This Basic Austin House Is Now a Modern, Gothic, "Halloween 365" Home

Adrienne Breaux
·4-min read
Living room with grey couch, colorful pillows and art on black wall
Christmas tree with gifts underneath and large figurines hanging from black wall
The living room and bedroom are "Halloween 365," and the kitchen "has some spooky flare all year as well." The rest of the home starts getting decorated in August and comes down in mid-November.
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Woman sitting on grey couch in front of art hung on black wall
"I have a completely different Nightmare Before Christmas Spooky Christmas setup that goes up for winter holiday. So really, Halloween just continues with Santa hats," Meghan admits. Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Framed art on black wall
"We also decorate the outside of our house for Halloween, and we go BIG! That display goes up in mid-September and comes down on the first weekend of November." Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Large figurines hanging from black wall and tv on stand
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Woman sitting on black bed with art on black walls
"Everyone told me I would regret painting my bedroom black," Meghan begins. Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Black bed with framed art on black wall
"My only regret was not doing it sooner! It’s like being in a cave, and I love it." Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Woman in front of black shelves with figurines on them
I love small shops! My favorite Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired small shop is CraftsByBigJoe on Instagram. His pieces are absolutely incredible! I also love the main street stores, too — Spirit Halloween, Lowe’s Home Improvement, etc. Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Black shelves with figurines on them
Favorite Element: My Nightmare Before Christmas shelves in my bedroom, they hold my collection that I keep out all year. My bedroom is my favorite room in the house, then my living room when all my Halloween decor is up. Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Black shelves against wall with figurines on them
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Colorful figurines on black shelves
People always ask about my collection — how long have you been collecting Nightmare Before Christmas? Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Colorful figurines on shelf
What’s something in your home that shouldn’t make sense but does (for you and your family)? I would say the size. Our house is on the smaller size, but it just makes it feel very cozy and we like that. Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer
Colorful figurines on black shelf
Thanks, Meghan and family! Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer

ABOUT THIS TOUR

HOME TYPE: Townhouse

LOCATION: Austin, Texas

STYLE: Maximalist

BEDROOMS: 3

SQUARE FEET: 1300

Meghan and her husband, Oliver, explain that they had only about three weeks to find a home when they were moving from Venice, California, to Austin, Texas, eight years ago. “This is one of the first places that I found and coming from a small two-bedroom apartment in Venice Beach, the huge backyard is what drew me in,” Megan writes.

Woman sitting on grey couch with art on black wall
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer

Megan says they ended up falling in love with this 1,300-square-foot townhome, as well its high stairway ceilings, kitchen full of windows, and the cozy living room. And she’s spent the last eight years turning it into a truly stylish, The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed home. They share the home with their 13-year-old daughter, Juliet, 10-year-old son, Nicholas, Wednesday the dog, Flower Pot the cat, and Frito the bearded dragon.

Woman in front of black shelves with figurines on them
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer

“The house was very basic, lol! The living room was actually painted brown. Our bedroom was a light gray, and all the other rooms were painted white,” describes Meghan, who chronicles her home’s style on Instagram as Mother Spooky Witch. “Our house is modern/gothic now. Our bedroom and the living room are Halloween 365 days a year. The kitchen is a little more neutral, but still has a spooky flare. My kids’ bedrooms were decorated by them — more modern/neutral.”

Colorful figurines on shelf
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer

Meghan shops at big-box stores like Spirit Halloween and Lowes, but she also loves small shops for her Halloween collecting. “My favorite Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired small shop is CraftsByBigJoe on Instagram. His pieces are absolutely incredible!”

Bulletin board on wall with lettering and art
Credit: Emily Meyer Credit: Emily Meyer

“We don’t have tons of extra space, so we really try and maximize what we have,” Meghan says, explaining that Oliver is a “master organizer” and finds a way to keep their Halloween decor that isn’t kept up all year long “neat and organized.” They store most of the interior decor in plastic bins in the garage. “We do store all of our animatronics and inflatables in the original boxes they came in. We may be running out of space, and my husband loves to remind me of it, but we still have the attic hahaha!”

Thanks, Meghan and family!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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