The heyday of the Gothic style occurred in the 12th-15th centuries. Examples of pristine Gothic can still be seen in the architecture of many countries in Western Europe. Unlike the previous Romanesque style, Gothic is characterized by grace, upward movement, spaciousness, rich tones, pretentious shapes of windows and vaults, as well as intricacy of patterns and stained glass windows that create an unusual lighting design in the room. Despite the fact that Gothic is a complex and rather controversial style, which sometimes evokes an atmosphere of mysticism and mystery, in the 19th and 20th centuries this style experienced a new revival. And even now, many strive to recreate the Gothic style in the interior of residential premises, giving their design medieval severity and luxury.
The features of this style and its application in a modern interior will be discussed today on the “Dream House” website in this publication.
Mandatory details of the Gothic style
In order for the Gothic style in a modern interior to look harmonious and convincing, a considerable amount of space will be required. In standard small-sized rooms, which have low ceilings, the details of this style will not be able to be fully read, which is why the interior will take on an overly cluttered and awkward look.
The basis of the Gothic style in the interior is clear straight lines directed upward. For example, in classic version Gothic architecture style was necessarily equipped with high arched windows with pointed pointed points. In ordinary city apartments it is unlikely that it will be possible to recreate such an element, but they will become a real decoration country house.
In addition, at all times, the Gothic style was replete with multi-colored bright lights, which were not only a decoration for the facade of the building, but also an opportunity to give the room an unusual lighting design. In a modern interpretation, this detail can be found not only on façade windows, but also in interior openings or doors of cabinets and sideboards. Since the creation of stained glass windows is quite painstaking and expensive work, you can use stained glass film that imitates their original design.
In interior decoration windows were often decorated with thick and heavy curtains, which were attached to forged metal cornices. If the Gothic style is recreated in country house, you can use wooden shutters to decorate windows.
A characteristic feature of Gothic style is the use of natural materials. In this style it is impossible to find plastic or other modern Decoration Materials, but instead of them natural wood, stone, marble, metal, etc. are used in large quantities.
During the heyday of the Gothic style, wood and stone carving became extremely popular. Craftsmen decorated the interior of the room with various characteristic patterns and subject paintings. For example, the walls were often painted with scenes from the lives of knights and princesses, and the furniture was decorated with ornaments and “Gothic roses” - circles with a flower inscribed inside them. To emphasize the status of noble owners, carvings and paintings were often covered with gilding.
Gothic style in the interior of the apartment
Gothic style colors
Any interior style has a certain color scheme. The Gothic style is characterized by blue-black, purple, cherry, dark blue, gray, ruby and scarlet colors. To prevent the combination of these shades from looking too gloomy, the modern interpretation uses white or milky tones as the main tone. If the darkest colors are present on furniture or walls, they are often decorated with gold or silver patterns.
Gothic style interior photo
Furniture in modern gothic style
Typical Gothic style furniture pieces should be solid wood and have colorful carved or wrought iron details. For example, a Gothic-style bedroom can be complemented with a large bed with columns, which, if desired, are decorated with thick curtains or curtains. In this room, various wooden, wicker, tables with marble trim, mirrors in a massive frame, double-leaf cabinets and high legs would look appropriate.
In earlier times, the Gothic living room was most often equipped with round tables on carved legs, high chairs that look like a throne, and bulky wooden sets. Besides, mandatory element The living room in the Gothic style is large, the wooden frame of which is decorated with Celtic symbols or Gothic ornaments. Today, not everyone uses such furniture, but if, after all, the living room should acquire a Gothic style, then some elements from the described furniture will still be present.
Modern Gothic style decor
In medieval Gothic style great importance focused on textile interior design. The floors were often covered with homemade carpets, matching the color of the curtains or curtains. Textile decoration was present not only on the floor, but also on the walls. For example, tapestries - so-called woven paintings with various subject images - were especially popular. Now, instead of tapestries, you can use tapestries or.
To make the Gothic style look harmonious and seamless in any interior, you need to choose the right accessories and decorations. Since this style is characterized by everything pretentious and sophisticated, its atmosphere will be perfectly complemented by massive forged candlesticks, paintings in gilded frames, wooden and metal figurines.
