right out.

This is a simple creepy addition to any home or party during Halloween – and can be done with any ugly plastic plant props that you’re about to throw away!

You will need: 

Plastic plants in pots 
Black spray paint 
Scrap paper (only if needed)

How to make this decor: 

  1. Go somewhere outdoors or clear a space. Make sure you don’t do this anywhere exposed to flooring that you won’t want stained.
  2. Place your plastic plant props on the ground or on top of scrap paper.
  3. Spray paint all the plastic plants, leave to dry, and then repeat until it is completely blackened.
  4. Once completely dried, use these props to decorate any part of your home.

5) Cursed Gallery Wall

These kinds of family portraits sure aren’t common!

Your kids will have a blast posing for these! But if you don’t want to go through the trouble of taking new pictures, you can download stock images or simply print out creepy pictures off the internet for this. 

You will need: 

Printed out photos (either of yourself and your family, or stock images from online) 
Photo frames for each photo 
Plastic spiders and white thread 
Hot glue gun 
Command strips 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Choose the images you want hung on the gallery wall, and insert them into their respective photo frames (the older/darker-looking, the better)
  2. Plan the layout of the photographs on the wall – some would be lopsided, some would be upside down, some may even be hanging by a thread!
  3. Stick command tape on where you’ve planned the photographs to be
  4. Hang the photographs on the wall 

Bonus: Glue some plastic spiders to the frame, or tie a white thread around them and hang them off the photo frames at random.

Tip: you can even arrange the plastic spiders to look like they are crawling out of the photographs.

6) Halloween Tree

Why wait till December? Put up a tree for Halloween! 

A Halloween tree is a great statement piece that can be made with discounted knick-knacks found at Halloween decor sales and any spare fall decorations!

You will need: 

A black or white Christmas tree 
Ribbons, banners, or any streamer decorations you want on the tree 
Ornaments in Halloween colours (like black, white, orange, red, etc.) 
Skull cut-outs or skull ornaments 
Plastic or rubber bats 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Start by wrapping the ribbons, banners, or any streamers you have around the tree.
  2. Hang the Halloween-coloured ornaments around the tree so that they are as balanced as you want them to be
  3. Fill in the gaps with the skulls and other decorations until satisfied 

Bonus: If you’re putting this tree in a corner or against any wall, you may also stick up some paper/rubber bats on the wall behind!

7) The Bar of Ghosts & Spirits

What a way to incorporate Halloween puns into your decor!

This decor is especially effective for those who have a bar or an alcohol display at home. But if you don’t have a bar, you can simply use the ghostly balloons anywhere in the house – and stick over the labels of all your canned and bottled drinks!

You will need: 

White helium balloons
Black tulle (enough to wrap all the balloons) 
Black ribbons (or fishing line) 
DIY paper labels (or you could print them out from templates online)

How to make this decor: 

  1. Print out (or write your own) labels for all your bottled drinks at home. These may say “Poison” or “Rat’s blood” or etc. Make sure they are big enough to cover the labels on your bottles at home.
  2. Stick these labels over all of the bottled drinks you have at home.
  3. Wrap your white helium balloons with black tulle and tie the ribbon/fishing line around them to make the “ghosts”.
  4. Tie the balloons around the spirits bar.

If you do not have any bottled drinks at home, simply make the ghost balloons and tie them wherever you want!

8) Black Flamingos

Turn your perfectly manicured front lawn into a twisted dystopia with black flamingos (ready to peck anyone who dares come near!)

Have you ever looked at a picture of a seemingly-innocent scene, only to find something disturbingly wrong with it? This decor makes for a subtle Halloween-turned front yard. In this case, less is definitely more. 

You will need: 

Ready-bought black flamingos, 
Or; 
DIY spray-painted black flamingos

If you do not want to sacrifice your pink flamingos (assuming you already have these), then you might want to get some new black ones. They’re easy to find, Amazon sells heaps! 

Just stick them all over your lawn where the pink ones would normally be.
For the best effects, make sure your lawn grass is always perfectly green, short, and neat.

9) Eerie Abandoned Living Room

So easy, yet so creepy.

With a LOT of white cloth, drape over all of your chairs, tables, footstools, couches, and even your dining table. You may even use an off-white fabric to give it an older look. Then, adjust the lighting to make the atmosphere dim and spooky.

