Halloween treats for the home

The holiday inspires a spirited surge of decorative accessories By Patricia Lowell / Contributor to The Dallas Morning News Decorating for Halloween means more than just draping

Friday, September 29th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The holiday inspires a spirited surge of decorative accessories

By Patricia Lowell / Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Decorating for Halloween means more than just draping a few cobwebs from a ceiling fan and slapping a cardboard jack-o'-lantern on the front door. Thanks to retailers who know that dressing the home can be as much fun as dressing the kids, there are now more options that look better and can even be used year after year to set the mood and scare the candy right out of neighborhood kids.

"Our customers have really gotten hooked on decorating their homes for the seasons and Halloween is one of the most popular because of all the neat things they can do and ways they can decorate," says Trinity Bushner, a gift buyer and merchandiser. Most customers choose to create vignettes on mantels, stair steps, dining room tables and in entryways.

"These vignettes often combine a natural pumpkin or gourds, some straw or fall leaves and a centerpiece such as a ceramic haunted house, a hand-painted bowl or platter or a collection of black cats," says Kathryne Hammond, a Richardson-based party planner. This year, Halloween favorites range from the collectible, such as hand-blown, limited-edition glass ornaments from Christopher Radko, to the temporary, such as trick-or-treat hand soaps by the Royal Soap Company.

"What people are really looking for are unique things that go along with how they feel about their home and the holiday," Ms. Bushner says. At Target, getting into the Halloween mood can be as easy as lighting a candle â€” especially the spooky-theme luminaries that look just as great on front porches as they do on dining room tables.

And at Garden Ridge, shoppers can choose from a selection of orange and black pillar candles to a tin bucket with floating apple candles. "There's something about Halloween that is just as much fun for adults as it is for kids," Ms. Hammond says. "Even if it just means hanging a wreath on your front door and placing a few pumpkins on the front stoop. It still helps to get you in the Halloween spirit."