The finishing touches to the interior design are lamps and chandeliers. In the Middle Ages, a steel chandelier on low pendants, decorated with forged candle stands, was considered especially fashionable. Such a chandelier was hung in the center of the room, but sconces and sconces were also additionally installed on the walls of the room. To accurately recreate this style, you can use modern chandeliers, the design of which resembles appearance medieval products.
As a rule, based on our own worldview, we form the interior styles of our own homes. Gothic style in the interior is incomparable.
He is original and unique, gives preference dark colors, the predominant ones being black, violet or burgundy. There are also light green, pink, and white, but less often. Of course, only those people who are crazy about Gothic and its culture will prefer to decorate the interior in this style. One cannot do without uniqueness and gloom, romanticism.
And most importantly, the style can only be embodied in a large apartment or country house! It is preferable that there are also high ceilings, but this is not at all necessary.
Materials used
Despite the long origin of the style, its concept is relatively young. The main materials are stone and wood, which are roughly processed. In fact, few people will use natural materials. Indeed, in this case it will be necessary to build an entire medieval castle. Nowadays this is not the most good option for today. Using your preferred materials, the result will be unsurpassed.
Gothic style lighting
Since the Gothic style is current, this style of lamps is perfect for creating a medieval atmosphere. Since the demand for them is relatively small, they are not produced in very large quantities. large quantities, and sometimes even just single copies. And this provides the opportunity to create an individual interior, which emphasizes individuality and originality. At the same time, if the chosen lamp is made to decorate an apartment in the Gothic style, this does not mean at all that it cannot be used in other styles. In such cases, individual approaches are usually considered.
In addition, attention should be paid to lighting, as well as lighting and effects, thanks to which it is possible to create a special mystery and mystery inherent in the style. Such lamps can create coziness and comfort in the interior.
Decoration of windows and arched openings
Surely you have seen various pictures and photos of the Gothic style in the interior, where you can clearly see how the windows and arches tend upward. As decoration, you can use openwork towers and ornaments characteristic of Gothic style. It is completely unacceptable to combine this with other styles. The atmosphere here is majestic and graceful. Windows are decorated with ornaments and stained glass. Windows and arches should be given a lot of attention, as they attract a lot of attention to themselves. It is also important to understand here that the medieval style should be as close as possible in the interior, while you will use modern materials and objects.
Furniture selection
For complete completeness and harmony, furniture must be chosen with special care. A sideboard with high legs, a double-leaf cabinet with 6 panels and high backs would be quite appropriate here. Everything must be from natural wood, decorated with original carvings. In addition, pieces of furniture should be massive and elegant. Although the interior will be rough, it will also be refined at the same time.
We decorate the ceiling
The peculiarity of the ceiling in the Gothic style is its upward movement. Yes, it’s just great if this factor can be taken into account at the building design stage. But if the housing is already ready, and the ceilings in it are still not too high, consolidated effects, stucco molding, and open open rafters will help to visually raise them.
Gothic home decor
For this you can use mythical sculptures, lions, various types of draperies, paintings, knightly armor.
Despite the retro perception of the Gothic style, it is actually modern. Everything that seems old and ancient is created specifically for appearance. And besides, for fans of Gothic, it is important to understand that when decorating an interior in this style, you should take into account a lot of nuances!
37 real photos
Interiors in historical styles always attract attention. A room in the Gothic style is a wonderful confirmation that elegant and majestic Gothic can be organically embodied in the interior design of a modern apartment. To do this, of course, you should follow some recommendations. But first, let's look at the features of the Gothic style.
Gothic style in the interior is elegant and noble materials and furniture, reaching towards the ceiling
Notre Dame Cathedral is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture architectural style
Gothic is a great achievement of Western European architecture. This style originated in the 12th century in France. The most famous architectural structure in the Gothic style is the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedrals of Chartres and Reims are also recognized as standards of pure Gothic architecture. These majestic buildings are characterized by:
- visual “lightness” of the structure, achieved with the help of pointed arches, soaring spiers and other tricks;
- verticality of the composition;
- ribbed vaults;
- complex frame support system;
- arched windows and stained glass;
- openwork tents and portals;
- powerful columns as supporting elements of the structure;
- interior space permeated with light;
- expressiveness of decorative elements;
- overall proportionality and harmony.
