How To Design Whimsigoth Interiors Worthy Of Wednesday Addams

With the recent release of Wednesday season 2 on Netflix, we’ve been immersed back into the bleak and quirky world of the Addams family. But don’t worry if you’re scared of the dark, here’s how to get Wednesday-inspired interiors without going all-out goth.

Whimsigoth Interiors: How To Channel Your Inner Wednesday Addams

Wednesday. Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in episode 104 of Wednesday. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

It’s creepy and it’s kooky, mysterious and spooky – the whimsigoth trend is enchanting lovers of all things witchy across fashion and interiors. With the recent release of Wednesday season 2 on Netflix, fans are once again falling head over chunky black loafers for the show’s stunning interior design: featuring stained glass windows, draped fabrics and vintage chandeliers. But how do you introduce a quirky touch of ‘Addamscore’ into your home without going full-on goth?

Compared to the more hard-core goth aesthetic (think graveyards, ravens and black, black everywhere), the 90s inspired whimsigoth look introduces a more subtle haunting to your home: Kate Bush rather than The Cure. Taking the fashion world by storm, vintage clothes lovers are sourcing long flowy skirts, celestial jewellery and medieval inspired silhouettes to perfect the look. But the Wednesday-inspired aesthetic doesn’t have to be contained to your wardrobe alone. Here’s how to get the moody, mysterious look in your home as well. 

What Is Whimsigoth?

Inspired by films such as Practical Magic (1998) and The Love Witch (2016), the term whimsigoth was first coined in 2020 by co-founder of Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute, Evan Collins. This escapist, dream-like aesthetic celebrates maximalism and individuality. A slightly more earthy and quirky take on the dark academia trend, think Victorian structures (like Wednesday’s Nevermore Academy) and mahogany bookshelves cluttered with ancient tomes, scrolls and spells. 

Andrew Martin x Kit Kemp, Lantern Parade- Dusk

As Debbie Leigh, design manager at ILIV explains, whimsigoth ‘blends the dark, mysterious elements of gothic style with magical and fantastical influences. This distinctive look merges the classic goth look, marked by dark tones, vintage flair and a touch of the macabre, with a lighter, more whimsical and dream-like vibe.’

Embrace The Dark Side

Don’t worry. We know Wednesday’s all-black vibe isn’t for everybody. Unless you’re fully committed to the gothic cause, the dreary colour palette may make you feel get-me-out-of-this-grave levels of claustrophobic. 

Hillarys

Hillarys‘ style and trend expert Victoria Robinson explains that ‘Wednesday’s world is all about rich, inky hues – think deep purples, stormy greys, and classic black.’ Rather than blacking-out your walls, she recommends painting a feature wall in a dramatic shade or laying dark velvet cushions and throws for instant Wednesday-style impact. The colour palette doesn’t have to be all dark and dreary, deep jewel tones such as emerald and amethyst, or nature-inspired shades such as sage green also encapsulate the mystical look. As Claudia Kampmann, Europe brand manager at Ruggable, explains: ‘Whimsigoth is all about steering away from traditional dark, Halloween-esque inspired decor and more about gravitating towards mixing warm tones with a dark colour palette to create a cosy atmosphere.’ 

Vintage Touches

You can’t do gothic, without a touch of the Victorian. Robinson from Hillarys suggests looking for antique finds with a macabre twist, such as skull motifs, upholstered botanical fabric prints, candelabras, ornate mirrors and baroque picture frames. Hunt around the vintage markets and antique stores for an eclectic and idiosyncratic look, keeping an eye out for quirky accessories which will keep the dark atmosphere feeling just on the right side of playful and kitsch. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find something that’s suitably haunted. 

Play With Texture

To get the Wednesday look, Robinson recommends ‘mixing heavy velvets, intricate lace, and glossy surfaces’ to add depth and intrigue to your home. Combined with fringe and frills, ‘a black lace table runner or velvet armchair can transform a room’. If you really want to get creative with fabrics, she suggests dressing your windows with heavy fabrics – these ‘not only channel the Addam’s aesthetic, they also create a cosy, cocooning feel’.

Andrew Martin, Artemis Custom Sofa in Medici Fig

Prints And Patterns

For the full witchy look, hunt for astrological motifs and wicca-inspired artworks, tarot card prints and medieval designs. Surrounding your space with stars and moons, embrace the natural world a step further with archival floral wallpaper prints as well. Or to go full witchy apothecary, create your own herbarium with an unruly tangle of house plants. As Kampmann explains: ‘Incorporating whimsigoth into your home is not complete without witchy accessories and luxurious textures. Think celestial motifs such as the moon and stars, tarot cards, and crystals, alongside the kind of greenery that you would find inside the pages of a fantasy novel.’ 

Wednesday. Thing in episode 101 of Wednesday. Cr. Courtesy Of Netflix © 2022

While interior expert Chloe Barrow at Laura James believes celestial motifs will remain popular this year, she thinks they will be more tactile than graphic: ‘Think moon-shaped candle holders in matte ceramics, or worn-in brass star details on drawer handles. It’s less about themed decor and more about subtly infusing a sense of magic into your everyday decor.’

Thunderbolts And Lighting

Dripping wax, flickering flames, ornate candelabras, vintage chandeliers and pendant lights – ‘Incorporating the proper lighting is essential if you want to nail dark academia,’ explains Kampmann, ‘as you need just the right amount to enhance the dark, moody interior of the room. Think grandeur chandeliers that act as the room’s centrepiece, warm lamps and lit candles.’ To perfect the Wednesday-look keep an eye peeled for stained glass lamps and light-shades to imbue some true gothic whimsy into your home.