58 Unique Pumpkin Decorating Ideas To Try At Home

As October creeps closer, it’s time to think about how you are going to decorate your home for the spookiest season. Do you have a tradition of carving pumpkins with the kids? Or do you usually break out your craft supplies and have a pumpkin painting party with friends? No matter your preference or skill level, we have pumpkin decorating ideas that are sure to wow.

It can be hard to come up with creative ways to dress up a plain old pumpkin each year, so we’ve rounded up 60 of the most unique designs to inspire you. Once you find the right one for this year’s festivities, pair it with Halloween home decorations or fall decorations for a complete look!

1. Floral Moon Design

Photo by: The Merry Thought

For an elegant and inspired look, take a basic shape like a moon and cover it with flowers. Once you drill holes to hold the flowers, you can easily switch them out throughout the season.

2. Rainbow Display

Photo by: A Kailo Chic Life

Show off your love of colors by creating a rainbow display of pumpkins. Cover your mantle with pumpkins of a variety of shapes and sizes for a dynamic look.

3. Pumpkin Spice on Demand

Photo by: Posh Little Designs

Fall is a season known for colorful leaves, cozy flannels and most importantly, steaming hot pumpkin spice lattes. Get your favorite drink on demand with this cute PSL bell.

4. Ombre Pumpkin

Photo by: A Kailo Chic Life

For a softer look, create an ombre pumpkin. Begin with a darker hue on the bottom and gradually lighten the color until it’s white. This makes for the perfect porch decor!

5. Phases of the Moon

Photo by: Homemade Banana

Mimic the night sky by recreating the phases of the moon on pumpkins. This simple DIY makes for a spooky, but stylish Halloween display.

6. Metallic Spiders

Photo by: Artful Days

Looking for a fun Halloween party decor idea? Transform small pumpkins into spiders with some brilliant metallic paint and black wire.

7. Unicorn Design

Photo by: Posh Little Designs

Transform a small white pumpkin into a mythical creature with some paint and flowers. This unicorn pumpkin decor will be too cute to toss when the season comes to an end!

8. Painted Contrast

Photo by: Elsarblog

For a creative display, paint a variety of pumpkins and gourds with black and white paints. Include spooky Halloween animals like bats and spiders to complete the arrangement.

9. DIY Cactus Pumpkin Garden

Photo by: Aww Sam

Does your home get too cold to have a cactus garden? Then we have good news: you can recreate one with pumpkins! Paint large pumpkins in shades of green and add paper detail to finish.

10. Pretty in Plaid

Photo by: Lolly Jane

Create a stylish front porch display by painting pumpkins. Combine simple plaid designs with painterly floral designs. For an added touch, paint the pumpkin stems a unique color as well!

11. Two-Toned Triangles

Photo by: Dream Green DIY

Take an artistic approach by painting two-toned triangles onto the white canvas of a pumpkin. These fall colors will fit in perfectly with the rest of your fall decor.

12. Black Cat Decor

Photo by: Crafts by Amanda

This DIY is perfect for cat lovers and witches alike. Use a paint pen to draw cat faces and cute phrases on small pumpkins. These would be perfect for a windowsill display!

13. Spider Nest

Photo by: Let’s Mingle

What’s creepier than one spider? A spider’s nest! Remove the top of a pumpkin and stuff it with straw or a similar filler. Cover the rest of the pumpkin with jet black spiders.

14. Pumpkin Vase

Photo by: Crafty Little Gnome

Transform your pumpkin into a vase! Contrast the vibrant orange of the pumpkin vase with neutral white florals and green filler leaves.

15. Neon Design

Photo by: Design Improvised

Lovers of bright colors will rave about this DIY. Create a modern look by designing a simple pattern out of neon-colored geometric shapes.

16. String Art

Photo by: Motte

Looking for a creative no-carve pumpkin idea? This one nailed it! Try creating a message with your pumpkins on the porch. Use a base of nails and add string to make an elaborate string art pattern.

17. Lawn Flamingo Pumpkins

Photo by: Aww Sam

Tired of the traditional fall colors and themes? Spice up your front lawn with these DIY magenta flamingos. Your neighbors will be impressed to find out they are made of pumpkins.