Arched windows with stained glass - an attribute of the Gothic style in the interior
A vaulted ceiling is typical for a Gothic-style living room.
The room in the Gothic style is dominated by openwork elements and prints
The late period of development of the style is also called “flaming” Gothic: for its upward direction similar to a flame, dynamism and plasticity of forms.
All shapes in the living room in the Gothic style tend to rise
In the Middle Ages, mainly cathedrals were built in the Gothic style - the centers of religious life of any city Western Europe. In the Gothic era, cathedrals became symbols of the Universe created by God and its harmonious structure. The general “symphony” was embodied by the synthesis of all arts characteristic of this architectural style: architecture, sculpture, theater, music, painting, arts and crafts.
The walls in the Gothic style living room can be complemented with frescoes
Gradually, the Gothic style became universal and penetrated into many areas of life, including home decoration, and was embodied in interior items and decor.
Gothic is especially interestingly represented in furniture art. This was facilitated by the invention of sawmills, the ability to make furniture not from thick logs, but from thin boards. Furniture in the Gothic style is characterized by:
- an abundance of decorative details: spiers, turrets, sculptural figures, “Gothic roses”;
- openwork carving;
- forged elements.
A Gothic-style living room is characterized by an abundance of elegant accessories.
Forged carved elements perfectly complement the Gothic style interior
In general, Gothic furniture is solid and beautiful in its own way. The buildings and decoration of the house in the Gothic style significantly changed the picture of the world of medieval man, subordinating it to the algebra and geometry of divine design. The Gothic crisis is associated with the approval of the “new sweet style” of Dante and other creators of the Renaissance.
Gothic style furniture is massive and solid, but at the same time elegant
Gothic style in interior design
The Gothic style remains in demand today. Nowadays it is chosen not only by connoisseurs of medieval aesthetics, but also by followers of the recently super-popular “Gothic” subculture. Therefore, when choosing an interior style, it is necessary to clarify: whether the interior design will be made in the spirit of the youth movement or stylized as medieval Gothic.
The interior of the room in the style of the gothic subculture combines the atmosphere afterlife and medieval gothic
A Gothic-style room, created for a lover of antiquity, should contain the following decorative elements:
- Arched window and door openings.
- Colored stained glass windows. Making such stained glass windows yourself is quite troublesome and time-consuming. It's expensive to buy. Tip: use an adhesive film that imitates stained glass.
- Fireplace decorated with carvings and lined with stone. If you can’t install a real fireplace, you can install a false fireplace.
- Heavy and dense textiles, carpets.
Colored stained glass windows will enliven the Gothic interior
A Gothic style fireplace can be beautifully decorated with carvings and spiers
To create an interior in a Gothic style, thick curtains are suitable
Decorating a room in a Gothic style
Carrying out an interior in the Gothic style requires special care and considerable financial costs.
Important! A Gothic room should be very spacious. Only in this case can you experience the splendor and grace of this style.
Gothic style is suitable for spacious rooms
Gothic does not tolerate plastic and others artificial materials. When decorating a room in this style, you must use only natural materials:
- tree;
- metal;
- natural fabrics;
- marble;
- natural stone.
Gothic style includes the use of natural materials and stone
In the interior design of a Gothic room, when finishing the ceiling, ceiling beams and ceilings often remain uncovered. The ceiling is also decorated with openwork paintings and sculptural elements. The chandelier should be massive and metal.
Massive chandelier in Gothic style
When finishing the floor, you can use three options:
- cover the floor ceramic tiles or stone;
- cover with carpets;
- make the floor wooden.
In a Gothic style interior, you can put carpets on the floor and decorate the walls with medieval accessories
The walls can be painted with genre scenes from the life of knights and beautiful ladies. Stories with dragons, unicorns and other wonderful creatures from medieval bestiaries are also appropriate. Interesting solution- “fish bones” - relief ribs coming out of the wall and meeting under the ceiling. This creates a tall and pointed dome.
