Dark, cosy, warm, brooding spaces
KOCHI: Like any style, be it clothes, cars or phones, the interior aesthetic changes every other day. Some old trends make a comeback, some new ones emerge, and one can always experiment: paint the wall yellow, have a boho lamp and throw pillow, green plants adoring the living rooms, pink canopies over the bed --- the options are indeed endless.
One architectural style that became an internet sensation, especially thanks to Instagram and TikTok, is dark academia, a subgenre of Gothic design. A bit dark and a bit academic, the style is again making waves thanks to popular television shows such as Wednesday, Queen’s Gambit, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Back in the 2010s, thanks to Harry Potter and its unimaginable, meteoric influence worldwide, dark academia became a dream aesthetic of many Twitter and Tumblr users, especially the young. This Gothic-inspired style, which has remained perennially relevant, is reminiscent of the hallowed halls of Oxford and Cambridge universities and their libraries.
The style uses a mixture of classic and gothic elements, lending the rooms a book-and-learning vibe. It is so fun to decorate a room, a space, maybe even an alcove with some daring, chilling designs — moody, gothic, and at the same time cultivated.
A black, ashen wall in the back. A towering bookshelf in wood, lit candles, classic paintings, plants, and long curtains. For most, these spaces are an escape from their current world, a dive into a little bit of fantasy.
It is easy to create a brooding alcove of your own in dark academic aesthetics. It is all about vintage, that bulky, large bookshelf or table, a couch or a chair. A throw over the seat. And that shelf filled with antique looking, and if you can afford, antique knick-knacks — metal and wood would work. Candles and warm lights will make it cosier. And then the unavoidable — books. Unleash the hardcover sensibilities.
Bedroom
One must-have feature is a dark wall — dark charcoal, dark or dark or forest green, deep and dark maroon. Choose a colour you want to live in, and then contrast it with warm metallic colours, gold or silver touches. The lampshade, the art on the wall, etc., can help. Place a dark side table. And have a vintage bedspread. If you want to, go for a four-poster bed or one with a bed frame. Beddings can be lighter shades, such as white or matte yellow. You can mix it with a modern style or make it whimsical with a candle frame.