Dark Academia Room Ideas

The dark academia aesthetic isn’t exactly a novelty. Its visuals are deeply rooted in the upper-class European culture of the 19th century and American Prep. As such, the most recurrent themes have to do with the romanticization of classic literature, knowledge, and learning in general.

As the namesake adjective might suggest, this is not the only type of academia there is. But we will dig deeper into what the aesthetic represents and how it differs from its related styles soon enough. And of course, teach you everything you need to learn to bring the visuals of this thrilling world into your home.

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Before we jump into our dark academia room ideas, let’s first cover all the bases. Because there is no better formula for flawless execution than thorough research and heaps of knowledge, as true academics will agree…

The Dark Academia Aesthetic

Dark academia is all about the pursuit of knowledge. It often contemplates classic literature, renaissance art, the journey to self-discovery. It emphasizes liberal subjects, like ancient languages and rhetoric. And instead of presenting scholastic learning as dull, dark academia celebrates and cultivates it.

Aside from this love of education, the aesthetic also involves an appreciation for mystery novels, criminality, and secret societies.

In terms of visuals, dark academia is best represented by gothic, neoclassical, and even victorian architecture. Gloomy yet warm libraries, museums, and coffee shops are popular settings for the average dark academic.

Classical art pieces, such as renaissance paintings, white marble statues, and religious portraits are common visual depictions. Hand illustrations and sketches are equally prevalent.

Images associated with boarding schools, such as school uniforms and emblems, or associated with literature are often featured. Particularly journals, antique books, highlighted or underlined lines, annotations, and typography.

There are some activities that are typically favored by fans of the dark academia aesthetic. Apart from studying and reading, these include journaling, scrapbooking, writing poetry, calligraphy, bookbinding, and embroidery.

The most popular sports are heavily connected with preppy culture. Lacrosse and horse riding are the biggest favorites. And although it does not qualify as a sport, chess is another prevalent hobby. All of these pursuits are highly regarded by Ivy League prospective scholars, rendering their skillsets more diverse and setting them apart.

Other Academia Aesthetics

Although arguably the most popular, the dark academia aesthetic is not the only one of its kind. There are others that celebrate study and research just as much. However, the main themes and imagery associated with those are quite distinct.

Although we will not get into too much detail about those, the most popular (aside from dark academia, of course) are three: light academia, art academia, and romantic academia.

• The first is dark academia’s counterpart – a light, optimist doctrine that favors happy endings.
• The second focuses heavily on the visual arts, like painting, sculpting, and photography.
• The latter is specialized in love themes, particularly romantic literature and aesthetic beauty.

What is Dark Academia decor?

Before you jump on ahead to our dark academia room ideas, there are some other things worth learning more about. Dark academia decor, for instance, comprehends a large variety of items and motifs that allude to the dark academic themes and celebrated subjects.

As the main focus of the aesthetic is studying, a vast collection of books and other learning sources are a must. From then on, anything that alludes to your study subjects and reading materials is a great added plus.

And because the imagery invoked is that of the 19th century, old objects and functional gadgets must be featured. Some examples of these include candlesticks, typewriters, antique clocks, pen and ink, etc.

The appreciation of classical art and music plays a significant role in dark academia. Old portraits, painted landscapes, and small statues help tie in the renaissance inclination. On the musical front, record players are the best option to listen to your favorite albums. And if you can afford it, go all out on an upright or grand piano (although that might transcend the ‘decor’ category).

There are so many sports and school-related memorabilia that you may use as decor. Emblems, uniforms, and even equipment can help personalize your space while still keeping it on theme.

There are many more pieces of decor advice that we’ve prepared for you. But in the next section we’ll get into the much-awaited dark academia room ideas. And in this one, we’ll be going over how to decorate every single inch of usable space in your room in true dark academia fashion.

Dark Academia Room Ideas

Now that we’ve covered all the bases of dark academia and elaborated a bit on its decor, it’s time to offer up our dark academia room ideas. This comprehensive guide will undoubtedly help you transform your room into your dream decor Pinterest board.

Let’s get right to it:

Color Palette

Although you might be inclined to use a dark color scheme, there are plenty of opportunities to integrate more dynamic colors into your room. Dark brown, beige, and cream make up the lighter scale. While forest green, dark orange, gold, and burgundy are the best accent colors.

Lighting

It is implied that this aesthetic may be quite devoid of light. However, warm light sources like sunlight or candles are quite prevalent. Most importantly, there must be a pronounced contrast between light and dark. So, if you’re adamant about keeping your candles extinguished and your room doesn’t get much natural light, go with warm-toned lightbulbs or fairy lights.

Furniture

As far as furniture goes, dark woods always work best. You should be able to thrift engraved pieces, upholstered/leather armchairs, or even apothecary cabinets. The older they look, the better! And a gold-framed mirror is an absolute must. Also, if you’re able, buy or restore a vintage vanity. It can really help you travel back to a simpler time.

Bedding

For bedding, cream and beige sheets can be the perfect light contrast your moody room needs. Of course, you can throw a cozy woolen comforter or plaid fleece to help you bundle up in the wintertime. As for pillows, stick to only a couple of plain-colored ones.

Floors

For the floor space, you’re definitely gonna want to get yourself a nice Kashan rug. Dark green, creamy beige, and red patterns are the most adequate. Another way to fill up the space not occupied by furniture is by turning practical items into decoration, like steamer trunks or leather suitcases.

Walls

Dark academics tend to abhor empty spaces, which perhaps might explain why their walls are so decked out with paintings, posters, prints, writings, and sketches. Scenic postcards and framed pictures aren’t entirely unusual either. As for the contemplated subjects, botany, zoology, astrology, geography, literature, and art are the most prevalent.

Other Accessories

In dark academic decor, books are of course the prevailing imagery. But other scholarly-evoking objects, such as spinning globes, record players, maps, chess boards, and magnifying glasses are also deeply appreciated.

When decorating shelves or a desk, for instance, small objects and trinkets work best. A few examples of what you may use to fill surfaces are hourglasses, wax stamps, journals and associated stationery, and candlesticks.

Other big functioning decor items include record players, painting easels, telescopes, typewriters, and grandfather clocks. As for large decoration that trumps functionality, white marble-like sculptures and academic banners are the two biggest favorites.

Dark Academia Room Decor F.A.Q

How do I get a dark academia room?

To get a dark academia room, make sure you understand the principles of the aesthetic and then incorporate as much of your personal tastes into the room. Whether it be art, literature, music, or nature, there are terrific ways to seamlessly blend with this decor style.

How do you decorate dark academia?

One of the most important things is to adhere to the color palette: neutrals, forest greens, burgundy, gold, and sapphire blue are a few. Books are quintessential pieces, any other tools for learning and knowledge are also widely appreciated. Lastly, clutter your shelves, desk, and any empty surfaces with trinkets and other small decorative objects.

What can I put in my dark academia room?

Books, gilded mirrors, steamer trunks, spinning globes, painting easels, Persian rugs, white sculptures, botanical posters. The possibilities are endless, just as long as the academic aura is preserved. Our comprehensive guide for dark academia room ideas can be quite helpful if you’re in the mood for some redecorating.

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Although they may play a big part in the visuals of the aesthetic, by now you likely understand that Dark Academia is about more than books and knowledge. In what pertains to the aesthetic, you should be able to seamlessly incorporate into your home if you make sure to visit our shop and keep all of our tips in mind.

If you’d like, you can also check out our room ideas for the Cottagecore and Goblincore aesthetic. And feel free to leave any comments below, whether about the post or the Dark Academia aesthetic.

Happy reads and happy shopping!