This decor sets the mood just right for Halloween – AND keeps your furniture clean from food and drink spills. Genius!

10) Large Balloon Spider

Spiders this big are best hung on the corners of the ceiling, or high up on walls. If they fall on your guests midway through dinner, be prepared to hear a lot of screaming.

They may be large, but they’re lightweight – which makes them ideal for hanging on walls and on top of furniture. For an extra creepy effect, fill the balloons with helium. You wont need to hand them!

You’ll need: 

Black balloons big and small (they can either be normal or helium balloons) 
Black pipe cleaners 
Large black fuzzy wire 
Fishing wire

How to make this decor: 

  1. Make the body: Blow up the big and small balloons, tie them together in pairs. The large balloon would make up the spiders’ bodies, while the small balloons would make up the spiders’ heads.
  2. Make the legs: Using a black pipe cleaner, tie 8 large and long black fuzzy wires together and then twist wires on both ends to form a bundle of spider legs.
  3. Assemble the spider: Use another black pipe cleaner to tie the middle of the leg bundles and the neck of the balloons where they’re tied together.
  4. At last, hang the balloons up either with fishing wire, or let them float to the ceiling if they’re able to. 

And there you have it! Ten timeless DIY Halloween home decorations that will never go out of date in or out of your home. 

Dark Vintage DIY Decor Ideas

It’s now time to be transported to the past! These Halloween decorations will turn your house into a dark, spooky Victorian portal for you, your family, and especially your house guests. 

Before diving in, keep in mind that the recurring elements of a haunted Victorian theme are things like; candles, black lace, vintage newspaper-wrapped items, old silver or bronze trinkets, old stained (almost matte) mirrors, dried branches and flowers, skulls, old bones, the occasional black crow, and old cloth.

1) Haunted Mirror Wreath

Haunted mirror on the door, who’s the scariest of them all? 

scary vintage mirror wreath halloween decor idea
Image: digdigs.com

Put a vintage twist to your Halloween wreath and you’ll be sure to set the mood for your house guests even before they enter your house. 

You will need: 

A hanging mirror (preferably old) 
Black spray paint and tape (optional) 
Twigs and dried leaves 
Hot glue gun 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Begin with spray painting the twigs, leaves, and mirror black (optional). Use the tape to cover the mirror portion before spraying it, to keep it clean.
  2. Once dried, angle the twigs and arrange them behind the mirror so that the bent parts are facing you.
  3. Glue the twigs to the back of the mirror. Then stick the leaves on the twigs or behind the mirror where you want them to be.
  4. Once the glue has completely dried, hang the mirror outside your front door.

2) Vintage Fireplace

If you watch the TV series What We Do In The Shadows, then you’d pretty much have an idea of how a vintage fireplace would be set up.

This is a decor setup that uses almost every element of vintage Halloween decor ideas! You can go as busy or as simple as you want – whichever suits your home best. 

You will need: 

A large old clock (optional) 
Old candelabras 
Thin long white or black candles 
Long black lace 
Short pillar candles 
Faux black or dark-coloured blooms 
Stacks of old hard-covered books (optional) 
A large or small old mirror with a metal stand/frame 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Start by draping black lace fabric all over the top of your fireplace mantle and letting it spill over the front a little.
  2. Next, arrange the larger objects in the background first. This would be your clocks, mirrors, and anything else that takes the most space.
  3. Arrange your candelabras and candles all around and in between the rest of the decor, leaving some space to later snake your faux black blooms in between them.
  4. Do the same for the floors – you can either pile your candles altogether in front of the fireplace, or scatter them in the corners of the fireplace.
  5. Depending on whether or not you want to use your fireplace, you may stack some old books where the fire would normally be. If you do plan to use the fireplace, then you may stack the books on the mantle of the fireplace and put candles on top of them instead. 

3) Dark Victorian Dining Table

A vintage Halloween home theme would certainly not be complete without a Victorian dining setup!

In old Victorian fashion, dining tables were elaborately set up for dinner parties. Each place setting would be arranged so that there were plates, bowls, cutleries, and a water goblet at the right of the plate. There were even separate kinds of cutlery present for different types of food!

In modern day, we tend to focus on the aesthetics rather than the elaborateness of a certain look or theme. This is largely for the sake of practicality – we can’t always have ten cutleries on the table; or stretch out a dinner three hours long!

