The house that Lisa Lytle-Abridello and her husband bought three years ago was built in 2016, so had lots of perks of a recent new-build, like a front and back porch and an open-concept living area. The downside? It has about as much personality as a new build. “It was essentially an ugly beige box inside and out (insert vomit emoji here),” writes Lisa. “I despise beige with every fiber of my being. For me, the only acceptable form of beige is in leopard print; ALL HAIL LEOPARD PRINT! We’ve completely painted the interior and are planning on painting the exterior the most gorgeous leafy green with black trim next summer and I truly cannot wait!”

Along with adding moody, dark paint colors to many of the house’s rooms, Lisa’s also added a ton of personality to the formerly boring beige home by incorporating tons of vintage scores. “I’m clearly a lover of vintage and am usually unbothered if something has a little wear, it’s old so I don’t expect stuff to be in perfect condition,” says Lisa. She reports that all the lighting and many of the art pieces are vintage, sourced from places like antique malls, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay. Sprinkled throughout are also personal items with tons of meaning, like framed music posters, and a photo of Lisa’s still-living grandmother on top of the dining room cabinet,” to honor her for lending me money in my early 20s to buy the ultimate Halloween car, a 1963 Cadillac Hearse.”

While Lisa’s gothic and moody everyday decor style certainly lends itself to the Halloween season, things really ramp up, spooky-wise, starting around September around the house. Lisa has been collecting Halloween-themed decor for many years, and has actually been writing the purchase date on her Halloween items for as long. “I love picking up any piece and seeing the year it became mine.”

My Style: I’m newly 44, heavily tattooed, a headbanger, and wear a ton of amber and vintage jewelry — so you can imagine my style is pretty eclectic. If I had to describe my home’s style, I would say it’s a cross between an old-timey bordello, a tattoo shop, and a haunted house, with just a pinch of grandma’s house. (I have a killer vintage candy dish collection and love doilies).

Inspiration: I grew up watching “The Munsters,” “The Addams Family,” and old horror movies with incredibly ornate interiors, as well as Westerns with the most gorgeous red monochrome bordellos with velvet everything. I remember watching the TV and being enamored with the set design. Music is also such an enormous inspiration and part of my life, so we have tons of framed band art and gig posters all over. 

When did you first start decorating your home in Halloween style? How long have you been decorating like this? Growing up, my mom decorated the house for Halloween and Christmas. I always looked forward to those special times of the year. I got my first apartment at 19 and started decorating for the holidays right away. Because I moved so often for so many years I didn’t have nearly the amount that I have now. Once we bought a house it was game on and I really ramped up my collecting.

Does your home look like this year ‘round? If not, when do you start decorating like this in prep for the holiday? The only room in our house that’s Halloween-themed year-round is my teeny tiny laundry room that I absolutely love. As for decorating for Halloween in the rest of the house, I’ve been starting in early September for the last few years because it takes me a few weeks to put it all up. Every year I switch it all around so it never looks exactly the same as the year before.

What does your roommate/partner/family/friends think about your Halloween house tour style? My husband loves it too! Halloween is also his favorite holiday. Our 20-year-old daughter is supportive but she’s not into it as we are. Our friends and family are all supportive even if our style isn’t their style.

Do you have any favorite tips/hacks/stores for finding cool and/or affordable Halloween home decor? Thrift stores are my all-time favorite place to hunt for Halloween treasures (and regular treasures, too). I also love antique malls/shops. I’ve also scored some pretty sweet affordable vintage-inspired decor at Michael’s and Walmart over the last few years. Every year I also allow myself to splurge around 50 bucks on eBay for something that I’ve been lusting after that I haven’t found in person.

As far as hacks, I recently scored a whole box of vintage electric windowsill candles on the cheap. I painted them all black then used hot glue to make the wax look more prominent, then painted the wax orange, and added a flame bulb to complete the look. I’m super happy with how they turned out. Also, dyeing white thrift store doilies with orange RIT dye is a cheap and easy upcycle that’s cute. 

Favorite Element: My favorite thing about this house hands-down is the privacy! We’re far off the street and our main living area is all facing our lush green backyard. Coming from living on the corner of a very busy street where I would lock eyes with people as they walked by on the regular got kinda old. It’s also really quiet here, I don’t miss hearing sirens endlessly. 

Biggest Challenge: I hate to complain because I know how truly lucky we are to own a home. But since you’re twisting my arm here… for me, it’s the finishes the builder picked out that I’m not super pleased with. I despise beige carpet, I don’t like the kitchen cabinet color, and the backsplash is a real snooze fest. I’m not overly worried about any of it though, I know in time we’ll make it all better.

Biggest Indulgence: I’d have to say our biggest indulgence was our enormous Persian rug in the dining room. We bought it for the last house that had all wood floors and it was so painfully wanted. It’s so beautiful, thick, and soft. It was worth every penny, I truly love it.

What’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? First and foremost, spare yourself the heartache and torture of comparing your home to anyone else’s. We’re all at different income levels and circumstances. With that being said, I would just say follow your heart and decorate your home in any way that truly does it for you. If you’re still figuring that out, that’s okay, you’ll get there. Collecting and curating the things that speak to you take time, sometimes a lifetime. If you like all kinds of styles from different eras as I do, don’t stress, that’s called being eclectic.

• The main part of the house is painted in Sherwin-Williams “Black of Night”
• Lisa’s Bedroom — Sherwin-Williams “Radish”
• Joe’s Bedroom — Sherwin-Williams “Ruby Shade”

• Sideboard — Facebook Marketplace
• Mirror — Facebook Marketplace
• Lamp — Vintage
• Plant Table — Ferry St. Antique Mall
• Large Ceramic Owl — Vintage
• Large terracotta Pumpkins — HomeGoods

• 2 Large Bookshelves — Free! on Facebook Marketplace
• Coffee & End Tables — Vintage from my childhood home
• Chaise Lounge — Mor Furniture
• MidCentury Tufted Bench — Facebook Markeplace
• Lighting — Vintage
• Paintings — Vintage
• Framed Art Prints are by Madame Talbot

• China Cabinet — Vintage
• Lighting — Vintage
• Teal Corner Cabinet — Vintage
• Plant Stand — Ferry St. Antique Mall
• Large Gold Mirror — Aurora Antique Pavilion

• Mohair Chair — Vintage from Ferry St. Antique Mall
• Bed — Wayfair
• Wall Decor/ Paintings — Vintage
• Lighting — Vintage

• Lighting — Vintage from eBay
• Console Table — Pottery Barn
• Night Tables — Vintage
• Painting/ Wall Decor — Vintage
• Framed Baphomet — DIY
• Giant Gold Mirror — Free

• All Painting — Vintage
• Swag Lamp — Vintage

Thanks Lisa!

This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form

See More: 
⇒ Recent House Tours 
⇒ House Tours on Pinterest