All About Dark Academia interiors

The moody interior is on the rise in home decorating circles. Everywhere you look decorating lovers are embracing their dark side and slapping saturated colour throughout their homes. (Including me). This is due, in part, to the aesthetic style known as Dark Academia. Dark Academia began as a vintage academic style fashion trend a few years back. (Think Harry Potter fashion) And as with many trends that are rooted in fashion, it soon began to take over our homes. At first, the style was seen mostly in younger crowds. But if you love the look of book-filled rooms, plaids and victorian florals, gothic colour palettes or well-worn leather, this look might just be for you. It’s the perfect design solution for rooms with a masculine-feminine balance and it is easy to layer in wool and flannel for extra warmth.

*all pictures are sourced via Pinterest unless stated. Thank you to the creators who uploaded them!

Features of Dark Academia Interiors

1. A Moody Colour Palette

To achieve this look think of the darkest green, navy, burgundy and charcoal paint colours. But make sure you choose a shade with a warm undertone to stop your room from feeling cold. This design trend is all about being bold so take the colour over walls, ceiling and trim. There’s no white trim here!

2. Dark Wood Vintage Furniture

Dark Academia interiors can be as OTT Victorian or minimal as you like. The choice is yours. But to achieve the look you need vintage furniture. This is why this style blends so well with traditional, country and cottage styles. Think old leather sofas, a velvet armchair, an old desk or secretaire and the obligatory bookshelf.

3. Portraits and Books

The Dark Academia style harks back to Victorian times so expect to see lots of portraits and gilded frames. If you haven’t inherited an old Uncle Bob to hang on your wall auctions, deceased estate sales and marketplace will be your friend. Because let’s face it, hanging an old photo or portrait could be a bit creepy. It’s not for everyone. Landscape oils in darker colours are popular with this style too. But you don’t have to buy vintage to get this look. Etsy has lots of options to download and frame. Some small businesses are curating vintage art prints in bundles so you don’t have to think about what goes together like this one from Amazon

4. Academic Accents

Because this style is reminiscent of old universities, ornate architecture and maximalism accessories play an important role. To create dark academia interiors you could add busts, brass or metallic pieces such as candle sticks and ornaments, plants, fringed curtains, anything black, wallpaper in dark hues, victorian style florals in cloches, inkpots, old typewriters, apothecary bottles and cabinets or old maps and globes.

So what do you think? Would you introduce elements of dark academia into your home?

Maybe English Country, Cottagecore or Country Style is more you? Let me know in the comments!