You’ll need: 

Your dining table and chairs (a wooden set would work best) 
Neutral-toned table cloth for the entire table 
A matching set of plates, bowls, and saucers (the more old-fashioned, the better) 
A set of shiny metal or silver cutleries (the more intricately designed, the better) 
Napkins for each sitting place
Drinking glasses or wine glasses 
A metal water pitcher
Tall candelabras and candles
Slim vases 
Dried flowers and leaves with stems 

How to set up the table: 

  1. Start by spreading the table cloth evenly out on the table so that each side is perfectly even.
  2. Arrange the candlesticks, candelabras, candles, vases, and dried flowers in the very middle of the table. They may either be set in a straight line, or gathered around the centre (keep in mind that food will be laid out on platters around the centrepiece!).
  3. Space out each sitting place according to your table size or number of guests planned. Then, lay a plate on each sitting place, along with the forks, spoons, knives, and finally a drinking glass (or better yet; a wine glass) on the right front side of each plate.
  4. Place a napkin on top of each plate – if the napkin is made of fabric, you may twist it into a knot or simply fold it into a square.
  5. When serving food, be sure to fill a few water pitchers with water and place them along the table, every 3 sitting places or so. 

Bonus: To amplify the setting, use taller candles and more dried flowers to decorate the centre. This will create a gothic “frame” for the food when it is served around the centrepiece! You can also play around with the dark or light themes of the table cloth as well as the plates and bowls.

4) Gothic Vintage Shelves

This decor is to keep with the vintage theme around the house; be it in the kitchen, the bathroom, the foyer, or even in the entryway.

gothic vintage shelves halloween decor idea
Image: digsdigs.com

You’ll need: 

Grey, black, or dark brown sheer fabric 
Metal or bronze photo frames 
Metal or bronze candlesticks 
Any other available decor such as vases with dried flowers or glass vials, or crow statues 

How to set the shelf: 

  1. Firstly, lay the sheer cloth over the shelf and make parts of it look like it is hanging off the shelf.
  2. Next, place your largest decorations first. The most effective large decorations would typically be picture frames and candlesticks.
  3. Fill in the gaps with all of the smaller decorations, and your shelf is complete! Repeat the process for any other shelves you plan to decorate. 

5) Trapped Baby Ghosts

This puts a spin to the common tale of ghosts caught in pictures – these ghosts are literally caught inside the picture frame!

baby ghost halloween decor idea
Image: digsdigs.com

You’ll need: 

Round black picture frames (you may also spray-paint them black) 
A plastic baby doll head 
10 cheesecloths large enough to generously cover the frame and the baby head 
Cardboard/existing frame backing 
Wax papers
Petroleum jelly 
Heavy starch spray 
Hot glue gun
Sellotape 
Scissors 

How to make this decor: 

  1. Cover the cardboard or frame backing with wax paper, use sellotape to lightly secure it.
  2. Cover the baby face with petroleum jelly and place it in the middle of the wax paper board.
  3. Drape a cheesecloth over the baby face and spray it with the starch spray. Smooth the saturated cheesecloth over the features of the baby face with your fingers.
  4. Continue adding 1-2 layers of cheesecloth at a time and spray with more starch until all 10 layers are done. Leave to dry for a day or so.
  5. Carefully peel away the cheesecloth form from the wax paper – the baby face should lift quite easily from the baby head.
  6. Remove the wax paper from the board and then trim the cheesecloth forms to fit the board exactly. If needed, you may also lightly glue the cheesecloth to the frame backing to keep it in place.
  7. Place the ghost baby face into the picture frame and hang on the wall to haunt your fellow house guests!

6) Dark Apothecary Decor

Dark apothecary = twisted experiments. Think of Dr. Charles Montgomery from American Horror Story – Murder House. This would be anything similar to animal taxidermy, displays of dried body parts from unknown creatures, anatomy drawings of rats and humans, dark liquid-filled bottles, old-fashioned cursive notes on browned paper, poison-labelled bottles, and similar items laid out on silver trays.

bottles of poison dark apothecary halloween decor ideas
Image: digsdigs.com

You’ll need: 

All of the items mentioned above. 

