by Bridget Kulla
10/26/2016
Evoke your inner Goth by creating an outdoor space that’s creepy enough to make trick-or-treaters stop in their candy-collecting tracks. We’ve gathered six ways to inject some dark details to the entryway of your home—your porch never looked so spooky.
1 Metalitc skull doormat from Pier 1 2 Bewitching leaves wreath from Pier 1. Photo credit: Pier 1
Decorate your door
Since most guests are b-lining to your front door, you’ll want to dress it up. Opt for a detailed and dark wreath to dangle from you door, you can make your own Martha Stewart wriggling snake wreath, or buy this bewitching beauty from Pier One. Think about your doorstep, too, swap your daily doormat for a Day of the Dead-inspired one.
3 Metallic runner in Nightshade from West Elm. Photo Credit: West Elm
Add black to your palette
Going Goth means injecting more of the color black to your porch palette. When selecting garland, wreaths and throw pillows—the bolder black, the better. Any outdoor furniture you have can be draped in the festive hue, and we love it paired with pops of gold. Check out this gothic-inspired metallic runner in Nightshade from West Elm, perfect for a porch table.
Soundscape your space
Creating mood is key when making a spooky space actually feel scary and music can help realize the exact mood you’re hoping to achieve. Whether it’s a more fun, silly Monster Mash mood, an always-horrifying compilation of spine-chilling screams, or Goth club hits from the 1980’s—set up a portable speaker and blast some tunes to add ghostly tone to your space.
1 Gold candelabra from Anthropologie. Photo Credit: Anthropologie 2 Orange globe lights from Wayfair 3 Purple Edison bulb lights from Wayfair. Photo Credit: Wayfair
Light for a spooky night
Light fixtures can help to set the mood in your outdoor space. Whether you opt for festive string lights, large black lanterns or formal sconces framing your front door, going with an orange, black or purple bulb can up the scary vibe, so can going a little dim with your watt selection. Grab a few candle stick holders or a gold candelabra for additional scintillating electric flames. To up the illusion, add a fog machine into the mix; making it seem like your home is nestled in cloud of mist.
1 faux-fur throw from west elm. photo credit: west elm
think textures
when decorating in gothic-inspired style, the materials you choose can add to the richness of the space and the eerie illusion. try incorporating a variety of textures, from wool, to satin, to feathers, to faux fur. we love this warm, black faux-fur throw, perfect for a porch chair or loveseat, along with this detailed distressed wool rug—an ideal way to fancy up the look of your aged, gothic outdoor room.
Pump up the Props
Once you have the back drop of dark hues, rich textures, and moody lighting, add dark-natured details like skulls, cobwebs, a cauldron, old red roses, and antique hardcover books. Remember the creepier the better, so scour your home and thrift shops for décor that can make your entryway feel like a well-designed haunted home.
Put on your black eye liner and Dr. Martens, and spooky up your space—your porch doesn’t get any gothier than this.
