The Gothic style in interior design - strict, gloomy, mysterious and majestic - is suitable for implementation in large rooms with high ceilings. Gothic was the most characteristic movement in Western European architecture in the 13th - 15th centuries.
A feature of the Gothic style is the upward direction of all design elements and some pointedness of the structures. Lancet windows in metal frames, decorated with stained glass, arched pointed openings and heavy, massive doors made of natural wood - these are the main distinctive features of Gothic in interior design.
Style color scheme.
The most characteristic color scheme for the Gothic style is dark, rich colors. Among them are:
- crimson;
- cherry;
- purple;
- burgundy color;
- Dark red;
- brown;
- red - brown;
- bloody red;
- black;
- blue;
- gold;
- silver.
Materials in the interior.
To embody the interior in the Gothic style, you should use only expensive materials of natural origin:
- Genuine Leather;
- natural wood;
- glass;
- metal.
Decorative details.
Metal (most often bronze) is used to make auxiliary elements and decorative parts - door handles, carved elements on furniture, candlesticks and candelabra. A metal fireplace grate is a must as the main element of decor.
In the form of individual parts, you can use church sculptures, knight's crosses, works of easel painting and massive bookshelves. Lamps and chandeliers, door handles and carved armrests, wooden stands, etc. - all these items will help create an interior in the style of a medieval castle.
Elements of knightly armor, helmets, swords and shields will also be a very successful addition to the characteristic stylish interior.
Features of wall decoration.
In wall decoration, preference was given to mosaics or decorative panels made of natural wood, characterized by severity and clarity of lines. In the design of the walls there is a clear division into zones, each of which has its own type of decoration.
The living room space is conventionally divided into several functional areas: dining area, fireplace area, guest area and relaxation area. At the same time, the area near the fireplace and window space is often finished in the form of stone or brickwork, which is specially given an aged look.
The walls in other functional areas can be decorated with wood panels, but only in the lower part. Approximately two-thirds of the wall height can be painted with water-based paint in calm, pastel colors or covered with wallpaper in a discreet print.
For decorative decoration of walls in the form of fragments, brick, natural stone and valuable wood are used. On the walls, above the windows and above the doors, semicircular openings are made, pointed upward, which perform a purely decorative function and add the necessary stylistic touch to the interior design.
Flooring.
It is difficult to imagine anything other than parquet made of valuable wood as a floor covering in a Gothic-style interior. The appearance of the flooring should produce a visual effect of antiquity. In addition to parquet, it is suitable for finishing the floor.
When choosing the color scheme for flooring, it is best to give preference to dark, rich shades, which are most typical for use in a Gothic-style interior.
Narrow carpet runners, either cherry or blood red, decorated on both sides or along the entire perimeter with a calm, minimalist ornament, will look very harmonious.
Ceiling finishing.
The most characteristic detail for finishing the ceiling was the ceiling made of massive wooden beams. The ceiling plays a special role in creating the characteristic Gothic style. It can also be partially finished with masonry elements or stucco.
Very often, in some places, additional arched vaults are created, which also serve a purely decorative function. It is possible to paint the ceiling surface with strict Gothic ornaments and discreet openwork patterns.
Furniture in Gothic style.
Furniture in a Gothic interior is massive in size. It is strong and durable, made of strong wood species - oak, walnut, cedar or pine. In accordance with the general style, pieces of furniture also have a pronounced upward tendency. The interior of the Gothic style has high cabinets, the backs of chairs and armchairs are also high and narrow, decorated with wood carvings. Often, pieces of furniture were decorated with decorative bronze details.
All pieces of furniture must be harmoniously combined with the overall stylistic character of the interior and form one integral composition with it. The presence of high carved legs, high headboards of beds and chairs, luxurious benches and majestic throne-like chairs is a must.
You must choose a massive, heavy desk, made of oak or other valuable wood. It is necessary to have a drawer and secret secretaries - small and inconspicuous drawers and niches. The decoration includes wood carvings and decorative bronze details.
In the Gothic style it is also possible to use heavy and bulky chests with forged decorative elements. On such a chest you can comfortably sit, sit and relax, and you can also hide some unnecessary things in it.
To create a full-fledged interior in the Gothic style, you need a large country house with high ceilings. Perhaps only in a two-story apartment is it possible to create an interior in the Gothic style that will imitate the interior decoration of a medieval castle.
In a city apartment with a standard layout it is very difficult to create a harmonious interior in the Gothic style, so you can limit yourself to using only some characteristic stylistic details.
