Halloween is just days away, so our thoughts may be turning to flickering pumpkins, scary-fun costumes and those super-tasty mini chocolate bars. (You know you love them!) If you want to enjoy the Halloween mood all year round, there’s a decor style just for you. It’s called Modern Gothic, and it’s exactly how it sounds.
Normally we talk about decorating and staging our home with an eye toward resale in the future. We get so caught up in the “what ifs” that we forget that it’s our home now, and we should be able to live in it and enjoy it exactly the way we want to.
If you’re tired of the stark, all-white show home look and are ready for a touch of dark drama, prepare to embrace your inner goth and let’s dive fearlessly into this dramatic look.
Modern Gothic vs. the original
Unlike the original ornate Gothic movement of the Victorian era, today’s incarnation has a more livable, minimalist vibe. Most people associate gothic decor with Halloween, and while there are some elements of darkness and the macabre, the modern gothic style is really about creating a unique, elegant and luxurious aesthetic that can be used unapologetically in your home all year round. Sure, add some skulls during the spooky season, but the great thing about this look is its flexibility. Remove the skulls and replace them with all-white, silver, gold, mercury glass, jewel-toned or even black Christmas accessories, and you’re good to go.
Creating dark drama
Gothic design is often characterized by dark colours, rich embellishments, fancy moldings and ornate details, but unlike the original Victorian gothic style, less furniture and clutter are a hallmark.
One of the most important features of the modern gothic style is its use of light and shadow. This can be seen in the use of contrasting colours in rugs, cushions, furniture and tapestries to create drama and intrigue. Sconces are a glamorous way to add ambient lighting against a dark wall or across furniture. Candles, whether real or LED, add a warm glow in unexpected places to ramp up the feeling of mystery.
However, this style is not limited to the use of all black, dreamy as that is. Rich, dark, jewel-toned colours can be used everywhere. Instead of a black wall, try midnight blue, deep forest green or darkest wine. Or try black with undertones of those shades mixed in. Set a piece of ornate furniture in front of it in a contrasting velvet upholstery, add a silk embroidered throw and some damask cushions, and you’ve got instant depth and luxurious comfort.
Another very important feature of this decor style is texture. That wrought-iron wall sconce that looks so amazing next to the gold-edged mirror will be wasting it’s ambience on a bunch of silk pillows. The sheen of silk is fantastic, but not on everything. Think about the kinds of shadows you want to create, and where you want to cast them. Like spells, they’re most effective if used in the right way.
Antiques or items with a sense of history are essential. From dark, polished sideboards to ornate gold frames, silver candlesticks to well-worn old books, convex mirrors and mercury glass bowls or old apothecary bottles, any oddity with a timeless sense of having been well-loved will fit right in.
The best thing about the modern gothic style is that there are no rules. It’s a very flexible style that is easy to change up for every season. You can mix and match as many different elements as you want to create the perfect look to suit your darker side.
Add a touch of Whimsygoth
If you’re not a fan of too much darkness, try the recent decor trend known as Whimsygoth. Just like it sounds, this style builds on the moodiness of the gothic style but incorporates the contrast of airier fabrics mixed in with the heavier ones, touches of nature and greenery, vintage patterns, hard and soft materials, and brighter colours mixed in with the dark for a lighter counterbalance. Celestial elements like moons and stars are used to add a lighthearted playfulness. This dreamy, optimistic aesthetic is part of the movement away from antiseptic, uncluttered interiors towards more colour, character and comfort.
Don’t shy away from white
Not a fan of a too-dark look even with the whimsy? It’s entirely possible to achieve the same romantic, gothic vibe using white. Just look for things that have that worn, lived-in look, like ecru lace-edged curtains, weathered bleached woods, crushed velvet champagne-hued pillows and touches of tarnished silver. Make sure you choose more texture when picking textiles and accessories to add depth to it all, in the same way you need to when adding darkness to your spaces. And don’t forget the addition of proper lighting to set the mood and add a warm glow over it all.
Entirely white rooms with character added through detail are warmer than the more antiseptic modern rooms we’re used to seeing. Even a brand new home can be made to look like an Old World cocoon in this way. Or change up just one space to contrast with all the rich, dark tones everywhere else, like the kitchen or a bathroom, but instead of stark white counters, find something with a dark, dramatic vein running through it for interest. The choice to use white helps to open up a very tiny space, because while you still might want your bedroom to feel like a cozy cave, you may prefer your kitchen to be a little brighter for practical purposes.
The moral of this spooky tale is that you shouldn’t be afraid to decorate your home the way you want to live in it right now, not for a hypothetical buyer down the road. It should be a reflection of you. You deserve to enjoy your space while having a Happy Halloween at the same time!