What Is Dark Academia? Everything to Know About the Design Style All Over Your Feed

Do you love gothic architecture, cozy libraries, a bevy of antiques, and moody palettes? Dark academia may be the interior design style you've been looking for. While the style has popped up on TikTok, it goes beyond social media and some designers believe it will have serious staying power.

Curious about how to pull it off and what kind of decor you should start adding to your cart? We sat down with some designers to get their best tips about dark academia interior design.

What Is Dark Academia Interior Design?

Designer Barrett Oswald views dark academia interiors as those with "a dark, shadowy color scheme and vintage-like decor."

"It's rich, deep maximalism," she says.

The design often features moody fabrics like distressed leathers and dark velvets, as well as vintage finds that showcase an old-world feel.

"Since the focus is academia, books and dimly lit reading areas are prevalent," Oswald says.

For Peter Spalding, interior designer and COO of designer marketplace Daniel House Club, dark academia is for those who have historically gravitated toward industrial interiors.

"It’s like if steampunk went to finishing school and shed many of its alternative views," he says.

Like Oswald, he characterizes the style as rooms with warm hues and ideally feature antique millwork, leather upholstery, and art purchased secondhand.

Is Dark Academia Here to Stay?

Because the style is so specific, it may not be for everyone. That said, Oswald thinks it's best to pick just one space to infuse with dark academia in mind and go from there. It can take a lot of time and money to find the right pieces for your space, and she suggests playing around with the trendy style in small rooms like specialty or bonus spaces.

However, Austin-based designer Raquel Skrobarczyk of Heather Scott Home & Design, feels differently. It's a style that has recently gained popularity, but one that she believes is here to stay as more people are now remote employees, desiring a unique and comfortable office at home. Antiques add a deeper personal meaning to any room, while a deep color palette is both sophisticated and calming—the ideal mix for a work-from-home space.

Another Texas designer, Laura Williams, loves the rise of the style and likewise believes it's here to stay given the rush of people being more interested in dark academia design.

How to Decorate the Dark Academia Way

For Spalding, a home's architecture is key in pulling off the look. If your home already has beautiful moldings, tall casement windows, and classical, Victorian, or cottage features, it naturally lends itself to the design style.

When deciding on a color palette, darker colors are the way to go, but he suggests "selecting colors that could be read in multiple ways like blacks with a lot of brown in them, blues with a lot of green, whites that are actually quite creamy and so forth."

When it comes to furnishings and decor, start a dream list of your favorite pieces and keep your eye on auction sites. Antique casegoods are a good grounding piece to a dark academia living room, study, library, or office.

Once you have your older items, liven up the space with some contemporary upholstery in linens, velvets, and soft leathers. Plus, statement-making busts and columns are another natural addition to finish off the look.

Skrobarczyk also suggests including plenty of antiques and vintage finds in your dark academia design scheme, as well as rich, saturated colors for bolder accents, cozy throws, candles, and mood lighting. What's not to love about this inviting design style?

Williams also loves to lean on moody tones like rich wood and vintage furniture and artwork, aged brass, and ornate details, while Oswald suggests choosing a wall color first.

"It can be tricky to find the right dark hue, but once you do, you have a good starting point to select other elements like fabrics and wood tones," she says.

If you're looking to decorate with this style as inspiration, whether it's your full home or one particular space, setting your color palette (ideally darker shades), searching for unique, conversation-worthy vintage pieces, and including plenty of different lighting options to set a cozy atmosphere are a great place to start.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.