Halloween

How to Give Your Windows an Easy Halloween Upgrade

Written by

Megan Baker DetloffDirector of Home Projects at Apartment Therapy
Megan Baker DetloffDirector of Home Projects at Apartment Therapy
I cover home upgrades, DIY projects, hacks, how-tos, and plants. I’ve written about home decor and renovations for more than a decade since earning my degree in Magazine Journalism from Northwestern University. Before AT, I was an editor at HGTV Magazine and This Old House Magazine.
published Oct 2, 2020
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Windows with painted bats

You might not be hosting Halloween parties in the same way as usual this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go all out on decor. In fact, adding Halloween touches to your windows is a great way to get in the spirit of the season, since it’s a spooky touch that can be seen by anyone passing by.

This batty project has a big payoff with a shockingly small time commitment—and an even smaller budget. In fact, you might be able to get away with not buying a single new thing. Really! Here’s what you’ll need to get the look, and how to do it.

What you’ll need to make bat-accented windows

1. Print bat images in various sizes, then tape them to the outside of your window

Reach for clip art for this task, and adjust your bat silhouettes so they come in a small, medium, and large size. Tape the bats to the outside of your window so that they look like they’re flying across in one direction.

If you’re unable to reach the outside of your window to safely do this, you can also cut out the silhouettes of the bats to create stencils. Tape these stencils to the inside of your window so that the bats look like they’re flying across the window in one direction.

2. Mix your paint

If you want to use a color that’s not pure black, mix your paints on a paper plate until you find a color you like.

Make sure that you don’t use acrylic paint that is intended for glass. If you do, the paint will permanently stick to the glass and you will have a very hard time removing it (if you can at all). Instead, use craft paints that are labeled as washable and intended for wood, canvas, and paper.

3. Paint the bat silhouettes

With your small craft paintbrush, trace the shape of the bats and paint in the outline fully. Repeat until the whole window is full of bats of various sizes all flying in one direction.

Help set off your decor by lowering the shades and turning on the lights, which will help illuminate the bats in the evening. Spooky!

Once Halloween’s over, you can use glass cleaner and a gentle scrubbing sponge to remove the dried paint.

If you’re looking for more decorating ideas for Halloween, we have four more DIYs that pack a big punch for not a lot of money or time. Happy haunting!