Gothic Decor Ideas

When you hear the term Gothic decor, what comes to mind? For most of us, it’s something along the lines of an all-black look that comes packed with animal bones, feathers, and various other witchy elements.

The dramatics that come along with gothic or gothcore design instantly add a touch of offbeat opulence and historical relevance to your space. The origins of Gothic design began with dramatic Christian cathedrals and European castles, after all.

Curious to find out more about the bold aesthetic? Below, we’re laying out some of the most elegant and effective ways to give your home that enviable Gothic style—whether you’re decorating an ornate heritage home or a modern condo in the city.

Lancet Windows 

Lancet windows are an extremely popular architectural element in Victorian Gothic design, this paired with the dark paint on the walls and library ladder is a great way to create a traditional Gothic style decor. 

*If your windows are more modern and squared off. You can easily recreate the effect with a modern mirror with a similar vaulted design.

Add Black Accents

When you are looking at creating a space with a Gothic style it can seem obvious to paint everything black and have black furniture when it comes to gothic decor, but this doesn’t mean you need to go all out and decorate your home all black. You can just add black accents. For example, in the image below the floorboards and skirting have been painted black and a few pieces of dark furniture have been added. So the room has that Gothic edge but still looks bright and airy.

Adding a Chandelier 

Candlelight is a great way to set the mood—but a chandelier is the top option for adding Gothic opulence to your space. If you’re working with a smaller space or relatively low ceilings, you don’t have to go for a grand chandelier. Pairing a chandelier with dark painted accents is a great way to create a traditional gothic style.

Dark Furnishings 

You don’t need to paint all the walls in your home black—unless you want to go extremely bold! You could simply add some black furnishings such as a sofa, a coffee table or like in the image below a kitchen ladder to add to the look In fact, white walls go great with gothic interior design when paired with black furnishings.

Image credit - Kevin Stevens 

Look to the Mouldings 

Interesting arches and coving and cornice mouldings are classic Gothic design—but if you’re dealing with a more modern home, there are certain ways to get that same element of grandeur without doing a full reno. Like the image below you could add a more traditional style banister and paint it in a darker colour giving a nod to the Gothic style.

Add Antiques 

Here’s where going Gothic gets fun: A common element of Gothic-inspired decor is an abundance of ornate accessories on display—like pottery, stones, feathers, animal bones, and more oddities. Start your collection by going antiquing, foraging your own backyard, or raiding your parents’ attic.