Moody Winter Decor Ideas: How to Make Your Space Look Like a Witchy Winter Wonderland
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Don't you think that winter is such a magical time? I swear, some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around shopping with my mom for holiday decor at Pottery Barn and Pier 1, decorating our suburban house… that looked exactly like every other suburban house on the street… a perfectly manicured Pleasantville of sameness…
Let's just say I'm no stranger to using pretty decor to make a generic space look interesting. 🙃 And not all wintery holiday decor will do it for me.
Just because I come from a generic suburban home and currently live in a generic new build city apartment, doesn't mean I'm okay with generic decor. I need something… cooler.
If I were to decorate for the holidays, I'd want to do a dark, moody spin on the festive look of the season. (No surprise there, haha.)
So in this post, I'm giving you some moody winter decor ideas that will make your space feel more like a witchy wonderland, rather than a soccer mom's Christmas party. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Like I said in my recent fall decor video, there’s nothing wrong with the more generic seasonal decor that will have us live-laugh-loving all the way to spring.
But this is is for my fellow dark souls who yearn for more of a mood from our space, even during the cheerful festive holidays.
The way I envision it, this look is basically how my fellow Moda Misfits of the world would decorate for the holidays; we're not super into the typical traditional holiday decor with candy canes, gift shop snow globes, and what one of you described as “rotund elves in red suits” in my YouTube comments. 😂
No, we want something that fits our darker desires, and we decorate accordingly.
Then if your family comes over to celebrate the holidays, they can't help but talk a bout your decor on the car ride home. They'll talk about how stunning and unique it was, or… they may talk shit about how weird you always are. But either way, they're talking. 😉
This is the Moda Misfit way. 🫡
So with that, let’s dive into this dark and moody winter style!
Would you rather watch than read? Here’s the video! ↓
Defining the Look
First, let me describe this look I'm envisioning.
Of course, it involves a dark color palette; blacks, grays, and pops of green from garlands and wreaths. Not so much of the traditional red and green Christmas palette… this is more versatile. It can work with all of the holidays besides Christmas, and you can carry it through all of winter and beyond, if you want.
This dark winter aesthetic is also very light-oriented, ironically enough.
Think fairy lights, candles, and gothic lanterns that cast cool, mysterious shadows. Really, this style relies on light more than anything! I'm of the belief that fairy lights alone are enough to create a festive, whimsical winter vibe in your space.
Basically, when in doubt, just bring in the fairies. Make your space sparkly.
And another key aspect to this style is the use of haunting, naked branches adorned with (you guessed it) more fairy lights on top of the fairy lights already strewn about the space.
Bare branches are like Mother Nature's wintertime sculptures. They're perfect for this dark, moody look.
Speaking of nature, I think natural elements are another important aspect to this aesthetic. Incorporating some rustic wood moments, greenery like garlands and wreaths, rattan, wicker, and anything kind of foresty.
These types of nature-oriented pieces are nice ways to warm up the darkness. Because ultimately, even though this look has a dark edge, we still want those warm, festive winter feels. We're going for the comfy cozy kind of dark, not the Seasonal Affective Disorder kind of dark.
…Not that I would know what that's like, because gloomy weather makes me blissfully happy. My Seasonal Affective Disorder usually kicks in around July, when summer starts ramping up here in Seattle and I'm forced to hiss at the sun and hide in my cave until fall. But that's just me. 🙃
To sum this look up, it's all about balancing darkness, nature, and whimsy. These three things basically form the the Triforce of this style.
Now let's get into some specific decor pieces that might give you some inspiration on how to make this dark and moody winter look happen in your space!
1. Fairy Lights
Of course we’re going to start with some fairy lights! Because like I said, sparkly, whimsical lighting is a key part of this style. Not only do fairy lights add some festive whimsy that's perfect for the holidays, but they also look so pretty against a dark palette.
These ones from Anthropologie are gorgeous, especially the way they styled them with a bare branch. The branch is not included, but you can find a branch pretty much anywhere if you want to display your fairy lights this way. And really, you can find fairy lights anywhere too. You can find inexpensive ones on Amazon or Etsy, or you can splurge on some from a place like Anthropologie.
Back when I was living in my studio apartment, I had splurged on a bunch of fairy lights from Restoration Hardware. I loved them because they were high quality and I could set them to light up and turn off at certain times.
I personally love it when my whimsy can be automated. So if you can find fairy lights that have a timer, that’s an added bonus!
2. Fairy Light Trees
I also love a good fairy light tree, like these ones.
A fairy light tree can add such a pretty burst of sparkle to a space. And it can be an easy alternative to a Christmas tree; no ornaments, bows, or messy string lights required.
You could have one serve as a focal point in a room, or you could even nestle 2 or 3 of them in various corners to create a whimsical fairy forest vibe throughout the space. However you use them, fairy light trees beautiful way to make your space feel instantly magical!
3. Glowy Lanterns
For another type of lighting that has a magical feel to it, you can incorporate lanterns throughout your space.
This lantern from Etsy is especially enchanting because it casts these ghostly shadows that would add so much mystique to your winter decor.
And conceptually, it’s perfect for winter because the Vegvisir is an Icelandic magical symbol that helps you find your way through rough weather. So just symbolically, a piece like this feels very winter appropriate as we head into the rainy, stormy, snowy season.
I love decor that has some meaning to it like this. This lantern isn’t just pretty, it has a concept behind it. Decorative accents like this are great conversation starters if you have people over, and if you're about to have family over for the holidays… you might need some good conversation starters, depending on your family. 😉
4. Enchanting Candle Holders
Keeping with this play between light and shadow, a candle holder like this one would be a very stunning addition to this look.