How to set up this decor: 

Using a metal tray, you may either arrange these items to create a display, or you may use them individually to decorate different areas of your house. 

7) Cottagecore Dark Magic

Dark vintage home decor wouldn’t be complete without some gothic cottagecore elements. The rural aesthetic of cottage-themed items easily create an old-fashioned atmosphere. When in doubt, just throw together some bones, black crows, candles and dull linens for a truly sinister vibe!

cottagecore skull halloween decor
Image: digsdigs.com

You’ll need:

Skulls and bones
Glass jars with or without lids 
Candlesticks or pillars 
A black crow (or several) 
Candles 
A dull white or dark coloured linen (optional) 
Black feathers (optional)
Hay (optional) 

How to set up this decor: 

  1. Line the surface with the linen you have chosen (optional) and set up the largest decorative pieces first. If you have candlesticks or pillars, place them where you want to display the skulls.
  2. Fill up your glass jars with hay or other stuffing materials, then place some bones and feathers in it.
  3. Lay more feathers down on the surface of the linen around the taller decorations. Lay the smaller decorations on top of it.
  4. Place some candles around the decoration pieces. Light them up when you have guests over.

*Be careful not to leave the candles burning unattended, especially if there are feathers or hay close to it! 

8) Dark Medieval-Styled Candles

There’s no faster way to project a vintage vibe than to use something that seems even slightly medieval. There’s something about the simplicity in the craftsmanship of things made in olden times that you cannot replicate with modern everyday items.

You’ll need: 

An old black metal candelabra with a space in the middle 
A pumpkin small enough to fit the space in the middle of the candle holder 
Candle(s)
Fresh or dried hay 

How to set this decor: 

  1. Place some hay in the middle of the candle holder. Let the hay stick out of the space a little, as it would give it a nice rustic look.
  2. Place the pumpkin right on top of the hay.
  3. Place the candles in the candle holder. Use this when guests come over, or at night. 

This simple candle arrangement can be used in various parts of the house, including in places like the kitchen, bedroom, and even the bathroom!

9) Victorian Candle Jars

These may be the fastest way to turn modern everyday household items into a Victorian decorative piece for Halloween.

victorian candle jars Halloween decor idea
Image: digsdigs.com

You’ll need:

Mason jars 
Tealight candles 
Black lace 
Silver, black, red, or white ribbon (any colour you prefer) 
Double-sided tape or a hot glue gun 
Victorian style pendants (available at most dollar stores) 

How to make this decor:

  1. Neatly wrap the black lace around the mason jar, folding and tucking the corners in. Glue or tap it directly to the jar.
  2. Glue a ribbon around the neck or the centre of the jar
  3. Glue a pendant onto the ribbon to hide where the ribbon connects
  4. Light a tea candle and slowly slide it inside the mason jar

10) Severed Skull Displays

Candle holders can be used to display items other than candles, too. Instead of heads on pikes, try skulls on pedestals!

skull crow display halloween decor idea
Image: digsdigs.com

You’ll need: 

Tall candle holders with a flat base (the thicker the base, the better) 
Skulls that will fit on top of the candle holders 
Faux crows
Hot glue gun (optional) 
A crown that fits on one of the skulls 

How to make this decor:

  1. Place the candle holders where you want to display the skulls, then place the skulls on the candle holders. This would be your skulls on pedestals.
  2. On one of the skulls (or several), add a crown over top. This would be the skull of a king you once “slaughtered”.
  3. On some of the skulls, you may place a crow over top. If the crow is not stable enough to balance on the skull, use the hot glue gun to secure it.

You may of course pick and choose your favourite DIYs from this list and make the decorations that work best for your decor plan. But the best part about these vintage decor ideas is that you could do them all at once if you’re fresh out of ideas and still totally nail your Halloween decor!

Easy-peasy kid-friendly DIY decor ideas

Trying to keep your home Halloween ready, but still kid-friendly? These decor ideas are not only Rated-G, but they also make great DIY activities for kids of all ages!

1) Monster Treat Cups

First order of business: candy! The kids would love to make their very own treat cup with their favourite monster to take when going trick-or-treating. This DIY is super fun and easy to make. It even doubles as Halloween decoration way before the night of trick-or-treating.

