[LairMistress]

I'm sitting here looking at photos from the last two years, and I hate that the upstairs of our house is just plain dark.

In our two front upstairs windows, I put large vacuform gargoyles up, and last year after Halloween, I bought battery operated spotlights for them (although if it rains, that could be problematic).

So, those two windows should be somewhat lit in purple, but I'm wondering how it would look if I bought lights of similar size, to put in all of the side windows upstairs.

I realize that it would be more uniform to put the same color lights in each window, if I did. But...would it add a bit of whimsy to alternate colors if I could? We have the same number of windows on each side of the house, so if I alternated, I could use orange, green, and maybe blue (I want to avoid red), and then the two purple lights in the front for the gargoyles.

I am going to add two large blow mold skulls to the porch roof this year, if the weather will permit it. They're the ones that were $20 at Walgreens last year, but I bought them on clearance. I may also put my huge LED candles up there, but I think that they'd look good on our stoop, too.

 

[Frankie's Girl]

I think your ideas sound really good, but I would also try using some black poster board and a dollar store white shower curtain, then cut out large eyes (basically fill the whole window with the poster board and cut out sections where the eye would be, hand the shower curtain to block the view into the room, and then light it from behind so the regular light in the room would make it look like shining eyes in the window). Or use the poster board to cut out some spooky silhouettes - like a hulking figure of a monster or vampire... Might be a dramatic effect that would be cheap and easy to try.

https://www.google.com/search?q=creepy+silhouette&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMIsvHe77G-xwIVSz6ICh3tLAka&biw=1394&bih=742#tbm=isch&q=creepy+window+silhouette

 

[Scatterbrains]

Strobe lights would work with cutouts too

 

[boo who?]

That's the perfect window for a silhouette and a strobe. A few of years ago, I think Martha Stewart had a hanged figure of some sort, It looked super scary.

You can also make a basic "ghost projector" with a dollar store while shower curtain, one of those page magnifier sheets (also dollar store), a cardboard box, and any TV. I still hook up an old VCR to run my images.

 

[LairMistress]

So, what's the opinion on colored lights? All the same colors, or alternating colors?

I have gargloyles for the front two upstairs windows, but I feel like I need something in the other upstairs windows.

The two windows on the porch downstairs will be covered by Scene Setters.

I don't always put my indoor blow molds in the downstairs "kick-out" window like they are here. I could definitely put a silhouette there.

 

[boo who?]

If you get a roll of that plastic sheeting at the Party Store - or even just a plastic table cloth, you don't need colored lights at all. Just put the colored plastic over the window.

 

[Jenn&MattFromPA]

I love the suggestion of black silhouettes in the windows! I've seen it done with brown paper bags painted black, or also have seen people do black shelf liner. You could cut out simple shapes or make them complex, and reuse them each year. You may have seen it, but one of my favorite looks is this one, with easy monster shapes -

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/62206038579017081/

Personally, I think sticking with one color light is the way to go. That's just personal preference though, since I think it makes an overall spookier look. But you could always experiment & do whatever you like best!

 

[6-paq]

My preference is similar to Jenn&MattFromPA and like using one color instead of alternating colors as I prefer things more "uniform". It gives more of a "haunted" look versus more of a "carnival" type look with the multiple colors, unless that is the effect you are looking for.

I also second the use of silhouettes. We made our own one year, and everyone really loved them. I just picked up some black wrapping paper and used one of the kids as a "model, but you can use any black poster board or plastic liner or tablecloth or ??? We also used those red gel "bloody handprint" window clings from Target as they went with our silhouettes.


I like "simple" and quick and this was very easy and inexpensive. Here is what we did in two of our front windows. We have a small one-story ranch and our windows are close to the street. I just used our inside lighting, but this effect would be better with colored lights:






I have also used these pre-made silhouettes in this book, but they are on the smaller side, so may not be seen well that well from your upper windows.

http://www.amazon.com/Spooky-Halloween-Silhouettes-Punch-Out-Shadows/dp/1402780133/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1440346099&sr=1-1&keywords=halloween+silhouettes

Another idea is to buy a cheapo white shower curtain liner from the dollar store with lights behind, perhaps the fire&ice lights? I am planning on using the red/orange fire&ice light with silhouettes in one of our front windows.

We are also trying a projection image this year in the front picture window. That is another option.