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A gothic room can be dark, beautiful and beautiful. Dark colors, black, red and silver candles, soft music... or band posters, mysterious works of art and strange but beautiful decorations. Whatever the style, whatever the goal, one of the best ways to decorate a room is to make it gothic. However, you must have some basic skills and your own unique taste, as well as knowledge of the rules to make the perfect gothic room. Painting the walls black and calling the room very “Gothic” will not achieve the desired effect. If you want to make your room gothic but need help, then this article is for you.
Steps
- Candles. Candles always create a great effect because they come in so many different styles. Silver, black and red will all work. Cream or yellow/golden colors can also create a very romantic setting. Scented candles are also very effective.
- Candlesticks. Stately silver candle holders can perfectly decorate any gothic room with or without candles.
- Plants. Don’t just imagine: green, bright plants in pots. Try choosing other plants, maybe even artificial ones, in beautiful silver, white or dark pots. Plants with white and red flowers will create a very beautiful romantic gothic style. You can buy artificial flowers, which are much easier to care for, and the choice is huge and suits many styles. You can also pluck rose petals like Morticia Addams!
- Pillows. Black, silver, silver embroidered, crystal white... pillows can create a relaxing, cozy and beautiful atmosphere. Gothic pillows are also not hard to find.
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Add artwork. Beautiful paintings or other mysterious works can always make a big difference in a room. If you are an artist, be creative and make your own things. If not, go shopping and look for something interesting. Masks, mosaics and paintings - all this will suit you.
Buy sheets for the bed. Swap out the plain sheets for something darker and more romantic. Black silk or velvet, white, silver colors or, if you want something brighter, purple, red or blue are ideal. Search hard and you are sure to find something for yourself. Remember that you want something cozy and easy to care for and try to stick to cream colors. You can also buy a canopy - white braid is ideal.
Buy a carpet. See what colors suit your room. Try to choose something unique and interesting, something that will attract attention. Remember that it’s worth buying something that doesn’t require much maintenance, so that it still looks decent after a couple of years.
Buy new furniture. If you want, you can paint the old furniture or just leave it as is. But if you can afford it, why not buy something new? Dark marble or other stones, as well as wood, are good materials for Gothic furniture. White, black, silver and dark brown are great colors.
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Put on some music. Buy a walkman or stereo and confuse or amaze people with your choice of music. Keep your CDs visible so people can see what kind of music you like.
- If you can paint the room but your parents don't approve of the black color you choose, then try dark brown, silver, dark purple, blood red or even white with bold black designs!
- Bookshelves are great if you choose a relatively classic and romantic style.
- Dark colored walls such as dark brown, navy and plum can look very nice, especially when paired with cream and ivory trim. Walls painted ivory will go well with black and dark decorations.
- Buy black or red light bulbs. Black will create a dark purple lighting in the room, and red will, of course, create red.
- Try to make drawings on the walls yourself. Silver stars and spider webs will look beautiful.
Warnings
- Parents can categorically suppress your creativity. In this case, try to bypass their instructions. If you are not allowed to paint or hang anything on the walls, buy furniture or play music, try covering the furniture with beautiful silk or velvet fabric, buying candles and decorations.
- First, think about what mood you want to create for the room. You might only like one color, but you might not like it when it covers all your walls and floors. Gothic is an elegant style, but it is important to maintain a sense of intimacy, no matter what effect you are going for.
- Black paint can have an unexpected effect and make the room feel much smaller. If you decide to paint the walls of your room black, try to put a design on them. Black goes perfectly with silver. Try black walls and a silver ceiling, or black with a silver pattern. This combination will make the room a little brighter.
Clean up your room. Gothic and disorder Not combine. It is imperative that you remove all noisy, unnecessary items and clean the room completely. A good way to start is to break things down into three parts: the “keep” part, the “throw away” part, and the “maybe keep” part. Divide everything into three parts and start from there. Remember that you need to clean the room very carefully - dust, wash, vacuum, polish... whatever is needed.
Decide which style suits you. For a gothic room, you don't have to choose one style, which gives you a little variety and freedom of choice when decorating the room. Before you get down to business, think carefully about the style, effect and result you want. Remember that the room should still be cozy and you need to create an environment in which you feel happy and relaxed, but which will seem unusual and beautiful to others. You might want to create a fantasy room with silver walls and stars, or a dark room with black walls and scary pictures. There are many other styles you can try, but you can also create your own.
