9 Simple Steps to Modern Gothic Design

What is Modern Gothic Design?

Modern Gothic design incorporates elements of Victorian style with contemporary style.

How do I achieve this look?

Modern Gothic design is actually fairly simple to accomplish if you follow a few rules of thumb when decorating your home.

Step 1: Decorate with bones, skulls and other creepy things

They don’t have to be real bones, unless you have some laying around of course! Bones, skulls, antlers, dried roses, taxidermy, raw gemstones, strange sculptures even antique doctors tools and vintage knick knacks will bring the theme to life! There is a slight morbidity to modern gothic design. You can really have a lot of fun playing around with the different accents to decorate with.

Step 2: Add ornately framed mirrors in oval shapes

Oftentimes, you see this in victorian decoration and design. Mirrors with intricately ornate frames in oval shapes can be placed at the front entrance of doors or on the opposing walls of doorways. Steer away from wooden frames. Choose mirrors framed in metallic accents such as pewter, brass, gold or silver. If you decide to choose a wooden frame, be sure it is painted in a dark color.

Step 3: Stick to dark hues

You will rarely find bubblegum pink or canary yellow in a Modern Gothic home. Choose dark or neutral hues such as black, gray or ivory. You can incorporate crimson red, deep purple, navy blue and forest green furnishings and dramatic accents. The colors you choose should be both regal and mundane. It is perfectly workable to add splashes of gold and silver throughout the space.

Step 4: Install tiered, cascading and candlestick chandeliers, wall sconces, floor lamps and table lamps

The lighting in a Modern Gothic home can really change the entire atmosphere. Choose ornate and highly decorative chandeliers, lights, lamps and wall sconces. It isn’t necessary for candlestick chandeliers to hold candles but the same shape and style from the victorian era when this was necessary can remain.

Step 5: Place candles in varying heights throughout the space

We could have easily added this into the decorations on step 1 but I think candles should have a place of their own. Candles, even if you never choose to burn them, have an appeal and a luster when lit that adds volumes to the Modern Gothic space. Varying heights of candles provides scale to the space even if they are placed on low level furnishings.

Step 6: Use long draping curtains or none at all.

You can take either approach in Modern Gothic design. If you are going to add curtains, be sure they are long, draping and dramatically whimsical. If not, than have no curtains at all. While the interior may be characterized by dark hues, ornate fixtures and strange objects, the naturally bright light of the outdoors is actually welcomed in a Modern Gothic space.

Step 7: Scale is necessary to keep furnishings both above and below

Scale essentially means the height of furnishings and fixtures throughout a space. You can accomplish balanced scale in Modern Gothic design by placing decor mostly above and using furniture that has height, such as beds with canopies or long bedposts.

Step 8: Velvet, suede, satin and leather upholstered furniture and accents

There is a romanticism that lurks in the depths of Modern Gothic design. These rich and soft fabrics are comfortable, luxurious and delicate. I would not recommend every piece of furniture in these supple fabrics but maybe one or two such as a lounge chair with a foot stool, a beautiful velvet sofa or a daybed with bolster pillows.

Step 9: Metallic accents and distressed finishes

You can take a tip from vintage and industrial design when it comes to metallic accents and finishes. However, do not be shy if you like everything looking so polished you can see your reflection in it. Both of these styles work beautifully with Modern Gothic design. Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with the metallics and finishes.

You will find Modern Gothic design is hauntingly fulfilling in its form, texture and color schemes. Once you start to get spooky, you may never want to stop!