What comes to mind when you hear Gothic homes? For many, it’s a dramatic all-black, textured, and witchy look. Whether you’ve purchased an antique Gothic home in Baltimore, MD, or looking to incorporate Gothic decor ideas into your modern home in Boston, MA, there are many tasteful ways to incorporate this historical, dramatic, romantic, and edgy style into your home. Read on to find out some expert tips for Gothic home decor ideas.

History of the Gothic style

Gothic, a period of peace and stability began in Europe around 1100. Originally what was church architecture soon migrated to the domestic buildings. Easily recognized by pointed arches, quatrefoils, and gargoyles, it is a strong and formal style that demands appropriate interior design. In modern times, early English Georgian, Thomas Chippendale, and offerings from the Arts & Crafts period would best complement this style. – Rhonald Angleo Blogs 

Appreciate where the Gothic style home originated

The 1848 Beeks House is a fine example of a rare early pioneer Gothic style. With an original balcony door and multiple glass panes, this simple farmhouse is as Gothic as it gets. Think “American Gothic,” Oregon style. It was restored by Preservation Artisan Guild Members and is a winner of the 2019 DeMuro Award for historic preservation from Restore Oregon. – Restoring History 

Keeping the original architecture  

We believe in restoring and honoring the original architectural elements of any home – always work with what you’ve got. In the case of a Gothic-style property, lean into rooms like a library, sitting lounge, or guest bath, which are perfect opportunities for dark, moody, saturated colors like eggplant or hunter green, with dark wood trim, leather upholstery, and gorgeous Persian area rugs. Don’t be afraid to incorporate metals into your decor selections – wrought iron, brass, or steel (pick two at max) are options for light fixtures, fireplace tools, picture frames, and sculptural pieces that could amp up the Gothic character. – Little Farm

Traditional Drama

Traditional aesthetics of Gothic design can be incorporated into modern interiors today by adding drama with walls in framed molding details and our favorite paint colors in black hues such as Benjamin Moore Onyx or Wrought Iron. Also, a dramatic deep grey paint color like Farrow & Ball Down Pipe or Farrow & Ball Beetle Black for a Gothic-inspired design. Arched doorways and windows mimic the Gothic style alongside dramatic chandeliers to make a statement. We love modern furnishings mixed with a few carved Gothic furniture pieces to create a cohesive space. – Zuniga Interiors Agency

Gothic home features are romantic and bold 

The beauty of antique homes is they have beautiful natural elements that are great for restoring and incorporating into your home. Some typical architectural features you’ll find in Gothic homes are archways, prominent windows and stained glass, stone facades, steep roof pitches, wood trim or latticework on the front porch, and decorative framework around the house.

Often overlooked as a style, Gothic architecture can be employed to create spirited homes and has influenced famous residences in Washington DC, such as President Lincoln’s Cottage and Alban Towers Apartments. Features such as steeply pitched gable roofs, asymmetric floor plans, verge boards, and latticework porches greatly affect the exterior. Trilobite windows, rich materials, and high or vaulted ceilings result in a powerful play of light and shadow, creating unique and dynamic interiors. – Emotive Architecture

Gothic home decor ideas

The perfect Gothic color schemes 

The color scheme is important in a Gothic-styled home, and the most used choices are the deep dark blue, burgundy, and intense greens for the walls and accessories, and the furniture, dark tones of wood with ornaments and curves on the form. – Cassiana Jensen Interior Designer

Gothic wallpaper: what it is and what it isn’t 

There’s a big difference between “Gothic wallpaper” (ex. Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion) and “wallpaper for Gothic houses”. The former often features cartoonish caricatures of bats, gargoyles, and pointed-arch tropes, while the latter side-steps stereotypes for historically informed the 1830s -1880s re-imaginings of medieval and ecclesiastical themes. Both have in common the desire to evoke the most richly appointed and sumptuous interiors of a highly romanticized and picturesque past.  – Bolling & Co. (Preservation Artisan Guild Member)

Stained glass: the heart of Gothic architecture

If you’d like to add a Gothic feel to your home, consider hanging a Gothic stained-glass window or two from your favorite architectural salvage in front of existing windows and acquire some 19th-century antiques with intricate carvings and place them in key spots in your home. These are two items that are key to decorating gothic architecture. – Long Beach Historic Homes for Sale

Highlight design and textures 

One simple way to add an element of Gothic decor to your home is to incorporate curtains or draperies in rich colors like burgundy or emerald green and luxurious fabrics such as velvet or silk. You may wish to feature a patterned wallpaper in a deep, bold color or texture for those looking for an extra edge. You could opt for accessories featuring similar intricate designs, for example, a tapestry or statement rug, for a more subtle touch of Gothic style. To complement these and complete your Gothic room, you could also purchase a piece of Gothic Revival furniture. This style emerged in the 19th century and featured heavily-carved furniture, including grand oak tables and marble chimneypieces. – Westland London

Texture plays many roles in Gothic interior design

Creating a textural interplay of forms, rhythm, and proportion in context with the original vision and architectural design. An architectural element should dominate the space by presenting that it coexists with other aspects of the space or home, such as a fireplace, headboard, or cabinetry. Other elements with gothic influences are classically pointed or arched doors, windows, and flying buttresses, distinguished from romanesque period detailing. Then the typical white walls become a layering of textural properties that envelope other forms in contrast of light and dark (Chiaroscuro), creating elements of luxury that convey both the personal and creative styling – making the ultimate statement for the homeowner. – Victor Liberatore Interior Design

Bring elements of Gothic construction into your home

There are countless ways of striking Gothic notes in residential construction, but two are the most practical and easily applied today. The first way is to emulate half-timber construction. Half-timber work consists of a framework of large timbers for the floors and walls, and the spaces between the timbers are filled in with brick or stucco. While heavy timber will probably not be the actual structure of your home, you can make it look like it is by detailing the veneer of your exterior cavity wall to look like structural timber work. On the interior, falsework beams can apply to the ceilings of the most important rooms. Ideally, the falsework is made of reclaimed wood to look like it’s been there forever. 

The second way is to avoid large symmetries in the massing and the facade design. Break down the facade and mass into small, local symmetries while maintaining a sense of overall balance. Your home will look like it was built with the interior functions given priority. The medieval domestic architecture was relatively informal and often eccentric. There are other touches one can add: small window panes, a variety of patterns in the masonry, steep roof pitches, and timber posts with oversized brackets. For inspiration, look at actual medieval work or the early work of Sir Edwin Lutyens. – Marcantonio Architects 

Ultimately make Gothic home decor work for you

Gothic doesn’t need to be extravagant or entirely black. There are many Gothic home decor ideas to create a space that works for you. If you have an antique Gothic home, look into restoring some of the historic features your home already has. Then add various decorative elements to enhance your space like textures, stained glass, and draperies. If you have a modern home but want to channel the historic Gothic vibe, incorporate Gothic decor, add antique pieces, statement furniture, and other design elements.