Is it really Halloween in just a couple of days? Hey, it only seems like last week (certainly not a whole year past) that we dressed up as ghouls to parade up and down Church as part of Toronto’s fancy dress celebrations.
Back in Blighty we might have felt uneasy with such lavish disguise, yet in Canada we felt perfectly comfortable while layering on the war paint and preparing to party.
Canadians, we’ve learned, love nothing better than immersing themselves in festive spirit, unlike Brits who are much more reticent when it comes to disguise.
What we’ve noticed this year, while preparing for another Halloween extravaganza, is a definite turn toward popular culture for outfit selection. Scan the gossip glossies or surf online for inspiration to see what we mean; fangs, quite simply, ain’t what they used to be.
Going way back, folk were inspired by Count Dracula, as played by Christopher Lee, or perhaps Grandpa Munster, as portrayed by Al Lewis.
But when director Tony Scott arrived on the scene in 1983, things really started to change courtesy of The Hunger, a vamp sex thriller starring David Bowie, Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve.
From that point on romance, devilment, blood lust and costume became inextricably entwined and, since then, there’s been no going back.
Consider Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise during Interview With a Vampire, Robert Pattinson in Twilight, and the entire cast of the plasma-guzzling epic True Blood.
We can’t even begin to tell you how many of our chums are planning their Halloween garb modelled on the latter wayward troupe.
We’ve been lucky enough to meet several cast members; Jason, played by Ryan Kwanten at a gala in Toronto; Sookie, characterized by Anna Paquin at a media event in New York, and, only last month, Vampire Queen Evan Rachel Wood.
These encounters fresh in our mind, we couldn’t help but be inspired for this week’s column.
We reckoned it might be cool to present a True Blood “at home” and got to thinking about which character has the coolest lair.
The home that captured our imagination is that of Bill Compton, newly crowned Louisiana Vampire King, and perhaps the coolest face of blood sucking in the TV world.
However, Bill’s original house was seriously worse for wear. Peeling paint, gloomy lighting and threadbare furnishings.
Shabby chic, we hear you muse? Well, you’re half right. In realtor’s terms it was a classic fixer upper: it had good bones, certainly, as well as attractive American lines and ample square footage, but boy, did it need work!
Bill’s mansion, clearly, needed an update befitting of its master’s role in blood thirsty-circles and we’re pleased to report that, as Bill embarked upon a radical redesign, he avoided a predictably gothic reversion; it would have been all too easy to opt for dull overtones, taxidermy clad walls and a backdrop of forked lightening.
Instead, Bill’s new look fuses global elements, cowhide rugs and mixed metal detailing. Attired with luxurious upholstery, rectilinear dark wood furniture and antique travel chests, it’s utterly of the moment; Bill clearly listened to his (non-beating) heart to create an environment that’s wonderfully personal. Think about it; our favourite sharp toothed fella has been around for hundreds of years. He’s had more incarnations than Madonna and, consequently, his tastes are widely eclectic.
One of the best rooms, post reno, is Bill’s home office; previously his living room, it’s now a dual purpose zone for relaxation and vampire business planning. Lavished with a dark wood bureau set on a curvaceous chrome base, carved wooden elephants and antique cartology globes, it’s atmospheric to the max. Another successful transformation is the cavernous hallway; in its original incarnation uninviting, it’s now the essence of welcoming spirit.
A vampire’s lair welcoming? Guess that’s what’s so unusual about Bill’s efforts. As the undead in Ben Temps, La., become assimilated into regular society, they’ve developed a whole new, approachable demeanour, in part, we suppose, of a grand master plan to walk amongst their human counterparts in an equal world.
If you’d like to vamp up your lair, here’s our foolproof style guide. Whether you believe in vampires, fairies, witches or werewolves, the decorating truth is out there; having a magical — and personalized — home is a truly blood tingling experience.
When designing your hallway, choose warm colours to seduce house guests prior to blood letting. Set the scene with animal skin rugs, dramatic chandeliers and diffused side lighting. First impressions, after all, are paramount.
Go global. Think Ralph Lauren, yet darker and deeper. Bill’s new style is luxurious and atmospheric. Opt for leather wing-backed chairs, carved animals and exotic statuary. Add simple graphic artwork displayed in thin black frames and accessorize with crystal globes, art books and travel memorabilia.
Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting, especially in lighter tones. Wooden floors are easy clean after lesser vampires have been given the True Death and crushed into a sea of organs and blood. Rugs, however, are a welcome and softening addition as these can be lifted for specialist cleaning to remove all evidence of entrails.
Go big in the bedroom! Vampires are a rampant bunch and like nothing better than throwing themselves around their boudoirs in a state of high, elevated frenzy. A regular double bed is so last year, so max up for optimum comfort.
Bill is very sentimental and, throughout True Blood, often references his long departed wife and children. This in mind, as you scheme, leave plenty of wall surfaces to adorn with beautiful images of your own nearest and dearest.
To manage — and limit — daylight, adaptable window treatments are crucial, especially if you’re a vampire who’ll burn if daylight penetrates. Bill cleverly opted for classic American style shutters and these can be twisted to black out by day yet safely opened at night.
Don’t be scared to mix and match periods. Louisiana’s Vampire King has witnessed life across many generations and has employed aspects of each to create a comfortable and worldly look.
Avoid genuine silver accessories. Chrome and stainless steel are all very well, but just imagine the sizzling fiasco that would ensue if real silver was employed as part of transformative efforts.
As much as vampires don’t technically need heating, a beautiful open fire is a must. A burning, swirling grate will build atmosphere and will become a valuable asset to relax human friends as their cold blooded hosts prepare to sharpen their teeth.
With Halloween almost upon us, we can only imagine the thirsty fun that lies ahead. To be certain your festive look is more treat than trick, take it easy and don’t go overboard. Ditch the haunted castle look, forget oil paintings with moving eyes, and say cheerio to predictable jack-o’-lantern. Yup, it’s time to step it up a little. Castles, coffins and cobwebs, after all, are so last year!
Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan are the hosts of HGTV’s Colin & Justin’s Home Heist and the authors of Colin & Justin’s Home Heist Style Guide, published by Penguin Group (Canada). Follow them on Twitter @colinjustin or on Facebook (ColinandJustin). Check out their new candle range at www.candjhome.co.uk. Contact them through their website, www.colinandjustin.tv.