18. Tattoo Pumpkins

Photo by: Gold Standard Workshop

Use metallic gold tattoos to create an elegant pattern on your pumpkin. The prints will stand out even more if you paint the pumpkin a color like pink or turquoise before applying them.

19. WInk-Wink

Photo by: Idle Hands Awake

If jack-o’-lanterns are too scary for you, go the opposite direction by creating a cute face. Simply cut out the paper template and glue it to a pumpkin.

20. Decoupage Decor

Photo by: Twinspiration

Is decoupage a staple in your household? Use it to create this artistic look. Simply glue two to three colors of tissue paper to a white pumpkin for an ombre effect.

21. Chic Painted Pumpkins

Photo by: Bubby and Bean

This DIY is perfect for the beginner painter. In just a few steps you’ll have transformed a traditional pumpkin into a chic piece of decor.

22. Ghosts of Glitter’s Past

Photo by: I Heart Naptime

Is your pumpkin design falling a little flat? Spice it up by adding glitter. These fun ghost, bat and spider designs are taken to the next level with black and white sparkles.

23. Galaxy Art

Photo by: 42 Stripes

Not only will the Milky Way be in your candy bag, but it will be on your front porch with this galactic decor. With metallic paint and glitter, this galaxy pumpkin will be sure to get your house noticed!

24. Elegant Flower Display

Photo by: The Bubbly Life

Not ready to let go of summer flowers? Display them with eucalyptus for an elegant floral pumpkin display. Pair brightly colored flowers with a neutral white pumpkin for a pop of color.

25. Leaf Lantern

Photo by: Our House Now a Home

Create a unique fall display by painting a pumpkin gray and carving out a leaf pattern. Add in a battery operated candle and watch the warm glow of your leaf lantern light up your porch on a cold, dark night.

26. Painted Marble

Photo by: Hill City Bride

Embrace the current marbling trend by using it to decorate your pumpkin. Pick three or four colors of paint and layer them to mimic a marble pattern.

27. Black and White Floral Pumpkin

Photo by: Design Improvised

Nothing creates a contrast like black and white. Recreate this look by painting fake flowers black and attaching them to a cream colored pumpkin.

28. Pumpkin Basket Display

Photo by: The Honeycomb

Need to decorate for fall but running out of time and energy? Create a simple display for your porch by filling a wicker basket with fresh flowers and a white pumpkin.

29. Chalk Paint Pumpkins

Photo by: The Home I Create

Not a fan of orange? Cover classic pumpkins with chalk paint for a neutral, matte finish that fits better with your style. Place them on risers with acorns for a polished display.

30. Mummy Pumpkin Treat

Photo by: Miso Bakes

For the Halloween party host who is looking for kitchen pumpkin decorating ideas, look no further. This mummy wrapped pumpkin cake will work as decor and dessert!

31. Upcycled Glitter Pumpkin

Photo by: Remodelando La Casa

Upcycle all of your old ribbon spools into a sparkly fall display. Cover the spools with orange spray paint and gold glitter, tie them together and add a rope stem for a display that no one else will have.

32. Arrow Carvings

Photo by: Tatertots and Jello

Create coffee table decor for the season by carving arrow designs into gold pumpkins. Be sure to use larger pumpkins so that the entire design fits.

33. Floral Pumpkin Centerpiece

Photo by: Simply Ciani

Try your hand at flower arranging with a pumpkin as your vase. Fill the neutral colored pumpkin with floral foam and fake flowers that will last all season long.

34. Painted Baseball Pumpkin

Photo by: Life in Left Field

This baseball design is a home run! Use your painting skills to recreate your favorite sports ball on a pumpkin. If football is more your scene, try painting the football laces on a gourd instead.  

35. Rhinestone Sparkle

Photo by: Dans Le Lakehouse

Add a sparkly element to your fall decor by covering a pumpkin in rhinestones. The beauty of this DIY is that you can adjust the color scheme to match your other decor.

36. Artistic Flair

Photo by: Oh So Beautiful

Brighten up your home with these Matisse-inspired pumpkins. Print the template and color block the shapes onto pumpkins. The result? A unique and artsy take on pumpkin decorating.

37. Thumbtack Design

Photo by: Gold Standard Workshop

Use craft supplies you already have to decorate your pumpkin this year. Create a design out of thumbtacks or decoupage colorful wrapping paper clippings to the pumpkin for a fun addition.

