Looks We Love: Dark & Moody
In the spirit of the season, we’re feeling right at home on the dark side,
with designs that are moody, mysterious and ever-so noir.
The most terrifying time of year is upon us, and you might have noticed porches draped in fake spiderwebs and front lawns being taken over by foam cemeteries. But aside from the seasonal decorations that spend most of the year boxed up in the attic, how do you add a little intrigue into your modern design scheme?
For those of us who dally on the dark side, every day is Halloween. This doesn’t necessarily mean our homes are decked out in fake blood and skeletons. Rather, there’s an elegance and timelessness that accompany a slightly spooky vibe, weaving a web of mystery and sophistication throughout your home. And accomplishing a look this bold doesn’t have to be haunting. Here, find some of our favorite tricks (and treats) for a modern design scheme so beautiful, it’s scary.
Literal Lighting
A creepy chandelier is an obvious choice for giving your home a macabre makeover. The Eduardo Chandelier from Currey & Company combines iron strands with brass accents draped over a modern candelabra that flickers right through. For an accent lamp with a macabre edge, try Moooi’s Smoke Chandelier, with a spooky, burned effect made by literally charring wood and coating in resin.
Illusory Interpretations
For a more impressionistic approach, use decorative lighting that hints at something sinister. Terzani has mastered the play of light and shadow in their sumptuous fixtures, and the Core Half-Sphere LED Pendant is no exception. Its otherworldly frame is wide open to interpretation, from exploding planet to neurological pathways to a many-legged creature guarding its treasures. And Niche has given us the ghost in the Haze Eclipse Pendant; its half-tone, blown-glass diffuser brings to mind a misty apparition (you can tell the neighbor kids it’s just swamp gas).
Furniture with Fright
Aside from dramatic chandeliers and pendants, your furniture can add eerie elegance when viewed in the right light. While heavy carved-wood pieces with foreboding upholstery tacks are common in Gothic styling, they’re too heavy for everyday modern living. Enter Carl Hansen’s black edition chairs, whose curious silhouettes add an element of mystery to the mid-century Scandinavian tradition. And the Bowl tables by Mater have spindly, spidery legs that look just a little bit dangerous (metaphorically speaking, of course).
Funky Furnishings
That eerie feeling of being watched becomes a useful style statement with Nomon’s Mini Look Wall Clock. This clean look works with the wild weave of Moooi Carpets’ Utopian Fairy Tales Round Rug, which makes a strong statement as the only busy element in an otherwise sedate space.
Abnormal Accessories
If you aren’t ready for a full-on mausoleum remodel (or your cohabitants aren’t feeling particularly dead inside), search for smaller accent pieces to haunt your home. Paired with a hardware-heavy pendant and a classic table design, putting an Eames House Bird on it is less hipster, more Hitchcock. And Alessi helps you turn over a new leaf (more or less) with the Ohhh Gold Scent Diffuser, a spiky, spooky centerpiece that exudes a season-appropriate scent.
Finally, feel free to let your freak flag fly. Adding a bit of levity helps to keep your goth look cool and edgy, not depressing: Think Morticia Addams meets Marcel Wanders. Accents like this chimpanzee candleabra from Seletti might make your guests question your sanity, but they’ll never doubt your good taste.
