This October, I decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine to host an epic Harry Potter Halloween party. Since my husband and I live in a small apartment, I knew making things look magical would all come down to the details. I spent a few weeks crafting and collecting all of the perfect pieces to transform our home into Hogwarts castle.
Here’s my guide to creating Harry Potter party decorations your guests will remember for years to come!
Harry Potter Party Decorations
Platform 9 ¾
One of the first things that greeted guests when they walked in was a stack of school trunks, brooms, and owl cages waiting for the Hogwarts Express to arrive at Platform 9 ¾. I placed a train ticket and a chocolate frog box on top of an old fashioned suitcase, and I found some cute scented brooms at the grocery store that added the extra magic touch.
The Great Hall
Our kitchen island doubles as our dining table in our apartment, which can make decorating it tricky. But I was determined our guests would feel like they were dining at the “welcome back to Hogwarts feast” in The Great Hall.
I bought some red and gold Harry Potter themed fabric, and my talented seamstress mom made me a table runner. I set out pumpkins, owls, and fresh flowers and gave each person a place setting with a pumpkin-shaped soup bowl. Above the island I hung tea lights in glass orb votives as a nod to the floating candles that are suspended over the house tables.
Hogwarts Portraits
On my entryway table beside the dining area, I placed Hogwarts portraits in gold frames. I found photos of Dumbledore and the Hogwarts House founders online and had them printed at Walgreens to fit in different-sized gold frames. I had another table runner with a pattern that looks like Hogwarts stained glass windows, and some knick knacks like Helga Hufflepuff’s cup sitting out. (We already owned the cup because Austin is a proud Hufflepuff!)
Potions Class
In the kitchen I set up a Potions classroom complete with a rack of ingredients and a couple of bubbling cauldrons. I found tons of glass jars in all shapes and sizes for 50% off at Hobby Lobby. I filled them with glitter glue, crushed glass, feathers, moss, and faux flowers from the dollar store. You can find a detailed tutorial on how to make your own potions here.
Common Room Textbooks
I transformed our living room into a “common room” by placing Hogwarts class textbooks, magical artifacts, and twinkling lanterns around the space. I strung up a dozen tiny fairy lights inside a couple of lanterns I already had at home to look like pixies were hiding inside. I crafted my own textbook covers and placed them over my own books so it would look like they had History of Magic, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology lessons inside. Here’s a tutorial on how to make your own magical textbook covers.
Creating an Atmosphere of Magic
The party was a big hit with our friends, and the ambiance made for some pretty amazing pictures! This probably won’t be the last Harry Potter party we throw, so we’ll be storing all of the DIY decorations away for next time.
If you want to plan your own Harry Potter party, remember that creating a magical space is all about your creativity. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with supplies from the dollar store and a little bit of imagination.
How to Make Hogwarts Letter Party Invitations
FOLLOW ME