It doesn’t have to be Halloween to enjoy the spooky side of things.
Whether you prefer cute-spooky things, like friendly ghosts and bright pumpkins, or the darker & more scary kinds, like scheming witches and horror vibes…
Either way, I have some sweet ACNH Halloween build ideas for your island.
Starting off strong, this creepy haunted castle is so cool!
Creative use of silos, custom panels, fencing, and terraforming, all transform the player’s home into a gothic vampire’s dream home.
Tom Nook could never handle this…
Whether you’re a witch, a vampire, a zombie, or just emo, this is definitely an awesome and creative idea to change up the look of your island in a big way.
What better place for your villagers to go trick or treating?
Picking out the perfect pumpkin to carve is just one of the best parts of the holiday, in my humble opinion.
And this adorable pumpkin patch gets bonus points for all of the extra items beyond just the plants themselves. There’s a pumpkin lamp, a table, stacked pumpkins, you name it!
It’s a busy space that’s well designed, all without being so crazy jam-packed that you can’t walk around.
This could be your island’s go-to for pumpkin carving.
And this island kicks up spoopy vibes right off the bat with this creative entrance!
A gnarled arch opens up to a maze of paths, leading past a glowing pumpkin carriage, a table laden with a jack o’ lantern, and plenty of other details.
The lit-up pumpkins give just enough light in the dark so as not to get totally lost, but you’ll still have to keep your wits about you.
A lot of work clearly went into this, between the custom designs and the methodical collecting of items and DIYs.
Well with a spooky kitchen like this, any witch can be a kitchen witch!
Whip up some scary good desserts, or just work on some potions or alchemy.
With a brick oven and a cooktop, there’s plenty of space to have multiple things on the go at once.
And there’s a nice pile of wood handy, too, for restocking the fires. I mean, there’s nothing worse than getting super close to a nice fond or caramelization, and then your heat dies!
In the interest of food safety, maybe take down the spiderwebs, though. Yuck!
You know what… I’m just going to come out and say it.
The peach surprise baby is creepy.
Dolls are creepy, or else there wouldn’t be so many horror movies centered around them.
Yes, I know it’s based on the Momotarō myth and Nintendo was being super slick. But if you really want a creepy spooky island, grab as many peach surprises as you can, put them in a field, and that’s that.
This is an awesome market build filled with beautiful Halloween and autumn colors. You can get ready for the season by purchasing fruits, scarecrows, or pumpkin items.
Are these ones haunted? Maybe. But that’s the fun.
Make it an afternoon event with your favorite villagers, as there’s plenty to look at! And there’s nothing nicer to do on a crisp fall day.
Now this build is spooky in a fun way, rather than a scary one.
A cute witch is ready to guide the way through this passage, which is decorated with jack o’ lanterns, hay bales, and other standard Halloween fare.
One of the really great things about this build is that it isn’t too simple, but it also isn’t so full of a vast array of DIYs that it isn’t realistic to replicate.
Even if you don’t have a couple of the items, they can be swapped out.
For example, if you don’t have that cute pumpkin lamp on the right, replace it with a candle, or just a plain old pumpkin!
Corn mazes are a classic Halloween festival staple.
Along with bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving, and costume contests, corn mazes (or any kind of maze, really!) are a total necessity for a successful party.
It’s a great thing to do design-wise, but it’s also super functional.
You can host an IRL festival with your friends (if you have a Nintendo online pass) and hide prizes in the maze, for example.
Or, if you’d rather a trick than a treat, maybe a rotted turnip!
If you’re into Stephen King or horror movies, this is the build for you.
Not quite the same as a regular Halloween graveyard, this Pet Sematary inspired site is a sleek nod to the book and movie of the same name.
It’s super easy to replicate, too.
With just a few spare skulls from fossils and a stone marker (the DIY for which can be found via the Nook terminal in Resident’s Services) you can dive in and re-create this idea on your own island!
Toss in a shovel and some fencing and flowers, and you’re golden.
A soft & ominous creaking, the crisp scent of the promise of frost, a cold wind…
These are the things you’ll notice as you enter this obviously haunted abandoned carnival.
If the creepy doll and skeleton aren’t enough to unnerve you, maybe the biology dummy is.
Don’t get drawn in by the sweet cotton candy. Because this carnival of horror is where you’ll meet the scary kind of clowns, not the cute or funny ones.
If you’re re-designing this yourself, maybe add in some custom paths to match your island’s style!
Designer Tip: you can find the teacup ride in the Nook Stop in Resident’s Services.
