How to give your home a Gothic makeover for Halloween, and beyond
One bedroom flat in St Pancras Chambers NW1. Available through Fyfe McDade for �899,950 - Credit: Archant
You’ve bought the Gothic pile, but the tasteful modern interior is starting to seem a little bland – you’re the Addams family, not the Brady bunch.
Puffa fish in a display case from The Victorian Emporium - Credit: Archant
The good news is, only a few tweaks, will add plenty of darkly romantic atmosphere to any home.
And it’s worth investing in quality; after all, as anyone who’s spent an afternoon at Camden Market will know, a Goth is for life, not just for Halloween.
A good place to start is with a suitable wall colour. Banish boring white and opt for a dark background for devilish domesticity.
Tanner’s Brown Estate Eggshell from Farrow & Ball has a dense darkness that is softer than pure black but will lend a historic gravitas to your room, even without the wood panelling.
Frog skeleton in glass case from The Victorian Emporium - Credit: Archant
Complement this with some statement flooring.
This intricately patterned inlaid wood from Fameed Khalique is pure Medieval castle territory, perfect for banquets all year round.
Sterling silver tumbler lined with 24 ct gold finished with a decorative Boar tooth handle from Katharine Pooley - Credit: Archant
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Happily for Goths the world over, leather is the interiors fabric du jour for everything from floors and walls to sofas and tables.
For a more subtle use, leather cushions look stylish and will lend an air of sophistication to soft furnishings and Khalique’s range come in a variety of interesting textures.
Iron lock from The Victorian Emporium - Credit: Archant
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Death is, of course, a bit of a theme for All Hallow’s Eve.
Taxidermy works as an uncanny memento mori and will add an unusual note to your home décor.
The Victorian Emporium stocks a range of animal curios, which hark back to the nineteenth century’s obsession with death.
Iron lock from The Victorian Emporium - Credit: Archant
Alternatively, Katharine Pooley’s boar tooth beer tumbler combines the functional with the decorative.
Jewellery box. Beech case covered in shagreen with ebony edging and 24k Gold plated hinges with a silver dragon - Credit: Archant
It’s easy to imagine a despotic king swilling meade from the gold-lined sterling silver tumbler, but it lends itself just as well to a modern craft ale.
Pooley also makes this dramatic shagreen jewellery box to stash secret treasures in, guarded by the silver dragon for a touch of fantasy.
The ebony edging and gold-plated hinges are additional luxe touches.
A heavy iron lock and bolt are essential finishing touches to keep everything secure in style.
Just hope no poltergeists get hold of the key.
Read more:
House of horrors: Our Halloween round-up of Gothic gems on the market
Gardening: Ghoulish greens and frightening foliage for Halloween gardens
