Halloween Deck-orating!

Halloween Deck Decorating Ideas

By Laura Leiva, eHow Contributor

Decorate the deck for Halloween.

When trick-or-treaters come up to the door during Halloween, the first thing they see is the deck or front porch. The deck can be transformed into anything you want it to be, from a silly pumpkin patch to a scary graveyard. The decor on the deck can set the mood for the holiday, and going the extra mile in creating a fun experience is sure to be appreciated by kids and adults alike as they arrive at your front door. Does this Spark an idea?

Graveyard

• Turn your deck into a spooky graveyard by placing store-bought headstones randomly around the deck. Prop up the headstones by placing miniature uncarved pumpkins behind and in front of them, making sure that the decorations are not in the path to the door. On Halloween night, set up a strobe light to mimic the look of lightning and add a fog machine, if desired. Increase the spooky factor by playing a CD of Halloween-themed organ music.

Pumpkin Patch

• Display your family's carved pumpkins around the deck to create the look of a pumpkin patch. If you don't have many carved pumpkins, fill up the space with inexpensive miniature pumpkins and gourds to go along with the carved pumpkins. Scatter straw or dry leaves along the surface of the deck, and place pumpkins on top in a random arrangement leading up to the door. Purchase a scarecrow and prop it up against the wall or deck railing. Create a sitting area on the deck by placing a hay bale up against the wall.

Hanging Decor

• Hang bats and ghosts from the deck ceiling to create a scary ambiance for those coming to the front door. Purchase the ghosts and bats from a craft or retail store and hang them on hooks screwed into the ceiling. Make your own ghosts by draping and gluing small squares of cheesecloth over foam balls and shredding the ends. Add two black dots for eyes with a marker and use fabric glue to attach fishing line to the center of the ghost's head in order to hang from the ceiling. Before trick-or-treaters arrive, place a small floor fan inconspicuously on the deck floor and point it up toward the ghosts and bats. The air will gently blow the decor around to give it a lifelike feeling. Play a Halloween music CD to finish off the experience.

Haunted House

• Transform your deck and entryway into the front of a haunted house. Save any flower cuttings the week before Halloween so you can use them in the deck decor, especially if they've become wilted and dead. Place the dead flowers in inexpensive pots leading up to the front door. String spider webbing across deck rails, over the doors and windows and on the ceiling corners and then secure store-bought spiders into the webbing. Change out deck lighting with blacklight bulbs and finish off with spooky organ music.

For more information on this topic, visit the source of this article at: Halloween Deck Decorating Ideas | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8190779_halloween-deck-decorating-ideas.html#ixzz2A4AOu9Cd

Not Your Grandmother's Awning

Beautiful options for any home

Since Sunbrella awning fabrics come in over 150 styles and colors, you're sure to find several choices that will complement your home's exterior and coordinate with your home's interior.

Fabric selections
From traditional solids and stripes to contemporary variations of designer hues, you can select a fabric to suit your home's exterior. Even better, you can coordinate your awning with deck or patio furnishings made with Sunbrella furniture fabrics.

Since all Sunbrella fabrics are easy to clean and fade resistant, you can be sure that your awnings and outdoor furniture, will look beautiful for years and years.

Valance styles
The right valance style can anchor your awning to the architectural style of your home. Straight valances are safe choice, but Oceanwave is lovely on many home styles and it can be scaled to work beautifully with a stripe. Gothic is a good option for a home with traditional or formal styling, and it can be trimmed with contrasting fabric for a custom look.

Types of awnings
Awnings come in many shapes and sizes, plus hundreds of Sunbrella fabric patterns and colors. Your awning fabricator can help you choose the perfect awning for your outdoor space.

Retractable awnings provide shade on demand. The awning is available when you need it; otherwise, it remains retracted. Maintenance is a breeze, because the awning is not constantly exposed to the elements. In addition, Somfy®, the industry-leading awning motor and accessories company, offers motors, sun and wind sensors that allow your retractable awning to respond to the elements.

Window awnings can provide protection from the sun without blocking the view. The drop-arm mechanism of these awnings allows you to open them slightly when the sun in high in the sky or well past horizontal to control morning or late afternoon sun.

Fixed frame awnings are custom fabricated to fit the specific application. Fabric is applied to a custom aluminum frame, which is mounted over windows or doors to provide shelter and sun shade. Fixed frame awnings provide constant protection from the elements and can be fabricated into a multitude of shapes and sizes to create a custom outdoor space for your home.

For more information on this topic, visit the source of this article at http://www.sunbrella.com/at-home/awnings/