38. Paint Dipped Pumpkins

Photo by: Ciera Designs

This painted pumpkin idea is simple to create and fun to play around with. All you need is tape, paint, glitter and your imagination.

39. Hanging Pumpkin Planter

Photo by: Hello Lidy

A fun way to display your pumpkin this fall is by hanging it. Carve out an opening in the pumpkin and fill it with decorative plants for a unique hanging planter.

40. Witchy Silhouettes

Photo by: Uncommon Designs

Add a creative element to your Halloween party by creating these witchy silhouettes. Have guests take photos with a witch hat and trace them onto black vinyl to attach to pumpkins.

41. Fern Pumpkins

Photo by: The Sassy Sparrow

Create an organic look by decorating your pumpkin with leaves. Glue ferns and other uniquely-shaped petals to a pumpkin for a simple design.

42. Spooky Gray Tones

Photo by: Hello Lidy

For a spooky piece of decor, pair matte gray-toned pumpkins with skulls and vintage books. You can choose to paint the whole pumpkins gray or leave parts white, depending on your style preference.

43. Subtle Touches

Who said your pumpkin decor had to be bright and extravagant? Even adding a little detail makes all the difference. Try painting the pumpkin stems with metallic paint for a subtle touch.

44. Layered Brush Strokes

There is no need to make all your lines crisp and clear when painting a pumpkin. Try recreating this look by layering brush strokes in a few different colors.

45. Intricately Painted Pumpkins

Test out your painting skills by trying a more complex pattern. Begin by outlining the design in pencil and then paint. Try using the end of the paint brush for little details like dots.

46. Kitchen Pumpkin Decor

If you want an easy way to welcome fall into your home, place small pumpkins in creative containers around the house. For example, use a colander to hold pumpkins in the kitchen for a cute addition to any counter.

47. Modern Patterned Pumpkins

Photo by: Love Create Celebrate

For a simple and modern look, create basic patterns and print them onto adhesive foil. This shiny design will catch the light, making it appear to glow in the dark.

48. Paper Pumpkin Lanterns

Light up a dark porch or hallway with these paper jack-o’-lantern lights. For a spooky touch, add cobwebs to the area to trap any unwanted guests.

49. Pumpkin Harvest

Create a harvest setting on your mantle or entryway table for a warm welcome. Use a variety of textures, from naturally smooth pumpkins to whicker pumpkin shapes.

50. Pumpkin Succulent

Create a succulent planter out of a pumpkin by carving out the center and planting your favorite greenery in the center. This is the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

51. Balloon Faces

Mimic the face of a pumpkin jack-o’-lantern by drawing with a black pen on an orange balloon. Pair it with ghost faces for memorable Halloween decor.

52. Cream Pumpkin Tablescape

If you’re a fan of neutral tones, this is the tablescape for you. Combine small cream pumpkins with white florals and decorative wicker balls.

53. Golden Warm Hues

Decorate your home by filling a golden pumpkin vase with fiery red and soft orange-hued flowers. This elegant style works for a home or an event like a fall wedding.

54. Unicorn Magic

Halloween is all about dressing up, so dress up your pumpkin to match. If you are a unicorn fan, transform a large white pumpkin into a unicorn head with flowers and glitter.

55. Pumpkins Piled High

If your fireplace isn’t functional, fill it with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. Decorate a few with a black marker and leave the others in their natural state.

56. Thankful Table Decor

Photo by: Burlap and Blue

Looking for a Thanksgiving table decor idea? Try recreating this pumpkin design. Put paint pens or permanent markers on the dinner table and have your guests write what they are thankful for.

57. Festive Dinner Table

An easy and festive way to decorate your fall table is by adding small pumpkins as a centerpiece and as a place tag. Simply write your guest’s names on the side of the pumpkins and they’ll know where to sit.

58. Cozy Shelf Decor

Create a cozy vibe in your room by decorating with a mixture of small pumpkins, gourds and candles. This pumpkin decorating idea is subtle but will make your home instantly feel like fall.

Now that you have some inspiration on how to decorate pumpkins and how to use them in your home, try your hand at it. Not feeling crafty? Use your design skills to personalize a light-up pumpkin family instead!