You’ll need: 

Styrofoam cup
Craft paint we used orange, green, purple, red, yellow, black and white
2 pipe cleaners we used green, black, orange, red, yellow and purple
Paintbrush
Sponge pouncers
Sharpie markers
Toothpick

How to make these Halloween treat cups: 

  1. Paint each cup with desired colours and allow them to dry. 2-3 coats may be needed, depending on your paint.
  2. Use the paintbrush or any other tool you have to draw the monster faces, eyeballs, and facial features on the dried cups.
  3. You may use Sharpie markers to draw on finer details such as stitches, mouths, eyebrows and even for outlining.
  4. Make the cup handles by first twisting two pipe cleaners together.
  5. Punch a hole on both sides of the cup just below the rim, using the toothpick.
  6. Then, insert the ends of the pipe cleaner handles into the holes on the outside of the cup.
  7. From the inside of the cup, bend the ends of the pipe cleaners to secure them in place.
  8. Repeat this process to make as many treat cups as desired. 

2) Friendly Monster Poppers

Crank up your trick-or-treat game a few notches with these awesome party poppers! They also make great party favours for kids and adults alike.

You’ll need: 

Empty toilet paper tubes (save them, don’t throw them away!)
Craft paper – orange, green, purple, light purple, Halloween print, etc. 
Pipe cleaners
Googly eyes
Glue stick
Small candies and small toys
Marker pens

How to make these poppers: 

  1. Use 2-3 sheets of paper and lay the toilet paper tube on it.
  2. Glue the sheets of paper down to the toilet paper tube, and roll it tightly. Glue the other end as well.
  3. Hold the ends of one tube on one side and twist the pipe cleaner tightly to seal it.
  4. Fill the tube with small candy pieces, tiny toys, and other treat items you have.
  5. Twist a pipe cleaner on the other end to seal it shut.
  6. Draw a mouth with or a face with marker pens and stick googly eyes to complete the look!

Feel free to use different wrapping papers and any kind of decorations to stick on the monster poppers. 

3) Broom Candy Baggies

Another fun DIY project to decorate your window sills or hold napkins down on dinner place settings. And just as you think the fun is over – your guests (and kids) get to open their broom bag filled with treats!

You’ll need: 

Brown paper lunch bags (2 for each favour)
Scissors
Wrapped candies
Small branches
Twine

How to make these candy bags: 

  1. Cut one bag into narrow strips starting from the upper edge, and stopping just above the bottom base.
  2. Cut the same narrow strips on the upper edge of the second bag and stop somewhere in the middle (you’ll need some space to fill this bag with treats).
  3. Insert the second bag into the first bag and fill it with candies.
  4. Insert a branch in the middle of the bag so that it sticks out.
  5. Tie twine around the bag to seal it shut, from around 1-2 inches from the top.

4) Pool Noodle Candles

You won’t have to worry about these candles ever burning out – or burning things down! 

You’ll need: 

1 pool noodle
Scissors
Low temp glue gun and glue sticks
Black spray paint – I used a FLAT black Rust-oleum enamel spray paint
Battery-operated tea lights
Masking tape
Ribbon or string

How to make these candles: 

  1. Cut the pool noodle at varying lengths.
  2. Stand your noodles up and squeeze out melted glue at the top of the pool noodles, going down the sides – (this will be your melted wax illusion).
  3. Tape the wick portion of the tea lights (this will protect them from the paint).
  4. Take your pool noodle pieces and the tea lights out to a well-ventilated area (outdoors is best) to spray them with the black paint.
  5. Spray noodles and tea lights – let dry, then remove the masking tape.
  6. When the noodles are dry, cut the centre hole a little wider, just enough to fit the tea light inside (you only need to do this at the top – the same end as the melted wax).
  7. Group the candles together and tie a string to secure. You may also glue ribbon around them instead.
  8. Pop them wherever you want them to be around the house!

5) Mason Jar Lanterns

Here is another safe light decoration that your kids will have a blast making! The best part about it is that it can be reused every year – or even painted over for a new look.

You’ll need: 

Mason jars 
Acrylic paint 
Black felt marker/black felt
Battery-powered fairy lights 
Googly eyes 
Hot glue gun 

How to make these lanterns: 

  1. Paint one coat of paint on the jars on all sides and let dry. The translucence of the paint will allow light to shine through.
  2. You may also paint the jar lids black or any other colour you prefer.
  3. Add googly eyes and draw mouths and faces on the dried jars using your black felt marker pen. If you prefer a more textured finish, cut mouth shapes out of black felt and hot glue it onto the jar instead of drawing it on.
  4. Put the fairy lights inside the jar and close the jar. When ready, turn the fairy lights on and place the jar wherever you want them in the house. 

