It's pumpkin time again as we approach the end of October and I cannot but be in total awe of all the creatives out there who get hands on with their pumpkins and decorate like proper experts inside their homes and outdoors. The good thing is you don't have to come up with something completely new. Pinterest is on hand to help you get organised so here are 10+1 ELEGANT decor ideas with pumpkins.

1. SUCCULENT PUMPKIN PLANTER

Photo: Sand & Sisal

Sand and Sisal makes a great point on her blog post: using pumpkins as planters for succulents is indeed great as an idea, however when your pumpkin dies - and eventually it will - what happens to your expensive plants?

Her suggestion is to use faux pumpkins (craft, papier mache) which you can paint white (they usually come in the brown craft paper colour) before stuffing your succulents in them (within a small pot). This seems easy and effective and you could totally use this for centrepieces from September all the way to Christmas. For the tutorial, click here.

2. BLUE PORCELAIN CRAFT PUMPKIN

Photo: Craftberrybush

Craftberrybush is pushing the boundaries with a blue porcelain inspired theme for her decor. While the design might seem elaborate, do not fret as she has a free printable on her blog post which you can find here.

She is also using craft pumpkins and her tutorial includes spray painting with white primer then drawing a design with pencil and tracing it with an Acrylic Paint Marker. She then fills the rest with DecoArt acrylic paint using a mixture of Primary blue, Ultramarine blue and a touch of Black.

3. TEAL PUMPKIN SEQUIN MESSAGE

Photo: Squirellyminds

Growing up in a dark street along a long dark driveway meant that Squirrellyminds did not get Treat or Tricksters around her home. So when it came to buying her home, her only condition was that it was on a Trick or Treat friendly neighbourhood. as you can tell, this gal LOVES Halloween!

Painting your pumpkin teal is a bold statement but add some sequins on it and you take it on a whole different level. See how Squirrellyminds transformed hers with this tutorial.

4. POLLOCK INSPIRED ABSTRACT PUMPKIN

Photo: Joy Cho

Jackson Pollock was a painter highly regarded in the abstract expressionist movement and well known for his unique style of drip painting. Joy Cho of the eponymous blog Oh Joy! has taken this concept of drip painting onto her pumpkins. An easy DIY that will surely delight your little ones so do get them involved!

5. STAINED GLASS WINDOW EFFECT

Photo: Mike Krautter

This tutorial appeared on Martha Stewart and will show you how to make a jewel-toned, geometric masterpiece. Using paint tape, tape an overlapping pattern on the pumpkin recreating the stained windows effect. Paint inside each taped area with a colour that does not match the areas next to it. Once dry peel back the tape to reveal the fun pattern and orange lines.

6. PREPPY PLAID

Photo: Chatelaine

For this look I found on Chatelaine, paint the pumpkin with the lightest colour first, then create your vertical stripes by following its natural indents. For your horizontal lines, slowly spin on a Lazy Susan. But don't use masking tape as a guide; it will remove your base coat.

7. NEUTRAL PUMKIN DECOR

Photo: lizmarieblog

If you prefer to keep things neutral, then stock on small sized pumpkins, paint them all off white and pile them high like Liz Marie did here. This look is more effective when you have a decent quantity of pumpkins involved!

8. PAINTED ROSES PUMPKIN

Photo: Craftberry Bush

Another pick from Craftberry Bush is this totally inspiring painted roses pumpkin. The colours used and the fact that this looks like a piece of art make it very very special! Given the work that needs to go on it, this is likely to be a one-off centrepiece rather than one of many on your table.

Chalk paint was used in the background and acrylic paint for the flowers. The look was created on a craft (papier mache) and not on a real pumpkin. See more here.

9. FALL LEAVES PUMPKIN

Photos: Pmqfortwo

This kind of gives me Russian folklore vibes (not sue why) but I love it for its colour combo and lush velvet topping. Created by pmqfortwo it is another perfect centrepiece for your festive table. Follow the DIY tutorial to re-create this in you home.

10. MARBLED INDIGO PUMPKINS

Photo: Sara Albers

Anything that has to do with marbling and I am on it. I picked up this DIY on Pinterest and you can see the full tutorial here on Alice and Lois. I have a fair amount of nail polish hanging around, so cannot wait to give this a go!

This will work best with small white pumpkins. You will also need to use lukewarm water or the nail polish will apparently sink to the bottom of your container!

11. COPPER HERRINGBONE

Photo: Lovely Indeed

How elegant do these look? By far the easiest to do, all you need is a few small white pumpkins and a copper paint pen. Start by painting the vertical lines and fill in the diagonal ones. For the finishing touch, also paint the stem and hey pronto you got yourself a few table fillers! Find the full tutorial here on Lovely Indeed.