We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
We wouldn’t usually classify butterflies as scary. But fill a home with 15,000 of them, all black, and you’re bound to be a little frightened. This we learned from artist Carlos Amorales, whose exhibition at Salone del Mobile Milano in 2019, dubbed “The Accursed Hour,” still has us spooked. He covered the walls of the grand Fondazione Adolfo Pini building with swarms of paper insects (staircase and ceiling included). Our first thought when we saw the showcase: We can’t wait to try this at Halloween.
Everyone expects fake bats or spiders, which makes this butterfly display all the more exciting. If you use enough of them (10 says cute, but 100-plus screams creepy), they can stand on their own. You no longer have to spend the entire month of October painting pumpkins or stressing over a DIY wreath (unless you want to); you can do all your decorating day of.
The only thing you need is 3D stickers. Fortunately, we had an easy time finding this $9 pack of 48 on Amazon. Tip: Look for ones in different sizes; the variety will help create the illusion of movement.
Assuming you don’t have all day for this project (hey, we don’t blame you for putting more time into your costume), hone in on one spot in your home. Scatter a bunch around the fireplace mantel or cover your powder room walls in winged creatures, then prepare for your guests to bug out.