Halloween Color Palettes That Aren't Just Orange And Black

The history of Halloween goes back to Samhain, a Celtic festival running from the evening of October 31 (the end of summer's harvest and the beginning of winter) to the evening of November 1 (the new year). On this night, it was believed that the line between the physical and the spirit world was thin, so to keep ghosts away, people had bonfires, wore costumes, and carved faces into turnips with candles in them (via History.com).

Therefore, black and orange became synonymous with this day, representing death, darkness, and night, and fall, pumpkins, and fire, respectively. In today's time, these two colors are seen on décor and at parties, helping to make everything festive (via House Beautiful).

However, there is not a written rule that says black and orange must be used. There are other colors that can be added in as accents when decorating, and there are completely unique Halloween color palettes that are just as exciting during this time of the year (if not more so).

First up is an idea that incorporates blue, magenta, and green and has been dubbed Frightening Forest by Hue & Tone Creative. This has a deep and dramatic darkness that goes along well with the spookiness of Halloween, but it does it in a more interesting way than a simple black.

Michaels – a top place to shop for seasonal, craft, and DIY products — even has decoration collections this year that are centered around these colors. Gothic Garden has bugs, plants, and butterflies in blues; Pretty Scary has snakes, roses, and leopard prints that complement an emerald green; and Enchanted Forest has items centered around fortune tellers, apothecaries, and witches' potions, all in purples, with some hints of blue and green.

These could all be combined, bringing in several bold colors when decorating for Halloween. Or you could pick one main color and stick to it, centering designs around just one of these options.

For those who want their color schemes to center around black but who still want to add in an extra oomph, consider utilizing red, white, and/or gold with it. As Brit + Co points out, black and red make for a vampire-esque vibe that can be classy (think gothic-inspired touches and dripping candlesticks) or creepy (with nods to the best horror flicks).

Black and white can be pretty and polished, too, but it is especially perfect for those who want to take some whimsical inspiration from the movie "Beetlejuice." Stripes in these colors have a circus-like feel and can add interest to the ornaments on a Halloween tree or the dishes set out for a Halloween party.

An art deco theme is always a good one to consider when planning an event, as well, and there are so many products that come out during this season in black and gold, which are just stunning.

Finally, there are the Halloween color palettes that involve all the colors in all the ways possible, and this is done best by Kara Whitten of Kailo Chic and Jennifer Perkins, who are both from Austin, Texas. Perkins' tree collection alone is made up of some in yellow, purple, pink, red, and rainbow (via Instagram). In 2021, she has already shown off Halloween décor using teal (via Instagram) and purple/turquoise/orange (via Instagram), as she mixes vintage and kitsch pieces into her works of art (during this time of the year and beyond).

Whitten is known for creating bright and fun products like neon/'90's pumpkins (via Instagram) and pink, green, blue, and purple ghosts (via Instagram), showing that this holiday can be celebrated without a touch of black at all and without any pieces that are gory, bloody, or scary (and adorable instead).

Whichever colors you use, we hope you have a happy (and safe) Halloween!