Paint the walls. One of the easiest ways to create the biggest impact is to repaint your walls. But you don’t need to chase stereotypes and immediately buy fifty cans of black paint. Give yourself time to think and decide which color you like. You can create a mural and make an art wall. Colors can be as follows: silver, dark purple, maybe even deep red or blue.
Come up with decorations. Decorations are one of the most important parts of a Gothic style room as they decorate the room and add the desired effect. Some jewelry is made in such a way that it matches the chosen style, while others appear in it randomly. Look in stores or online for things you like. We can offer:
The culmination of the development of medieval European art is the restrained mystical Gothic, which replaced the lush luxury of the Romanesque style. Bright mosaic stained glass windows, skyward needles of spiers, the radiance of gilding, expression, a symphony of a harmonious combination of light, glass and stone - this is how you can figuratively characterize it in the interior. The term appeared in sunny Italy during the Renaissance. This is how the Romans ironically called the primitivism of the barbarian culture of the Middle Ages, which was fading into oblivion. At first, this word was used in literature when the author wanted to indicate distorted Latin in the text with some degree of irony. Later, this term began to refer to a certain architecture, which in a nutshell can be called intimidatingly majestic.
It is not so easy to reproduce the Gothic style in modern homes, but some of its elements are quite often used when creating country house projects.
Expensive natural materials are used in the construction of Gothic buildings and their decoration:
- stone;
- marble;
- wood of oak, pine, spruce, walnut, cedar and juniper.
The decor of a Gothic house always implies the presence, so it is decorated with:
- tiled mosaic;
- multi-colored stained glass windows;
- figured painted or gold-plated stucco;
- chests covered with genuine leather;
- an abundance of bronze and metal fittings.
Color solution
Rich colors are an integral part of the Gothic style. The color scheme of a Gothic room is usually based on concentrated red, brown, yellow and blue tones. Stylistic accents are made with gilding and silver. And purple, ruby, green or blue-black colors are great for adding contrasting elements to the interior.
The main attributes are a forged spiral staircase, a fireplace with a forged grate and colorful artistic stained glass windows. Multi-colored artistic stained glass windows with built-in internal lighting can become an effective wall decoration. Images of the Gothic rose, lily, trefoil, grape leaves or cruciferous flowers on stained glass windows or applied to fabric, wood or stone surfaces are characteristic features of the Gothic style.
In the dawn era, easel painting and book miniatures received active development. Therefore, typical items of guild craft here are:
- wood carving;
- stone carving;
- ceramics;
- glass products;
- hardware;
- miniature ivory sculptures.
Furniture
The room must have high sideboards and double-leaf cabinets with panels, palace beds and chairs with high backs, imitating architectural fragments of knightly castles and majestic medieval churches.
A special place in the Gothic interior is given to chests, which, if necessary, can serve as tables, beds and benches. It is customary to stack chests one on top of the other, decorating the resulting structure with pointed vaults, thus creating an improvised wardrobe.
A Gothic table should have a fairly deep drawer and a significantly protruding tabletop, the base of which is two supports. And under the folding tabletop, many tiny drawers and compartments should be hidden from prying eyes.
Massive Gothic furniture, as a rule, is made of dark wood, decorated with exquisite carvings and various forged elements.
The ceiling in a Gothic room should be quite high, because Gothic is, first of all, architecture directed upward. If the design requires it, an imitation of beam ceilings decorated with carvings is made on the ceiling.
The walls, as a rule, are finished with wooden panels or decorative stone, decorated with bright Gothic paintings, multi-colored tile mosaics and antique tapestries.
Of course, the presence of huge high windows, for which the walls are only a small frame, multi-colored stained glass windows, the play of natural light and a large stained glass rose window above the entrance to the room creates a unique “face” of Gothic. Stained glass windows, made in the form of pointed arches, are considered the most recognizable feature of the Gothic style. Doors should be oak and paneled.
Photo
As you can see, contrary to popular belief, Gothic is not synonymous with gloom and severity; on the contrary, it can be bright and light, spiritual, irrational, striving for spiritual heights. Gothic stylization turns an ordinary apartment into a mysterious castle, in which the kitchen becomes a laboratory of a magician-alchemist, the dining room becomes a magnificent feast hall, and the ordinary bedroom becomes a luxurious bedchamber.
If you have dreamed of living in a beautiful castle since childhood, give free rein to your imagination and boldly begin design experiments.
Video
We invite you to watch a video about the history of the creation of the Gothic style.
As a rule, based on our own worldview, we form the interior styles of our own homes. Gothic style in the interior is incomparable.
