How To Give Your Dorm Room A Gothic Makeover

Living in a dorm room can feel like you’re giving up your personality, especially if you’re drawn to the more gothic aesthetic. With these tips and ideas to show you how you can give your dorm room a gothic makeover, you’ll be feeling your darkly inclined self again. 

1. Dark Bedding

Investing in a comforter, pillows and sheets that are black or of a dark color palette is one of the easiest ways to bring that color scheme you so love into your dorm room, without painting the walls. Bed, Bath & Beyond has a great selection of colors among bed sets, which is exactly where I found my black comforter and matching sheets-all stripes. 

Be on the lookout for decorative pillows with gothic vibes. If you have a love for Halloween its fairly common for craft stores to carry quality, Halloween themed throw pillows this time of year. There are also plenty of shops on Etsy that make spooky cute pillows, like KMS x Co.

2. String Lights

A really fun way to decorate your dorm room, giving it a gothic makeover is to use string lights. Target sells festive Halloween lights, like little bats or jack-o-lanterns on strings you can find discounted after October. They also sell an abundance of Christmas lights, in a variety of colors. Lights add a mystical ambiance to a space, making it completely yours. 

In addition to string lights, Target also offers neon display lights, like a bat, a ghost, or a flying witch, that can easily be hung on the walls or the windows of your dorm room. Avoid the lights are designated for outdoor use. 

3. Posters

Of course posters! The most idyllic, old-school way to let your personality shine in your dorm room! Keep in mind whatever posters decorations you use in your dorm, your roommate has to see, so expect scrutiny when hanging posters of “dark, scary bands”. But if they make you happy, they are one of the best ways to give your room that Gothic touch!

4. Plants

If you can keep plants alive in your dorm, consider some indoor plants that you give you Gothic vibes. Your local nursery should house many variations of plants, many of which have a deep purple and burgundy foliage, giving your dorm room a unique aesthetic. Many of those deeper colored plants require more sunlight than they do shade, so if you can keep plants and flowers placed on your windowsill, and your room receives adequate light, plants are something worth considering.

Extra points if you can find cute skull planters like these, which should be fairly easy with an online search. 

5. Curtains

Speaking of sunlight, whether you’re Goth or not, most college students want to get all the sleep they can without interference from the sun. Consider picking up blackout curtains from Bed, Bath and Beyond while you’re there. It’ll keep most sun, heat and sound out, allowing your dorm room to be super, duper dark. This one element of your goth DIY home improvement your roommate can get on board with.

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6. Candle Holders & LED Candles

You probably should avoid initiating any fire hazards in your dorm room, and while not as cool as the real thing, finding fun and spooky LED candles, especially during the month of October can add some flair to a dorm space. If you can, find candles within the glass jars or place candles in tall holders to avoid any drips or flame contact with any other surface in the room. Place candles or LEDS on decorative candle holders, and candlesticks, even finding some intricate candelabras where they are available is a perfect Gothic staple.  

7. Skull Makeup Brush Holder

If on the sad chance your plants don’t make it, try repurposing your skull planters by using them as makeup brush holders. If you have a vanity, desk or bedside dresser in your dorm room, adding a skull makeup brush holder to it will give that space some extra Gothic appeal for a fun eye-catching display. 

8. Knick-Knacks

During the month of October, most stores have Halloween decorations and cute little spooky knick-knacks. If that’s your thing, consider plug-in plastic Jack-o-lanterns, cute little decorative bowls to keep jewelry or loose change, fun little coffin-shaped boxes, apothecary jars that say “poison” or “cyanide” or any other miscellaneous items you find.

Michaels, Jo-Ann’s and other cart stores are going to be like Halloween décor heaven when you’re on the lookout!

What did you think of these ideas to give your dorm room a gothic makeover? Did you find them helpful? What are some other spooky or dark decorating tip snot included here? Tell us in the comments below!

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