How to set the table and the mood for the bloody cool festivities at your home

Creep chic is the theme of Halloween.

With a little imagination and inspiration, spooky can be sophisticated, and wicked can be whimsical.

For decorating tricks, we picked the brain of Debbie Dusenberry, who works Halloween magic on a grand scale inside and outside her Prairie Village, Kan., home furnishings boutique, Curious Sofa. We loved last season's (doll)house that had fallen on a witch, leaving only her striped-stocking legs showing. "Freak Show" is the style at the store this year.

For entertaining treats, we spoke to event planner Julie Blanner of Coordinately Yours in Prairie Village. She thinks Halloween is fun no matter what age you are. We agree.

Look at this guide and you'll find their ideas and lots of other goodies sure to thrill both big ghouls and little goblins.

Three ways to decorate pumpkins: Carving knives optional

Disguising them with masks.

Stenciling and filling in the designs with glitter puff paint.

Rubber stamping your address numbers.

Boo on a budget: Two bizarre wreath ideas

An oval grapevine wreath, $2 on sale at Hobby Lobby. "The horizontal oval is unusual," Dusenberry says. Plus, you can tuck in a Halloween-themed postcard or sign, then take it out and use the wreath until Thanksgiving.

Spraypaint an old broom — the bristles and the handle — black. You might have to angle the broom or shorten the handle.

Steal this idea: Make a pumpkin out of old clothes and lace

You can decorate a pumpkin by balling up an old T-shirt, wrapping it in black lace and tying ribbon to make the little stem.

Macabre manteL

Fill clear glass jars of different shapes and sizes with creepy candy, says Dusenberry, including black licorice and gummy worms. Eat the goodies after trick-or-treaters take your peanut butter cups.

Alarming accents

Feathers in tarnished silver vessels.

Black and white pictures (perhaps Poe?) in a baroque frame

Monogrammed black perfume bottles (bonus if you can find a 'B' and two 'Os.' $10 each, Hobby Lobby)