How to Decorate a Room in American/Revival Gothic on a Small Budget

American Gothic, or Revival-Style Gothic, was resurrected during the 1840's. The colors are mostly dark, but they're rich and fantastic. The furnishings are intricately carved and made with dark heavy woods and marble. On a small budget, naturally you will need to forget the antiques; however, you may still achieve the same depth of color and feel of richness by buying colors and designs mimicking this period.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Design magazines
• Black and white stills with sepia tones, if possible
• Dark brown picture frames
• Silver frames
• Linens matching the American Gothic style

1. The space I suggest decorating with this technique is a bedroom. The first thing you'll need to do is head to your friendly hometown retailer where the selection is great for individuals on average to minimal budgets.
2. Choose items that may be used in more than one application. For example, a bargain-priced curtain panel in a rich burgundy with floret design and tassels looked all wrong as a window drape; however, I snipped off one of the tassels for decoration in another area and threw it over a full-size bed as a top covering, placing the tassel side away from the entry door to the room in order that the real function of the fabric would not be revealed. Size-wise it worked out perfectly on the bed and was not too heavy a fabric as to overpower the bed. I draped it over a Victorian floral print sheet comprised of blues, whites, olive-green's, pinks and a rosey burgundy with cream-colored background. The compliment to the patterned sheet was extraordinary.
   
   Use items that are inexpensive yet versatile. The curtain which was transformed into a bed linen was only twenty cents!
   
   Also, keep in mind, that by versatile I mean fabrics appropriate for a window covering or comfortable on a bed. In example, do not place a sheer panel on your bed under any circumstance. This is a "dead give-away" you are attempting a makeshift arrangement. You can still make your room eye-appealing even with restrictions on your budget, without stooping to any drastic measures.
3. Before you shop, make a list of items you will need. Items may include pillow shams, sheet sets, throws, towels, decorative items such as bows, flowers--easily found at Christmas. Also decide on colors appropriate for your decorating scheme: Black on a minimal level, golds, teals, burgundy and floral prints may be considerations. Picture frames of sliver, creams and deep browns are optional items. Frames may be economically purchased at certain Dollar Stores.
4. Sometimes discounters will sell pillow shams separately. Whenever this is the case, make a purchase. Some of my best "looks" came from overstocks. If you find a bargain bin of shams sold at budget prices, by all means purchase them. These may be incorporated into your current design scheme or later designs.
5. Use pillows in your decorating schemes. Pillows can get expensive, so go to your discounter and purchase one a week or as many as your budget may allow. Continue to purchase each week until the required number is reached. At the same time, you may want to purchase a pretty pillowcase or sham (sold separately) preferably in a floral or design that will compliment your other pillows. A nice thing about pillows is they do not have to perfectly match in order to accommodate your scheme. A tendency to be a bit Bohemian will not be a mistake.
6. When shopping, purchase what you can afford as far as linens and accessories. If you must come back another week, this is okay. Just plan to stay within your budget. Discounters may move items quickly; however, they are very good at restocking and replacing sold-out items with new items equally interesting and attractive.
7. Purchase a good sheet set. It's best if you purchase standard white--one fitted to place on your mattress and one flat as a covering.
8. The next items is a blanket. A good acrylic blanket can be purchased at most retailers for around $6. Assure you purchase one without a print in a pale color.
9. The next layer on your bed--as well as your next purchase--is a floral sheet set. Choose one with a Victorian influence.
10. You will not be using the white pillow cases that came with your white sheet set as they will be much too "stark" when combined with the "drama" of your other pillow coverings. Instead use the Victorian floral pillow cases that came with your Victorian floral sheet set along with your other pillows.
11. If you have an opportunity to do so, purchase a bed skirt (if you find any sold separately--as in the bargain bin). This purchase may be helpful should your top sheet covering not be long enough. Otherwise, assure your sheet will provide full coverage in order that no portion of the mattress or bed rails are evident.
12. Use the fitted sheet that came with your second set of sheets. The flat floral sheet covers the blanket. The fitted sheet gets draped over a small round table. An ideal table size is 36 inches in diameter; however, purchase or use one that works well with the dimensions of your room.
    
    After I have draped the floral sheet over the table, I tie the sheet with a remnant of gold shiny fabirc or any other remnant that makes a nice match. I tie or secure either a bow or knot at the base of the table. The talble drape coordinates well with the design in my floral pillows as well as the floral top sheet I've just used to cover the blanket.
    
