What is Gothic Interior Design?

Gothic decor style has been popular for many years, but there’s more to it than the simple idea of dark colors and eerie accessories. Though gothic decor does tend to lean into darker colors, textures, textiles and lighting, are also an important aspect of gothic decor. In this gothic home décor guide, we’ll give you a full run-down on the ins and outs of creating the perfect gothic decor aesthetic for your home.

What is Gothic Decor?

Like many design styles, gothic design branches into several different categories. All encompassing the same over all look and feel, there are key differentiators that make each design theme stand out. Most commonly, gothic decor incorporates dark, rich colors, ornate details, significant architectural elements, embellishments and more. Here’s a brief description of just a few different gothic interior design styles:

Victorian Gothic Decor
Historically driven with more traditional touches. 

Modern Gothic Decor
Minimalistic and fluid. 

Boho Gothic Decor
Incorporates witchy aesthetics and natural elements. 

Glamour Gothic Decor
Dark, mysterious and heavily textured. 

Before getting started, decide which type of gothic decor theme matches your vibe. Once you set a vision board for yourself, you’ll be able to focus in on the perfect additions and create your dream home.

What Are the Main Elements of Gothic Home Decor?

As mentioned, all areas of gothic decor hang tightly onto similar elements to bring design to life. From colors and lighting to textures and materials, there’s so much you can do to achieve your gothic dream home. Always remember to keep your personality at the forefront while designing. Your home decor should reflect your personality and incorporate all things that make you who you are.

Gothic Interior Design Color Palette

Dark, rich and bold. When you’re decorating with gothic inspiration in mind, you’ll want to incorporate colors like black, dark purple, dark green and red. These colors should be the main focal point while complementing them with golds, silvers and even some shades of pink. While modern gothic decor has a focus on dark colors, it’s important to make sure you’re balancing dark tones and light tones that create cohesiveness throughout each room of your house. For example, you can paint each wall in your house with dark colors but use accent colors within your accessories to balance the mood.

Gothic Decor Furniture

Gothic decor highlights architecture that was popular in the 12th and 16th centuries. Some of the key elements include pointed arches, trefoils, and flying buttresses which have since been used in many gothic-inspired chairs, sofas and more. When shopping for gothic furniture to match your theme, you may find the perfect additions in an antique store. Look for trefoil details, sabered legs, and dark-colored woods with texture.

Gothic Decor Lighting

Whether you’re looking for elegant chandeliers, sconces or table lamps, playing with lighting in your gothic-themed home is sure to be one of the most exciting parts of your design journey. From dark lamp shades adorned with fringe to crystal-covered chandeliers, the options are nearly endless. Keep in mind, when you are purchasing bulbs to accompany your lighting, you’ll want warm hues that give you visibility without becoming too bright. Warm lighting is essential to the mood that gothic decor brings to your home. If you need to enhance your lighting for daily tasks, consider investing in a dimmer that you can adjust depending on the time of day.

Gothic Decor Materials and Textures

Some of the main textiles and materials used in gothic decor include velvet, iron, stone, wood and bone. By incorporating things like velvet sofas, wrought iron beds and other furnishings, exposed stone or brick walls, and wood or bone accessories, you’ll create an opulence of luxury. To incorporate textures, you can add molded panels to your walls, embellishments and ornate details like fringe or crystals that tie into your dark, moody theme.

Gothic Decor Accessories

Channel your inner knick-knack lover because decorating with accessories is a must to achieve the perfect gothic vibe. Larger accessories like pillows, carpets, throw blankets and wall decor may be the first things to come to mind when you’re thinking about topping off the perfect gothic interior design, but the smaller details may be the thing to bring your vision to life. Ornate wall sconces, iron door knockers, moody candles and candle holders, table runners, and intricate statues are just a few of the smaller items you may want to consider incorporating into your gothic decor.

You can also upcycle your existing decor and fixtures, like kitchen cabinets, by adding new hardware and handles that embody the gothic style you’ve envisioned. Or, if you’re into arts and crafts, you can use existing pillows and reupholster them with materials that better match your theme. Hone into your creative vision and take control!

What Faucets and Fixtures Fit the Gothic Decor Theme?

When designing your kitchen or your bathroom, keep in mind the color palette that works best with gothic decor. Matte black and gold will perfectly complement your dark walls, cabinets, or other decor items. While keeping color in mind, you can also match your faucets with the architecture you’ve chosen within your furniture. Here are just a few examples of faucets that will blend perfectly with your gothic theme.

Gothic Kitchen Faucets

Gothic Bathroom Faucets

Also available in Matte Black and Champagne Bronze.