You have an awesome home and whatever you decide will look great!

 

[booswife02]

I love window posters for unused windows. I have spider ones. I put them in every window and it looks great. I always get lots of compliments. Easy and fairly cheap. Here are some pics of the two versions I have and what they look like up.

 

[booswife02]

The other great thing about them they are double decorating. They can be seen from both views. Indoors and out.

 

[katshead42]

Wow! It's no secret I love the forum but all of these ideas are great! I also love that this thread is giving so many affordable options. Sometimes I read posts on the forum and think well that is amazing but holy heck I can't spend the amount of money you did building that! I always over look my windows when decorating because time gets away from me but perhaps I crank out a couple of these ideas today! Thanks for making this thread!

 

[HexMe]

I agree that if you're going to put colors in the windows one color would be best. Unless of course you want a more whimsical, carnival-esqe look. Also never underestimate the look of a plain old candle burning in the window, I have done that before and it looked natural, spooky and lovely. Not those Christmas candle things that people use but a nice, flickering LED candle. I also love a window silhouette.

 

[LairMistress]

I have several of those candles, but I changed out the bulbs for flicker bulbs. I found several $10 strings st 90% off a couple of years back, and stocked up.

 

[Barbie K]

I love window posters for unused windows. I have spider ones. I put them in every window and it looks great. I always get lots of compliments. Easy and fairly cheap. Here are some pics of the two versions I have and what they look like up.
View attachment 250658
View attachment 250660

I've never done silhouettes so please excuse the silly question, but how do you get that orange/yellow color? Colored bulb, colored table cover or neither?

 

[boo who?]

Black poster board from the dollar store works great for silhouettes. I sometimes make my own with colored plastic sheeting (thinner than plastic table cloths.) I like red the best- but you could get the orange/yellow shade. To intensify the color- sandwich the cut-out between two sheets of plastic sheeting. That way- the silhouette will stay sharp along the edges and you can get a more intense color. The orange/yellow shades can sometimes look washed out.

 

[Scatterbrains]

I say one color, but I actually have two on my house and windoes: Orange and Purple...they are hooked to a lightorama so sometimes all house is orange, sometimes purple and sometimes both at sametime...the thing for me is that it is uniform around the house

 

[LairMistress]

I am probably going to have to make the side windows different from the front two, due to price. I can't remember what the HD lights cost full price last year, but I only bought two on clearance, to spotlight the gargoyles.

I can make the side lights all one color. I might find different purple lights to use.

 

[boo who?]

Don't forget that lighting gel is cheaper and easier to use that buying lots of different colored lights. ALL my lights are white/clear. I just pop a piece of lighting gel and make the fixture any color I want. For small areas, I sometimes use those programmable LED bulbs (around $5 each.)

 

[osenator]

Simple battery strobe lights works very well.

 

[LairMistress]

I've been kicking this around for a couple of days, trying to find the most cost-effective solution. While I agree with all of you that a single color would look better, I'm not sure that I can find as many as I need, cheaply. I've tried to color the white push lights before (although not with Sharpie brand markers), and not had much success.

The only other super cheap light that I can come up with, is to buy a bunch of Dollar Tree battery operated Jack o'lanterns (or something similar) with the LED lights in them, and cut the lights out to use them alone. Most of those are multi-color fade lights, though.

So maybe if I could turn them on in succession--supposing red is the first color, when the first one cycles back to red, I turn the second on, and so on until they're all using the same color at the same time... That seems like a lot of work for 10 lights, but I can't think of a better way to do them, without having 9 other people turning one on all at the same time, haha, which is impossible.

If I could find DT LED items that have a single color, then I'll just go with that. I think that they'll be bright enough in a completely dark room.

We generally only have one light on in the house at a time, and that's the dining room. So I may have to hang something behind the shower curtain in that one, to keep the light from ruining the silhouette there.

I know that they sell the clear lights for putting inside of Jack o'lanterns, but I don't think I want white lights for this, although flashing white lights might be good, too...but then do I make them flash all at the same time, or randomize that by not waiting for a pattern to turn the next one on?

Decisions, decisions! As it is, I figure I need to spend at least $3 per window, not counting batteries. (one light, one shower curtain, one black posterboard piece...or maybe more, depending on what shape I'm making) With 10 windows, that's already $30!