He is original and unique, prefers dark colors, the predominant ones being black, violet or burgundy. There are also light green, pink, and white, but less often. Of course, only those people who are crazy about Gothic and its culture will prefer to decorate the interior in this style. One cannot do without uniqueness and gloom, romanticism.
And most importantly, the style can only be embodied in a large apartment or country house! It is preferable that there are also high ceilings, but this is not at all necessary.
Materials used
Despite the long origin of the style, its concept is relatively young. The main materials are stone and wood, which are roughly processed. In fact, few people will use natural materials. Indeed, in this case it will be necessary to build an entire medieval castle. In our time, this is not the best option for today. Using your preferred materials, the result will be unsurpassed.
Gothic style lighting
Since the Gothic style is current, this style of lamps is perfect for creating a medieval atmosphere. Since the demand for them is relatively small, they are not produced in large quantities, and sometimes not at all, only single copies. And this provides the opportunity to create an individual interior, which emphasizes individuality and originality. At the same time, if the chosen lamp is made to decorate an apartment in the Gothic style, this does not mean at all that it cannot be used in other styles. In such cases, individual approaches are usually considered.
In addition, attention should be paid to lighting, as well as lighting and effects, thanks to which it is possible to create a special mystery and mystery inherent in the style. Such lamps can create coziness and comfort in the interior.
Decoration of windows and arched openings
Surely you have seen various pictures and photos of the Gothic style in the interior, where you can clearly see how the windows and arches tend upward. As decoration, you can use openwork towers and ornaments characteristic of Gothic style. It is completely unacceptable to combine this with other styles. The atmosphere here is majestic and graceful. Windows are decorated with ornaments and stained glass. Windows and arches should be given a lot of attention, as they attract a lot of attention to themselves. It is also important to understand here that the medieval style should be as close as possible in the interior, while you will use modern materials and objects.
Furniture selection
For complete completeness and harmony, furniture must be chosen with special care. A sideboard with high legs, a double-leaf cabinet with 6 panels and high backs would be quite appropriate here. Everything should be made of natural wood, decorated with original carvings. In addition, pieces of furniture should be massive and elegant. Although the interior will be rough, it will also be refined at the same time.
We decorate the ceiling
The peculiarity of the ceiling in the Gothic style is its upward movement. Yes, it’s just great if this factor can be taken into account at the building design stage. But if the housing is already ready, and the ceilings in it are still not too high, consolidated effects, stucco molding, and open open rafters will help to visually raise them.
Gothic home decor
For this you can use mythical sculptures, lions, various types of draperies, paintings, knightly armor.
Despite the retro perception of the Gothic style, it is actually modern. Everything that seems old and ancient is created specifically for appearance. And besides, for fans of Gothic, it is important to understand that when decorating an interior in this style, you should take into account a lot of nuances!
37 real photos
One of the few styles that you don’t even need to imagine
History of appearance
Legend has it that when the Pope asked Raphael in the 13th century how the construction of St. Peter's Basilica was progressing, he responded by dismissively calling the building “Gothic”: barbaric, devoid of true aesthetics. The famous master did not even suspect that he had given the name to one of the greatest styles in the history of mankind.
Initially (XII-XV centuries) the style existed exclusively in architecture. The Gothic style in the interior appeared much later, in the era of historicism (late 19th century). At this time, the nobility of Great Britain, Germany and other European countries were carried away by the fashion for building estates in the neo-Gothic style.
Gothic style originated in the middle of the 12th century in northern France. The first Gothic building appeared in Paris. In 1136-1140, Abbot Sugeria erected two spans of the main nave of the church of the Abbey of Saint-Denis. The abbot believed that the temple was a ship symbolizing the Universe. Light marble columns resemble masts directed upward, and smooth lines under the arches resemble sails stretched by the wind.
Lighting
The architects of the Middle Ages reached unprecedented heights in the art of using sunlight and diffused light.
Unlike Romanesque cathedrals, Gothic cathedrals had many large and brightly decorated stained glass windows. And the windows themselves turned into sparkling paintings of stained glass, designed to stun parishioners with illustrations of biblical scenes.
Theologians even attributed stained glass the ability to enlighten a person’s soul and keep them away from evil.
Designers of those times focused on lighting. It is important for them to save every bit of light so that the stone cathedral becomes airy and weightless.
An excellent example is the lace of the cathedral of the capital of Normandy - Rouen.
On cloudy days, the meticulously designed silhouettes of Gothic cathedrals, countless turrets, spiers, figures and spikes live in dim, diffused light. The result is a dark and majestic image.