The pointed ceiling is actively used in the Gothic style
Color scheme for rooms in Gothic style
A Gothic-style room doesn't have to be gloomy. This style was unlucky twice. For the first time, when the humanists of the Renaissance proclaimed Gothic as a barbaric style inherent in the semi-wild nomadic people - the Goths. In the second, when the gloomy aesthetics of other goths, representatives of the modern subculture, began to be associated with him.
However, one can also remember early XIX century - the heyday of the Gothic novel genre, full of creepy and mystical secrets. The main characters of this “Gothic” are vampires, werewolves and other Frankensteins.
Deep, noble and dark shades are suitable for decorating a Gothic interior.
The historical Gothic style is more harmonious, although exaltation and expression are characteristic (especially in the later period) of it.
Advice! Specific to Gothic dark colors when balanced in alternation with lighter shades, they can create an atmosphere of romantic mystery, but not unambiguous gloom and severity.
The gloomy Gothic style can be alternated with natural and even light shades
A Gothic style room can be made using following colors and shades:
- purple;
- purple;
- cherry;
- ruby;
- dark brown;
- blue;
- dark green;
- gold;
- bright red;
- cream;
- beige;
- sandy;
- orange;
- dairy;
- silver.
The interior is significantly enlivened by bright and colorful stained glass windows in window and door openings, filling the room with light and energy.
Interior and decor items in a Gothic room
Properly selected interior items and accessories play a big role in shaping the image of a room in the Gothic style. Furniture should be wooden and massive, richly decorated with carvings and forged elements- legs or backs. Types of furniture:
- chairs with high backs;
- tables with marble finish;
- chests;
- buffets;
- double door wardrobes;
- benches;
- four-poster beds.
Furniture in the Gothic style is decorated with beautiful carvings
Other items and accessories include:
- mirrors and paintings in massive frames;
- Forged Products;
- tall candlesticks;
- fireplace;
- pendant lamps;
- sculptures.
Mirrors in the Gothic style - massive structures decorated with forging or carving
The Gothic style is considered “high”, so the interior is decorated with sculptures and paintings
The windows are decorated with thick and heavy curtains attached to wooden or metal cornices. A good authentic element in the interior would be a tapestry with scenes from medieval life.
Note! In addition to stained glass, the flickering of candles, the reflections of the fire in the fireplace, and the play of shadows and light play an important role in creating a mysterious atmosphere in Gothic-style rooms.
To create a Gothic interior, you can use candles, which will add antiquity to the room.
The Gothic style in the interior allows you to create unusual and expressive images, full of mysteries and secrets. This style will undoubtedly delight romantics and mystics, lovers of travel in time and space.
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One of the few styles that you don’t even need to imagine
History of appearance
Legend has it that when the Pope asked Raphael in the 13th century how the construction of St. Peter's Basilica was progressing, he responded by dismissively calling the building “Gothic”: barbaric, devoid of true aesthetics. The famous master did not even suspect that he had given the name to one of the greatest styles in the history of mankind.
Initially (XII-XV centuries) the style existed exclusively in architecture. The Gothic style in the interior appeared much later, in the era of historicism (late 19th century). At this time, know Great Britain, Germany and others European countries was fascinated by the fashion for building estates in the neo-Gothic style.
Gothic style originated in the middle of the 12th century in northern France. The first Gothic building appeared in Paris. In 1136-1140, Abbot Sugeria erected two spans of the main nave of the church of the Abbey of Saint-Denis. The abbot believed that the temple was a ship symbolizing the Universe. Light marble columns resemble masts directed upward, and smooth lines under the arches resemble sails stretched by the wind.
Lighting
The architects of the Middle Ages reached unprecedented heights in the art of using sunlight and diffused light.
Unlike Romanesque cathedrals, Gothic cathedrals had many large and brightly decorated stained glass windows. And the windows themselves turned into sparkling paintings of stained glass, designed to stun parishioners with illustrations of biblical scenes.
Theologians even attributed stained glass the ability to enlighten a person’s soul and keep them away from evil.
Designers of those times focused on lighting. It is important for them to save every bit of light so that the stone cathedral becomes airy and weightless.
