Gothic Home Decorating Tips

Do you have a domestic streak, despite the fact that your tastes run to the macabre? Most home decorating magazines are geared toward those who appreciate paisleys and silk daffodils. If you're more the type to take the thorns over the roses, take heart. With a little creativity, you can turn a beige home or apartment into a dark dungeon worthy of Dracula.

The walls

If you live in a home where you can paint the walls, consider yourself lucky. The most gothic choice would of course be black, but this can often be overwhelming. Black has a tendency to make small spaces seem smaller.

Those that consider black paint a gothic must-have should consider using it as an accent color, on crown molding or the border around windows and doors. A small amount of black will still have a striking effect.

For your primary wall color, consider jewel tones such as violet or crimson. A cold, steel grey can also work, particularly if matched with black and white photography.

Wall decor

Once the walls are painted, it's time to think about art. The most traditional gothic choice is cemetery photography, enlarged and framed in black. Consider images from the St. Louis No. 1 in New Orleans (resting place of the voodoo queen), or perhaps a shot of a pile of skulls from the Paris catacombs.

For a less conventional choice, consider vintage tattoo flash. The work of artists such as Sailor Jerry is replete with skulls, fire and devils. Other interesting choices include photos of sideshow freaks from historic circuses, or even the romantic yet haunting work of the Pre-Raphaelites.

Accessories

Nothing is more gothic than an old curio shop, so why not turn your home into one? Collections of odd objects should turn up everywhere from your bedside table to your mantle.

Check out scientific supply stores for human and animal bones. If you're feeling spendy, you could even splurge on an entire skeleton.

Religious items can also have a gothic feel to them. Seven day candles (the kind with saints on the front) can be found in many grocery stores. Complete the look with crucifixes, rosaries and perhaps even the odd bottle of holy water (you never know when Nosferatu might drop by).

Pull it all together and create a "voodoo altar" with bones, beads, feathers and a few saints' images - everyone will wonder if you're a practitioner of the dark arts.