Have you ever fantasized about living in a Gothic home? Imagine a large impenetrable structure standing with two towers, and surrounded by a moat. Picture a castle made of stone and intricate wrought iron gates. Inside there are large rooms covered in rich mahogany wood paneled walls and large fireplaces the size of small porches. Colossal stained glass windows glow with sunlight, casting prisms of color across the hardwood door and throughout the room If given the challenge and financial ability, is this architectural style remotely possible? Yes, indeed. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Study the three major kinds of Gothic styles--Early English Gothic, the Decorated Period, and the Perpendicular Gothic. Choose the one that best illustrates what you would like to see in your modern Goth home. Ask your architect to use the elements of the chosen style in the design of your Goth home.
2. Use "Early English Gothic" style if you envision an ancient design with narrow Lancet windows and arches, and simple "stiff leaf" foliage carvings and trimmings. This style was popular from 1180 to 1275, and is also called Lancet. Lancet is a reference to the point of a knight's lance. This led to the creation of a Lancet arch and eventually to the Lancet window. A lancet window is characteristically long and narrow, framed with the Lancet arch.
3. Choose a more elaborate style by incorporating elements of the "Decorated Gothic Period", into the plans of your new home. This style appeared from 1280 to 1380. Elements include borders and trims found in nature. Detailed designs of ivy, oak leaves, roses, vines, animals, birds, and some human figures, can bring a touch of history and whimsy into a modern-day Goth home. Another architectural design of this period that could be used is "vaulting", which refers to an arched structure usually of stone, concrete, or bricks that formed a ceiling or roof.
4. Appreciating larger windows could lead you to blend aspects of the "Perpendicular Gothic" period into your Goth home. This design style lasted from the late 14th century to the early 16th century. In this period, larger windows and the Hammerbeam roof were preferred. A Hammerbeam roof was made of wood and similar to vaulting, except fashioned from short beams with carvings, which were painted or gilded.
Carvings during this period lost some of their naturalness, returning to a more formal style.
5. Creating a Goth home isn't an easy or inexpensive plan, however there are ways to imitate ancient properties.The modern equivalent of stone vaulting can be imitated with Venetian Plaster or Lime Marmorin; both can be used for interior and exterior purposes. Hammerbeam roofs can be built by a good carpenter, through either an old-fashion carving method or pre-cut beams for later assembly. Stone veneers can produce arches and borders around exterior windows, as well as create natural stone fortress exterior walls.
6. Decorate inside the Goth home with rich fabrics. Brocade tapestry and velvets are excellent choices for curtains, upholstery, and pillows.
Wrought-iron candlesticks and decorative wall railings are good additions to wall painted deep jeweled colors like pomegranate red, sapphire blue, and amethyst purple.
A Gothic style fits well in spacious rooms. Small rooms will feel smaller because of the dark color scheme.
7. Lighten the mood of your medieval style home. Dark tones and tapestries do not have to reflect feelings of doom and despair. Ivy plants can add to freshness to the rooms. Sheer panels between the heavy curtains will let in sunlight, and gold ropes as curtain ties add richness. Touches of lighter fabrics can be added to break up the overall darkness of a room.
Tags: Goth home, this period, English Gothic, Gothic style, Hammerbeam roof