An excellent example is the lace of the cathedral of the capital of Normandy - Rouen.
On cloudy days, thoughtful silhouettes Gothic cathedrals, countless turrets, spiers, figures and spikes live in dim, diffused light. The result is a dark and majestic image.
Interior features
A special feature of Gothic buildings is the pointed arch, an invention of the 11th century. It was invented during the construction of the English Cathedral in Durham. The wall folded like a tree trunk - with many branches extending, one arch rested on the other, the vault rested on the shoulders of the vault. Intermediate supports and heavy floors that limited the volume of buildings were no longer required.
Second life of the Gothic style: neo-Gothic
During the era of historicism in the 40s of the 18th century, interest in Gothic revived in Great Britain. Neo-Gothic became the “official” national style of Great Britain thanks to an expert and enthusiast of this movement, Augustus Pugin. He rebuilt the British Parliament building that burned down in 1834.
In the United States, the first building in the neo-Gothic style was Trinity Church.
Gradually, a substyle of collegiate Gothic, characteristic of college campuses, emerged from the neo-Gothic here.
Neo-Gothic style also spread to Germany, where, after the revolution of 1848-1849, medieval architectural monuments, such as Cologne Cathedral, were actively revived.
In parallel with the restoration of ancient Gothic cathedrals, the construction of secular buildings in the neo-Gothic style took place.
A striking example is the town hall buildings in Munich and Berlin, the unique complex of Hamburg shipyards - Speicherstadt.
In France and Italy, neo-Gothic was perceived rather as a call to restore and preserve medieval buildings in the Gothic style.
Thus, in Paris, after the publication of Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame Cathedral,” the mentioned cathedral became the object of attention of residents, and in Italy, the most ambitious project of the neo-Gothic movement was the construction of the façade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
One of key points In the development of neo-Gothic, the appearance of the Gothic style in the interior began.
In 1795, William Beckford began construction of the imposing Fonthill Abbey estate in Wiltshire, with an octagonal 90-meter tower.
The tower collapsed three times within 30 years, but Beckford's estate still made an indelible impression on his contemporaries.
The European nobility eagerly picked up this idea and began building their estates in the same style. At the same time, the basic principles of medieval architecture were preserved when designing buildings, and the interior was supposed to create the feeling that you were in a knight's castle.
Gothic style in modern design
To create a Gothic style in the interior you will need:
Spacious room
High ceilings
Abundance of natural light
Gothic style is unlikely to be suitable for decoration small apartments with low ceilings. It can be found in interior design country houses, expensive restaurants and hotels stylized as medieval castles.
But even in them the Gothic style is not used in its original form. Rather, the interior is stylized in a Gothic spirit.
Materials and finishing
To design such an interior, exclusively natural materials are used:
Originally, oak, walnut, spruce, larch and European cedar were used in Gothic buildings.
When choosing furniture, you should give preference to things upholstered in brocade or velvet, with a jacquard pattern or a smooth structure. Furniture decorated with carvings and gilding will fit harmoniously.
When choosing furniture upholstery, give preference to:
blue-black
cherry
ruby
purple
dark blue
emerald
If there is not enough room sunlight, as the main tone of the walls, choose shades of white, beige and milky. In this case, furniture and accessories made in typical Gothic colors will not create a depressing impression
By choosing the right materials and distributing decorative elements, you will create a living room in the style of medieval castles or a bedroom in the style of royal chambers.
Furniture and accessories
In the Gothic era in life ordinary people new pieces of furniture appeared. Thus, for the first time, clothes began to be stored in double-leaf massive cabinets, household items - in sideboards on high legs, replacing the usual chest with them. Beds with high headboards and chairs with soft upholstery and high backs.
While creating modern interior in the Gothic style, do not forget about the details:
chests upholstered in worn leather
bronze candlesticks
artificially aged metal in furniture decorative elements
tapestries on medieval themes
mosaic on windows of a typical oblong pointed shape
This will help create a medieval atmosphere.
Interior lighting
The final touch in a Gothic interior will be lighting: as a rule, this is a massive chandelier with forged candlesticks. It is hung in the center of the room and complemented with lamps and sconces.
