“Gear Up” For Halloween: Unique Steampunk Decoration Ideas

There is no better time than Halloween to indulge in your Steampunk love. Actually, no time is a bad time for some steampunk aesthetics, but the smoke machines, fall colors, costumes and DIY spirit all make this an extra special opportunity. Here are a few Halloween decoration ideas into which you can incorporate your favorite Steam Age-inspired fantasies, icons, gadgets and designs for home, yard or even store décor.

The Quick and Lazy Steampunk Halloween Tips

If you do not have the time to make your own decorations, here are a few options for last-minute decorations.

• Buy Steampunk Halloween Pumpkins: Etsy is one of the best places to find handmade, unique items like brass and copper pumpkins with a variety of faces, different sizes and plenty of cogs, rivets, clock gears, nails and Steampunk-y bits and colors. Most items are available between $10 and $60.

• Buy Steampunk Lanterns and Lights: You will also find online lamps in the form of vintage carriage lanterns, Edwardian light bulbs set on a laughing skull base, industrial lanterns from the 1800s, vintage heat circulators-turned Halloween décor and a variety of candle holders and candle stands to light up both indoors and outdoors.

• Buy Costumes and Other Decoration: Get costumes and props in the form of goggles, banners, Western guns, Steampunk witch hat- and-goggles jewelry, metal-look gloves, gas masks, gear-set brooches, fascinators, lace-up boots and even full unique costumes. A simple Google search will lead you to numerous online stores selling gear for Halloween gear with Steam Era touches.

Unique DIY Steampunk Halloween Decoration Ideas

Handmade Steampunk costumes and industrial lamps don't come very cheap, however. If you're the kind of person who likes to make their own decoration, with a lot of thought and care (or if you're trying to save money), then the following ideas are for you.

For the table

• Decorate the table with accessories, like a vintage lace umbrella over your Halloween nibbles, for instance.

• A top-hat makes a good vessel to pass around candy in. You can also cover the inside in cling film and fill with dry flowers or chips for the table.

• Create clock-face tableware. If you're having guests over for a sit-down meal, or even if you want to have fun with the family, paint some classic clock-faces on the dishes with some liquid food coloring.

• Use an analog typewriter as a base and creatively set up Halloween banners, skulls in top hats, clock-faces, gears and even light bulbs to make a statement piece for the sideboard or kitchen, next to the serving dishes.

General Indoor/Outdoor Decor

• Use old teapots and teacups (even cracked ones will do great) and stand them up indoors with large orange candles. Then have some metal spiders, black cats, octopuses and other creatures (or in painted rubber, if you can't find them in metal) crawling out from the candle-holders.

• Make your own candle-stand with large metal gears around a holder or any other metal parts from old gadgets or rusty tools that you can find in the attic.

• Make a simple HALLOWEEN banner to hang at your fireplace, using tinted and stained paper (you can stain paper sepia with tea or coffee grounds in water) with old black and bold lettering.

• Finally, the great centerpiece of your DIY outdoor pumpkin patch can be a number of (uncut) pumpkins in different shapes and sizes, given faces with gears, chains, springs, metal bits, tin hats, wheel - hats and other odds and ends from the tool shed.

There are numerous other ideas floating about in the Steampunk fan community that you could adapt for your Halloween decoration, if these are not enough. So get started on your own project and make this holiday a memorable one for you and your fantasy-loving friends.