It looks a little haunted, like a piece of enchanted winter forest trapped in glass. And you could get a few of them and place them throughout your apartment and just watch the light and shadows play on your walls. I mean, how dreamy would that be?
Personally, that would make me feel like an all powerful winter witch just living her best life in her enchanted forest, which is a life goal of mine. So this kind of candle situation would make me feel closer to that dream. 🙃
5. Snowy Forest Wall Art
Speaking of winter forest vibes, you could also get a piece of wall art like this.
It's quite simple, but I think it would do so much to set a dark winter tone in a room. I am really just a sucker for images of haunted looking trees, and this one stuck out to me.
You can almost hear the snowy silence of it, you know? That almost otherworldly quiet that a layer of snow muffles the atmosphere with… I get warm and fuzzy feelings just thinking about it. This piece would be a beautiful (and quite literal) way to convey this dark, wintry forest look!
6. Cozy Snow Owl Throw Pillow
7. Elegant Deer Blanket
8. Cute Fox Wall Art
Every enchanted forest needs its adorable woodland creatures, don’t you think?
So I found this snow owl pillow, this fox wall art, and this deer blanket to add some life to this style.
The deer blanket in particular made me think of the title sequence for The Last Unicorn. Do you remember that absolute fever dream of a movie? The art style on the blanket immediately made me think of the opening for The Last Unicorn, which is such a beautiful introduction to the movie.
Along with the snow owl and cute little fox, these forest creatures would be great for warming up a dark, moody space. They'd bring an element of comfort and coziness that would make a dark space feel more inviting!
9. Acorn Arrangement
All kinds of nature oriented elements will help warm up a dark, moody space. Remember, this look is very much about balancing darkness, nature, and whimsy.
So an earthy piece like this little acorn guy would be perfect. As a matter of fact, it kind of embodies all three main aspects of this style; you have the dark vase and an overall dark vibe to it, you have the natural elements of the branch and the acorns, and you have the whimsy of it looking like a group of woodland fairies put it together for some kind of occult ceremony.
It ticks all the boxes all right, haha. And it would make a stylish statement!
10. Wintery Triangles
11. Shiny Moon Ornaments
12. Floral Star Ornaments
Now we have some little decorative touches. If you celebrate Christmas or any holiday that incorporates ornaments, you have these moon and star pieces, which would add a witchy, celestial touch to a tree.
I also really love this Etsy shop, Northwood Supply. I'm actually considering some pieces of theirs for my bedroom decor, and I came across these little triangles. I love the graphic look of them!
13. Woodsy Reed Diffuser
I’m a firm believer that decorating isn't just about our sense of sight, it's also about our sense of smell. And this reed diffuser from Rosy Rings smells so good!
It's the perfect woodsy scent for winter, and I think they describe it best on their site: “A winding path through misty woods of cedar wood and pine, crushed leaves and wet fur needles underfoot”. Ahhh.
It also looks like a little potion, you know? Like a little elixir concocted to bring about a prosperous winter. 🤓
14. Faux Fireplace Mantel
If you live in an apartment, you might find yourself yearning for a fireplace mantle to put these pretty little things on. But of course, you don't have a fireplace, most likely.
When I fantasize about the ideal version of this look, I always see a black Gothic fireplace in the room, adorned with fairy lights, garland, and the kinds of decor pieces I've been talking about here. But as an apartment dweller, a fireplace is just that: a fantasy.
But what's cool is you could buy a faux fireplace mantle, like this one! Just put some candles in there to substitute an actual fire and you can create a really striking visual statement, while having another surface on which to create a dark, moody winter picture.
So if you want to add some drama to your space and create a stage for your moody winter decor to shine, consider getting a faux fireplace mantle! Why should we apartment dwellers be left out of the fireplace fun for the holidays?
Inspiration
Now, to show you how this look can come together in a real life space, I'm going to highlight some inspiring Instagram accounts that really exemplify this dark, moody winter look!
@casaardolino
@casaardolino is a beautiful example of a dark, moody Christmas, with her black walls and whimsical floating candle effect (which very much gives off a a magical Harry Potter vibe). She also incorporates a bit of a witchy edge with skull decor and cloches with little curiosities in them. Then she also has the natural elements of the Christmas tree and the garland, which looks so pretty up against the dark color palette.
Her space definitely accomplishes all three aspects of the Triforce of this style: it's dark, it's whimsical, and it has those nature elements!
@arceriinteriors
@arceriinteriors has an utterly elegant take on this look. She’s conveying the dark, moody atmosphere, she has the sparkle going on, and she has the faux fireplace mantle with some candles acting like fire. So as you can see, this can be done in a very elevated, elegant way!
Her version of this look is very vintage oriented, very timeless, and very exquisite.
@itsonlytaken10years
And then we have @itsonlytaken10years, which is an account I absolutely love. Her space is so stunning, and her wintery holiday decor is exactly what I've been talking about in this post.
It's dark and dramatic, but also warm and textured through her use of decorative pillows and throws. And her mantle decor is absolute goals. It's giving Abigail Ahern meets A Christmas Carol, you know?
So I definitely recommend you head over to all three of those Instagram accounts for some serious dark decor inspiration. They're three of my favorites, so definitely check them out!
By the way, if you live in an apartment where you can't paint your walls black or you simply can’t do a lot of the stuff that they're able to do in their spaces, then do not fret! My YouTube channel is full of tips on how to achieve beautiful styles in a rental apartment.
Just because you can't do some of the dramatic things that they're able to do doesn't mean you can't capture the essence of this style in different, more apartment friendly ways!
And if you want more dark decor inspiration, check out this YouTube playlist of mine, which is full of videos I’ve created all about dark decor. So if you if you want some more dark, moody decor inspo, just binge this playlist and you'll be good to go!