6) Monster Pet Rocks

Put a whole new twist to pet rocks on Halloween! They’re great fun for little kids and they also make great paperweights to hold down table napkins on dinner table place settings.

You’ll need: 

Flat stones 
Acrylic paint 
Marker pens 
Googly eyes 
Hot glue gun

How to make these little critters: 

  1. Paint the rocks one side at a time, with any desired colour. Let dry, then paint the other side and let that dry too.
  2. Stick some googly eyes with hot glue onto the rocks, and be sure it is dry and cooled down.
  3. Draw mouth and teeth with a black marker pen (or any colour). You may even paint the teeth if you wish!
  4. Put these rocks in the garden, in bathrooms, and even at the dinner table for each sitting place.

7) Ghoul & Goblin Rolls

Here is yet another way to turn your empty toilet rolls into a Halloween decor project that your kids will enjoy making.

You’ll need: 

Leftover toilet paper rolls
Some toilet paper (if you’re making a mummy monster)
Paint of various colours 
Coloured paper 
Marker pen
Glue 
Scissors 
Googly eyes 

How to make these decorations: 

  1. Paint the paper rolls in whatever colour you wish and let them dry.
  2. Cut out eye shapes, nose, mouth, teeth, hair, and any other parts of the face you want with coloured paper.
  3. Stick the face parts onto the paper rolls and then finish off with googly eyes wherever necessary.
  4. You may draw certain parts of the face or even outline with the marker pen.
  5. If you’re making a mummy monster, you may cut thin strips of toilet paper and wrap it around the roll.

8) Spider Egg Wreath

This is actually pretty creepy – but all in good fun! You may tweak this project by changing the colour of the spiders and eggs if your kids feel icky about it!

You’ll need: 

A wreath 
Cotton gauze or cotton balls 
Styrofoam balls of various sizes 
Rubber or plastic spiders 
Spray paint of different colours 
Hot glue gun 

How to make this wreath: 

  1. Spray paint the spiders and styrofoam balls (optional) in any colour you wish, let dry.
  2. Using the hot glue gun, stick the balls randomly on the wreath. Once done, stick the spiders over, under, and in between them as you wish.
  3. Once dried, tear cotton gauze up and stretch it over the entire wreath, making it thicker on certain parts and thinner on other parts.
  4. Hang on your door (or anywhere you want to display this masterpiece!).

9) Cardboard Haunted House

Grab all of your empty Amazon boxes (we know you have them), empty tissue boxes and empty shoe boxes for this project. Your children and you are going to build their dream haunted house!

You’ll need: 

Various empty cardboard boxes 
Hot glue gun 
Normal paper glue 
Acrylic paint 
Coloured paper 
Empty paper towel rolls and toilet tissue rolls 
Round coloured beads 
Various colours of felt 
Marker pens 

How to make this haunted house: 

  1. Stack various boxes until you get the shape of the house you want. Hot glue them together. 
  2. Paint the boxes dark grey or any colour you want, using the acrylic paint. Also do the same for the toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls and let dry. 
  3. Make the rooftops by folding a piece of cardboard in half (a V shape) and then gluing it to the top of the house with the holes facing the front of the house. Cover those holes by cutting triangles out of cardboard and gluing them to the front and back of the rooftops. Paint these in whatever colour you would want the roofs to look like. 
  4. Cut out sets of yellow squares and grey rectangles and glue them to the front of the house to make the windows and window panes.
  5. Cut out yellow and black rectangles to make the doors and stick them to the front of the house. Use a round bead as the door knob and stick that on the door with a hot glue gun. 
  6. You may also make toilet paper roll witches and monsters just like the Ghoul & Goblin Roll DIY, and glue them onto the house (wherever you want them to be!).

10) Shiny Eyeball Slime

This looks great in jars – a mix of cute and spooky, but as with all fun things for children, it also doubles as a fun toy to play with! It’s also so much easier to make than one might think.

