Gothic Decor: The History of Dark Elegance

Gothic style stems from Gothic architecture, which is rooted in grandiose structures and intricate embellishments, heavily influenced by the European cathedrals around the 15th century. While Gothic style was influenced by the European cathedrals of the Middle Ages, the European cathedrals of the Middle Ages also influenced it; the relationship between the two was give-and-take – a two-way street.

Bringing Gothic into the home is more about embracing a Gothic mindset; each piece should be carefully chosen for its ability to channel extravagance, achievement and, most importantly, an infatuation with the spiritual, the abnormal, the mysterious – just like the cathedrals did back in the day. If this isn’t your beat, don’t write off Gothic just yet – there’s a bit more to the story of this intriguing style!

Stories often included elements like castles, dark passageways, and monsters; ideas and themes revolved around death, romance and horror.It’s this kind of Gothic – the macabre kind – that people often associate with the term while the grand, lavish, intricate architecture and aesthetic of the Middle Ages acts as no more than a forgotten footnote. Of course, there is no ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ Gothic – both ways of perceiving the style are historically accurate. So, whether you get inspired by the cathedral arches, crosses and towers of the Middle Ages …or the romantic, horrifying, death-obsessed literature of the 1800s, there is at least one matter you can settle all bets on: your style is Gothic!