Adding a touch of the Gothic in your living room is not as hard as most people believe. As in other areas of your home, all it takes is a little paint, ingenuity and elbow grease. Most experts tell you to pick out paint colors first but, in the case of how to decorate with a goth theme in your living room, your starting point will be a little more personal.
The Artwork
First choose a piece of artwork. This will help you decide your color scheme as well as the overall feel of the room. If you already have a treasured painting, all the better. If not- search thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets and online auction houses for the perfect print. Whether it is a classic depiction that has been around for centuries or a new addition to the art world from a fledging artist; make sure that it speaks to you and your sense of style.
The Walls
The next step in decorating with a Goth theme in your living room is to paint your walls. Choose your favorite hue from the picture- even if it isn’t one of the stereotypical deep dark jewel tones that are often associated with the style. You are the one that has to live with it, so make sure that it is a color that you feel comfortable being surrounded by. After you have painted, hang your piece of artwork and wait a full twenty four hours before moving onto the next step. It is best to see a color in all shades of natural and man-made light, from early in the morning to the wee hours, as it varies slightly in different shadows. Make sure that it brings out the elements that you want it to in your picture.
Now it’s time to frame out the walls that frame out your art. One of the most gorgeous parts of Gothic architecture is the intricate moldings. Now, unless you are lucky enough to already have them in your house, getting them can be quite expensive. You can get the same look for less by adding them yourself. Just go to your local home improvement store and browse through the vast moldings that are available. There are wood ones as well as a cheaper versions that can be stained and/or painted to look like the real thing. Bring measurements, buy a few trim nails and you are good to go! There are do-it-yourself books on the market for such projects or search the Internet for step by step instructions. Not only will you end up with the look that you want, you will have the pride of knowing that you created it yourself!
The Furniture
One of the hardest parts of how to decorate with a Goth theme in your living room is finding the right pieces of furniture. Once again, you can scour thrift stores, antique shops and flea markets to eventually collect all of the pieces that you need. If you want a quicker and less pricer solution, it is time to roll up your sleeves again. You can buy unfinished and/or used furniture locally and vamp it up yourself. Use some of the same, or a complementary molding, like you used to trim out your walls on the front of your pieces. Add some other decorative touches, such as medallions that you can find either at your local home improvement store or craft shop. You can find ones in almost any shape that you can think of from lion heads to scroll designs. Some wood glue, a few trim nails and a tube of putty should be the last of what you need to dress up your furniture in Gothic style. After you have added all of the details that you want, paint or stain the whole thing with the same hue you used on your wall, moldings or other accent color taken from your artwork.
Creating the furniture yourself in this way creates a unified look to the whole room which gives it the air of authenticity and of ‘always being there’. It also gives you the option of collecting real pieces over time and switching them out. You may even like your handcrafted items so much that you choose to keep them!
For larger pieces of furniture that you just can not afford to get rid of right now, even if they do not go with your new theme, it is all about covering them up. There are many slip covers and scarves available or if you are handy with a needle and thread; make them yourself!
Lighting and Accessories
The last few parts of how to decorate with a Goth theme in your living room are the lighting and accessories. What you choose in this area is all about the mood that you are trying to create. Romantic lighting and accessories can include crystal chandeliers, flickering iron worked candle holders, lace or velvet window treatments and beautiful stone statues. Or if you are going for more of a fun Gothic feel, you can buy novelty items and movie souvenirs. One idea to work in a more elaborate ceiling, with either idea, is mount a medallion around whatever light fixture you choose and screw in hooks from the center of the room across to the corners. Hang up mesh, lace or chains and drape it at different lengths throughout. If you choose chains, you can interweave dried roses and/or crystals for even more drama.
The accessories of any room can easily make or break the ambiance that you are trying to create. The best advice, no matter what look you are going for, is to only buy pieces that you love and can visualize exactly where they are going to be placed in the room. Whether you are going for dark, mysterious, romantic or a combination of a few different Gothic living room styles; clutter is not in the perfect definition of any of them.
The next article of this series will be how to decorate with a Goth Theme in your kitchen. Get your oven mitts ready to add sizzle to your cooking space!
Reference:
- “How to Decorate with a Goth Theme Part 1” (Basics) found on htp://www.associatedcontent.com