    In using this technique, I have acheived a decorator look that normally costs several hundred dollars or more. The effect I just managed to acheive costs me normally between $8.00 and $15.00.
    
    You may pick up a round wood table as an overstock at many furniture retailers. Sometimes home "decor" stores supply round tables for the purpose of draping the tables with fabric. You may want to check these stores as well. These latter tables, although serving the purpose of decoration may not be as sturdy or eventually as multi-purpose in use as the former tables. If your room can accommodate the size, I highly recommend the purchase of the former table.
13. Purchase a top covering for the bed. If you are a good seamstress, purchase fabric in rich burgundy or dark teal and sew a coverlet. Fabric may be purchased at fabric stores when on sale. Fabric also may be found at certain discount retailers.
    
    You may "luck in" as I did and find a functional use for an item marketed for another purpose as was the case with the burgundy curtain I purchased at the bargain price.
14. If you have a bedroom chair, you may wish to purchase a throw or fabric in a rich color such as dark brown. Make sure there is depth of color to your chair covering, especially if your bed cover is somewhat lighter weight. This will bring to life the decorating scheme your are aspiring to achieve.
15. Purchase pictures. You will want to purchase frames in sliver and dark brown. Black and white still lifes are great to use in silver frames. If you have any photographic ability at all, you may want to try your hand at shooting your own still lifes.
16. Purchase a brown runner or rug of coordinating shade to compliment your chair cover. Also, throws or remnants of gray may be placed at the foot of your chair.
17. Lastly, enjoy your American Gothic inspired look. Although, you may not have the antiques or flocked wall coverings, you have the inspiration that comes from this wonderful American revival classic: always a wonderful way to set the tone for a room.

Tips & Warnings

• To avoid or minimize returns have in mind colors, patterns, designs, and specific items.
• In order to minimize the darker shading use prints with cream backgrounds. Include black and white stills with subtle tones of sepia placed in silver frames to be interspersed strategically throughout your room . You want the "richness" of the "deeper" colors to come through in your "Revival Gothic" scheme. You do not merely want the room to feel dark and dreary. True American Gothic does not come across in a dreary manner; rather its richness of spirit and color should be a delight. So minimize with pale backgrounds on some of your prints and place black and white still lifes housed in silver or perhaps cream colored frames throughout the room. However, do not place too much light colored items in your scheme--just enough to keep the room in good balance. Use the lighter shades along with darker still lifes in chocolate dark brown frames--frames that mimick the period when much of the wood was a deep and luxurious brown. In many of the woods, there was also a hint of deep burgundy.
• A "nifty" idea you can use in coordination with throw pillows is to take a towel with a soft velvety texture and wrap it around your pillow. Make it into a pillowcase if you are a fairly good seamstress or if you prefer, do as I do, and secure the covering inconspicuously with safety pins. The towel will emulate rich velvet. Decorate the front of the covering using burgundy ribbons or tassels, gold bows, or gold flowers. This decorating idea cost me around $3.00.
• Take out the glass from your picture frames when displaying still lifes and framing pictures from design periodicals. Also, if employing this idea assure you select a picture wherein there is no visible signs of dialogue. You don't want to give it away that your picture came from a magazine. The glass, sometimes will weigh down the lighter weight frame thus causing the frame to topple over at the slightest bit of air circulation or when dusting. Also, glass collects dust and my method does not present any problem with your picuture becoming a dust bin. When using black and white pictures and where the color scheme is primarily dark, the absence of glass in your frame will not be noticed.
• When shopping, especially at discounters be aware of your store's return policy. Some discounters only offer "exchange only" policies and only with a receipt. That is why versatility and pre-planning to some degree is essential. Some discounters, although offering "bargain-basement" prices do not offer much more than an even-exchange. This is another reason to shop several discounters in order to keep your options open should you decide you need to return items.
• In the case of using silver in your still lifes, do not over-embelish the scheme by purchasing a silver piece and placing it next to the picture. This will only detract from the originality of the concept and serve to add confusion. Besides, a silver serving piece does not belong in a bedroom, although a picture of one is not too forward. In other words, never try to "overkill" any idea. Use your new found enthusiasm in accessorizing other areas of the room.

Who Can Help:

• Find Local Contractors Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.
• Find Decorators & Designers Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.
• Find Contractors Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.