Go Off, Willow Rosenberg!
Whimsigoth is an aesthetic that first showed up in the 80s and 90s. It usually features the classic gothic elements like ornate lighting, candles, and a whack of black fabric, but also incorporates warmer, more romantic tones. Whimsigoth encapsulates goth, cottagecore, witchcore, and bohemian styles, which is great for the average home decorator, because you have so much to choose from.
1. Moody Walls
Want to set the scene for your new favorite aesthetic, but find painting all of your walls black a little overwhelming? That’s where purple comes into play! Many foundations for this particular aesthetic incorporate deep blues, greens, and purples. You can even break out the wallpaper, if you so choose.
2. Plenty of Pillows
Whimsigoth aims to create a comfortable, cozy space where you can do some spell casting. This means having lots of pillows on your bed, chairs, couches, and maybe even your floor.
3. Plants, Everywhere
This is where the cottagecore element really comes into play. Having vines strung along your walls, stringing herbs and spices up in your kitchen, or even having a dedicated plant nursery are all ways to tie your space together. You can also get fake plants if you don’t have a green thumb.
4. Rugs
Rugs add another element of color to your space, and also make sure your feet aren’t chilly as you haunt your hallways in a gorgeous white nightgown. Typical whimsigoth-style rugs usually have a floral, celestial, or alchemical pattern to them, but you go with whatever makes you happy.
5. Velvet
Velvet, or its cheaper knockoffs, has dominated fashion and home decor over the past year. Incorporating heavy velvet curtains, pillows, bedding, or stools will add a touch of dimension and warmth to your home. If you can get your hands on some velvet furniture, you’re already halfway there.
6. Dark Wood Furniture
You can’t serve woodland witch realness with birch furniture! A true whimsigoth will stick to what they know - mahogany, walnut, ebony, and teak. Alternatively, you can paint your furniture to fit your color scheme, and you can always go with black.
7. Celestial Patterns
We love a space theme! Incorporating elements of the sun, moon, and stars will give your home that witchy edge. Bonus points if you’re able to paint the walls or the ceiling with your favorite constellation.
8. Ambient Lighting
Grab your vintage colored wall scones and get to wiring. The ambient light gives your room a warm, intimate, and occasionally spooky feel. Just make sure you use warm bulbs.
9. Canopies
Who doesn’t want a canopy over their bed? Having sheets around your bed, on the walls, or draped over other furniture adds dimension to your space and will make you feel like a wealthy Victorian woman to boot.
Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash
10. Chandeliers
Who doesn’t love the gothic opulence of a chandelier? If you’re lucky enough to have high ceilings, you can decorate your ceiling with your favorite dramatic flair. If you want to go even further down the goth route, you can go with a full candle decoration.
11. Ornate Mirrors
Having a big, beautiful mirror is an excellent way to add a gothic touch to your home. This is especially true for your bathroom, which is usually one of the hardest rooms to decorate - especially if you’re a renter. Add your gold mirror, a little bit of dark paint, and you’re good to go.
The Cleveland Museum of Art on Unsplash
12. Bats & Bugs
Having a consistent bug motif throughout your house is a great way to blend horror and environmental aspects. Getting framed insects to decorate your walls, tables, and shelves is a common way to achieve this goal.
13. Fingerplates
Fingerplates, also known as pushplates, are a piece of metal, glass, or ceramic typically affixed to your door. It was a way to prevent wear and tear on the wood of the door; instead, place your fingers on this plate to open or close it. Fingerplates have made a small resurgence in whimsigothic communities in the past few years.
Rictor Norton & David Allen on Wikimedia
14. Skeletons
How are you going to have a gothic house without adding some bones? You can add skeleton heads of humans and animals alongside your framed insects to fully flesh out this spooky, borderline academic theme.
Katherine Kromberg on Unsplash
15. Black
You have to add a bit of black somewhere, and if you’re into this type of aesthetic, that shouldn’t be a problem. But don’t fear, this doesn’t mean you can’t have color. Black goes with everything, so it works as a great foundation piece for your home.
16. Lace
Adding a touch of lace to your ever-growing fabric piles can really tie a room together. Having sheer lace curtains over your heavier drapes, or using lace as your bed canopy, will give you a more mature, but spooky, edge.
17. Candles A Plenty
Put your candles everywhere. Better yet, put your beautiful spell candles everywhere. Candles are the ultimate ambient lighting option, providing a beautiful, romantic golden light for your weekly seances.
18. Themed Lamps
Adding onto your multi-fabric room, lampshades that feature designs, tassels, or themed designs will really bring your room together. The colors also affect your lighting, which can give you some pink, red, or other colored hues.
19. Gold Accents
You don’t need gold to create a whimsigothic aesthetic, but its warmer tones do tend to work better than the cold, unforgiving glare of silver. You can also incorporate elements of bronze or other warm-toned metals if that's preferred.
20. Maximalism
All in all, whimsigoth is an aesthetic based on filling your space in a way that suits you - but having maximalist tendencies does help. It makes your space feel lived in, warm, and generally full. Not uncomfortably stuffed, just fleshed out.
