It's not too hard to give your house a Gothic makeover by following a few simple rules.
Making it black
Painting the entire room black is probably the ultimate step, but unless you own the house, I really wouldn't suggest this as your landlord will have a fit.
However, if you own any of your own furniture, you can paint it with a black gloss paint. Pine and chipboard furniture is cheap and easily painted - just make sure you put a drip-sheet down so you don't ruin the carpet. Just put a few coats of paint on the furniture and it'll be ready for holding your gothic decorations.
Add a few splashes of red paint too if you're feeling inclined - a few blood-like drips go a long way.
Decorations
There are some simple but effective decorations that can help style the house:
* Cobwebs - not real cobwebs, but you can get stretchy cheesecloth material, make a few holes in it and pin it up in the corners to make a giant spiderweb. Or you can use fake stretchable cobweb material from fancy dress shops. Another cheap option is to use old fishnet stockings with plenty of ladders in them.
* Candelabras - these can range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. If you're on a budget, you can often pick them up very cheaply at Opportunity Shops or the local second-hand markets. Don't worry if they've still got wax on them - you won't be cleaning it off in a hurry!
* Candles - what good is a candelabra without candles. It's very easy to find red and black candles these days, so stock up - candlelight is much better than naturing light.
* Red velvet - real velvet is pretty expensive, but there are cheap alternatives you can buy to drape over the lounge to give it a luxurious feel without breaking the bank.
* Skulls - avoid real human skulls! As much as you'd like one, it's just not worth the trouble. Try your local novelty store for some great skulls.
* Skeleton Ashtray - if you smoke, a skeleton ashtray makes a great accessory. Again, try a novelty store, or even an alternative smoke shop.
* Bookends - keep your eyes open for some resin bookends in the shape of skeletons or skulls - they're not that hard to find.
* Posters - once upon a time, you'd put up a Cure poster with Robert Smith looking down on you, but these days you'd go for something like a Twilight poster. For a classier look, see if you can find some retro Vampire or Vincent Price movie posters!
Going all out to create the ultimate Gothic look
* A real Coffin - this is pretty expensive, but you'll be the only one of your friends to have one.
* Lamps - if you can afford it, there are an number of amazing designer lamps from more upmarket alternative stores.
* Coffin Pool Table - Casket Furniture make a coffin shaped pool table.
Don't be afraid to search at secondhand places - you can find some excellent decorations very cheap. Or if you have a few dollars to spend, check out any of the online Halloween stores for hundreds of great decorations.
The secret is to use your imagination - stick to the basic colors - black, red or even purple, do some shopping at the local markets and don't be afraid to try different things - after all, part of it making your space individual.