Interior features
A special feature of Gothic buildings is the pointed arch, an invention of the 11th century. It was invented during the construction of the English Cathedral in Durham. The wall folded like a tree trunk - with many branches extending, one arch rested on the other, the vault rested on the shoulders of the vault. Intermediate supports and heavy floors that limited the volume of buildings were no longer required.
Second life of the Gothic style: neo-Gothic
During the era of historicism in the 40s of the 18th century, interest in Gothic revived in Great Britain. Neo-Gothic became the “official” national style of Great Britain thanks to an expert and enthusiast of this movement, Augustus Pugin. He rebuilt the British Parliament building that burned down in 1834.
In the United States, the first building in the neo-Gothic style was Trinity Church.
Gradually, a substyle of collegiate Gothic, characteristic of college campuses, emerged from the neo-Gothic here.
Neo-Gothic style also spread to Germany, where, after the revolution of 1848-1849, medieval architectural monuments, such as Cologne Cathedral, were actively revived.
In parallel with the restoration of ancient Gothic cathedrals, the construction of secular buildings in the neo-Gothic style took place.
A striking example is the town hall buildings in Munich and Berlin, the unique complex of Hamburg shipyards - Speicherstadt.
In France and Italy, neo-Gothic was perceived rather as a call to restore and preserve medieval buildings in the Gothic style.
Thus, in Paris, after the publication of Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame Cathedral,” the mentioned cathedral became the object of attention of residents, and in Italy, the most ambitious project of the neo-Gothic movement was the construction of the façade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
One of the key moments in the development of neo-Gothic was the appearance of the Gothic style in the interior.
In 1795, William Beckford began construction of the imposing Fonthill Abbey estate in Wiltshire, with an octagonal 90-meter tower.
The tower collapsed three times within 30 years, but Beckford's estate still made an indelible impression on his contemporaries.
The European nobility eagerly picked up this idea and began building their estates in the same style. At the same time, the basic principles of medieval architecture were preserved when designing buildings, and the interior was supposed to create the feeling that you were in a knight's castle.
Gothic style in modern design
To create a Gothic style in the interior you will need:
Spacious room
High ceilings
Abundance of natural light
The Gothic style is unlikely to be suitable for decorating small apartments with low ceilings. It can be found in the interior design of country houses, expensive restaurants and hotels stylized as medieval castles.
But even in them the Gothic style is not used in its original form. Rather, the interior is stylized in a Gothic spirit.
Materials and finishing
To design such an interior, exclusively natural materials are used:
Originally, oak, walnut, spruce, larch and European cedar were used in Gothic buildings.
When choosing furniture, you should give preference to things upholstered in brocade or velvet, with a jacquard pattern or a smooth structure. Furniture decorated with carvings and gilding will fit harmoniously.
When choosing furniture upholstery, give preference to:
blue-black
cherry
ruby
purple
dark blue
emerald
If there is not enough sunlight in the room, choose shades of white, beige and milky as the main tone of the walls. In this case, furniture and accessories made in typical Gothic colors will not create a depressing impression
By choosing the right materials and distributing decorative elements, you will create a living room in the style of medieval castles or a bedroom in the style of royal chambers.
Furniture and accessories
During the Gothic era, new pieces of furniture appeared in the lives of ordinary people. Thus, for the first time, clothes began to be stored in double-leaf massive cabinets, household items - in sideboards on high legs, replacing the usual chest with them. Beds with high headboards and chairs with soft upholstery and high backs became widespread.
When creating a modern interior in the Gothic style, do not forget about the details:
chests upholstered in worn leather
bronze candlesticks
artificially aged metal in furniture decorative elements
tapestries on medieval themes
mosaic on windows of a typical oblong pointed shape
This will help create a medieval atmosphere.
Interior lighting
The final touch in a Gothic interior will be lighting: as a rule, this is a massive chandelier with forged candlesticks. It is hung in the center of the room and complemented with lamps and sconces.
So, let’s summarize, once again highlighting the main features of the Gothic interior:
spacious room, high ceilings
large windows, plenty of natural light
straight vertical lines
the predominance of dark shades in furniture upholstery
use of natural materials
accessories in the style of the Middle Ages
Reproducing a neo-Gothic interior on a grand scale is a difficult task. But it can serve as a source of inspiration when decorating the interior of an ordinary room. Don't be afraid to experiment with details: sometimes a couple of little things like wrought iron candlesticks and a canopy over the bed can create the feeling of a Medieval castle.