So, let’s summarize, once again highlighting the main features of the Gothic interior:
spacious room, high ceilings
large windows, plenty of natural light
straight vertical lines
predominance dark shades in furniture upholstery
use of natural materials
accessories in the style of the Middle Ages
Reproducing a neo-Gothic interior on a grand scale is a difficult task. But it can serve as a source of inspiration when decorating the interior of an ordinary room. Don't be afraid to experiment with details: sometimes a couple of little things like wrought iron candlesticks and a canopy over the bed can create the feeling of a Medieval castle.
Gothic interior design always looks unusual and gives the room an atmosphere of antiquity. This style is preferred by fans of medieval novels and fantasy films, as well as history buffs. The Gothic style in the interior requires the designer to have good knowledge of architecture and art. Let's figure out how this gloomy and interesting style of space design differs from others.
The Gothic style is most often used in spacious rooms, since only in them does it look truly chic. This design requires serious financial investment. Some, for the sake of economy, try to create a Gothic interior using imitated materials and decorative elements, but this is not always possible.
While wood, bronze and real stained glass can still be successfully disguised as antique, difficulties arise with other design elements.
When creating a Gothic interior in residential premises, dark-colored boards and tiles are most often used to finish the floor. Relief tiles, as well as abstract and floral patterns, look appropriate in Gothic style. The shape of the tile can be either square or hexagonal.
During the Gothic era, elegant paintings could often be found on the walls of houses and temples. They also decorate in the same way now. room walls in rooms decorated in Gothic style. The easiest way to create such a pattern is to use special stencils with which you can paint a plastered or painted wall.
You won’t be able to create complex drawn scenes yourself—only professionals can handle this.
Door panels in a Gothic-style room look very unusual: they are decorated with iron or bronze overlays, but the wood itself is not painted.
To simulate ceiling beams, similar to the interior of a real Gothic palace, modern designers Imitations made of polyurethane are often used.
In the Gothic style, much attention is paid to furniture - it must be massive. No minimalism! Chairs with high backs, painted chests, heavy wooden cabinets - these are the most striking “representatives” of the interior of the Gothic era.
There should be no sofas in the bedroom - only a large bed with columns and canopy. Choosing furniture for a kitchen in the Gothic style is somewhat easier - tables in that era were quite simple and made of solid wood.
If possible to fill the room wooden furniture no, designers use tables and chairs on forged frames, which can also be either real or imitated forging. The same rules apply to the design of stairs.
In modern apartments, it is usually very difficult to recreate typical Gothic windows with lancet openings, so most often the craftsmen working to create this style in the interior give a pointed shape doorways or install a stained glass interior window.
Colored stained glass is another feature of the Gothic style. They amazingly transform both city apartments and country houses. Such stained glass windows are installed on doors, in wall niches and on windows, but in no case on the ceiling. Ceiling stained glass windows are an element of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, and they have nothing to do with Gothic.
Instead of real stained glass, imitation ones are often used.
The main feature of interior Gothic is the special motifs that could be found in that era in the design of premises. These are carvings and patterns depicting a shamrock, a circle with a flower inside, fictional animals and scenes from the life of a knight.
A real Gothic castle always has a fireplace. IN modern apartments installing a real fireplace is almost impossible, but an electric one can successfully replace it.
It is important that the appearance of the fireplace corresponds to the Middle Ages: it may have Celtic or Gothic ornaments, or heraldic symbols.
Tapestries - woven paintings - are another indispensable attribute of chic Gothic style. They were hung on the walls to decorate and zone the space. When creating a Gothic interior today, decorative panels or factory tapestries are used.
In traditional Gothic style, the windows are covered with shutters. Today, only owners of a country house can afford this option. When decorating city apartments, thick curtains with a printed pattern with a floral pattern or ornament are used, or plain curtains made of expensive materials - velvet, silk, taffeta.
Also, in the interior of the Gothic era, tall floor lamps imitating massive candlesticks are appropriate - they give the room an atmosphere of the Middle Ages.
Door handles and trims made of bronze or imitated bronze turn an apartment or house decorated in the Gothic style into a real medieval castle.