You’ll need: 

5 oz clear glue 
1 teaspoon of baking soda
Green glitter paint
3 tablespoons of lens solution
Googly eyes
A jar with an air-tight lid

How to make the slime: 

  1. Squeeze 5 oz of clear glue into the jar.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
  3. Add glitter paint and stop once you’ve reached the desired colour.
  4. Stir this solution until completely mixed, then add 3 tablespoons of lens solution.
  5. Roll the slime in your hands until it no longer sticks (approx. 5 minutes). If it is still too sticky, add small amounts of lens solution.
  6. Add the googly eyes at the end and you’re done! 

Among all of these DIY Halloween decoration, you’re sure to find something special for every part of your home. Don’t be afraid to mix and match things until you find a combination that really works for your Halloween theme!

Now that your house is all set up, it’s time to take a look at the best Halloween costumes you could pull off this 2022!

Best Halloween costumes

How to remove couch stains easily with household items

Now, we all know we’re not supposed to be eating, drinking, doing paperwork or letting our dogs get up on the sofa (according to house rules).

But before you know it, you’ve spilled wine on your couch and there’s a large pee stain smack right in the middle of the couch.

You may have simply cleaned it up, but if it’s still pretty obvious, you’ve gotta use these tips to remove couch stains.

Let’s begin!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Wine stain
  2. Food stain
  3. Grease stain
  4. Coffee stain
  5. Ink stain
  6. Pee stain

1. Wine stain

wine spill on couch
Wine spill

Spilling wine on the sofa is really common. You’re chatting with friends while enjoying a glass of wine, and somehow you just naturally place the glass on the couch while you grab a snack from the table and…boom. There goes your clean, spotless couch.

Here’s how to fix it:
Pour some baking soda over the stain, then spray some white vinegar on top of it. Let it soak in and bubble for a bit, then dab with a damp cloth. Repeat until the wine stain is completely removed.

2. Food stain

bread and coffee spill
Image: Pexels

Ever tried to have a warm bowl of soup on the couch with a nice movie playing on TV? You try to adjust the way you sit just a little…and the spill happens.

Here’s how to fix it:
This is a classic, no scrubs here. Just good old water, soap and cloth. Dampen the fabric with water, pour a little liquid soap on it, then rub with a damp cloth until the stain goes away.

3. Grease stain

man and woman eating pizza on couch
Image: Pexels

Having pizza on the couch with friends or family? Sounds good until that slice of pepperoni drops onto the couch.

Here’s how to fix it:
Dab away the grease with a paper towel, then sprinkle baking soda onto the stain. Let it sit for 15 minutes to absorb the oil, then vacuum. The alkaline properties of the baking soda will help to lift the stain.

4. Coffee stain

spill coffee on white table
Image: Pexels

You know that buffer time right after you wake up and before your day begins? You grab your coffee and try to plop down on the sofa. But because your mind’s not fully awake, the plop ends up causing a spill.

Here’s how to fix it:
Mix a teaspoon of liquid detergent with warm water, then use a cloth or paper towel to blot at the stain with this mixture until it lightens or is completely removed.

5. Ink stain

black ink on paper
Image: Pexels

Maybe it’s your kid playing with paper and pens on the sofa, maybe it’s you, preferring to sign some documents on it. Whoever that is, the damage has been done. How do you remove ink from your couch (excluding leather couches)?

Here’s how to fix it:
Start by pouring a little bit of rubbing alcohol on the stain, then blot gently until the ink is removed. Never rub at the stain because this will cause it to spread.

6. Pee stain

dog sleeping on sofa
Allowing your pet on the sofa

Sometimes we just want to cuddle with our pets so much that we allow them on the sofa. Once they know they can get up there, accidents may happen…

Here’s how to fix it:
First, blot away excess moisture. Next, mix equal parts of water and vinegar, then spray it on the stain. Blot at the stain with a cloth until most of the moisture has been removed.

Additionally, if your allowing of pets to be on the sofa has also made your sofa smell, here are 7 easy ways to get rid of pet smells on your couch.

Hope these simple tips have helped you to clean your fabric couch and get those stains removed.

Do keep in mind that stains are best treated when they’re still fresh!

If you’d rather not remove couch stains so regularly, here’s a sofa slipcover that can help you with that. No stains, no lingering regrets.

 

Check out the Performance Weave

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