How To Decorate Your Home Like The House From Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
According to Glamour, "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" is a spooky teen drama comparable to "Stranger Things" as a dark, engaging, yet oh-so-satisfying watch. The show aired on Netflix from 2018 to 2020 in two seasons split across four parts and is a darker rendition of the sitcom "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," which aired on network television from 1996 to 2003.
Fans have praised the show for being quick-witted, fast-paced, and brimming with delectable teen drama (via Den of Geek). Above all, fans mourn the show getting the ax so early in its run and can only cross their fingers and toes that the promised spin-off series will materialize at some point. Another thing that fans miss is the spooky Spellman mansion. The dark, Gothic decor and whimsical living space are a compelling backdrop for all the supernatural action in the series. If you want to create the same witchy vibes at home, read on to learn how to decorate like "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina."
Gather some spooky candles
You might not use candles to summon spirits like Sabrina and her family, but you can still use them to set the scene. According to Stone Candles, there are many ways to use candles in the home. It all depends on the mood you want to create. You can use large candles as the centerpiece on your dining room table or your living room coffee table. These locations are also another great place to use a group of candles of varying heights and colors to create an intriguing look.
If you want to use candles in your bathroom and take a spooky bath like Sabrina, consider matching, or at least coordinating, the color of your candles to the color of your towels and bathroom walls. By doing this, you can avoid the seance vibe and land firmly in the spa space, making your bathroom feel like a wellness retreat. If you are sensitive to scents, you can use candles purely for decoration. In addition, it's easy to find unscented candles in different shapes and colors.
Consider unique planters
Gone are the days of boring terracotta pots. It's never been easier to show off your personality and decorating style through every little accessory in your home. If you love gardening, think about investing in unique planters for your houseplants, just like the Spellmans. They've gone for the unsettling top of a human head, but according to Sanctuary Home Decor, there are plenty of other alternatives.
If you are on a tight budget, you can start by looking around your house for things that can be up-cycled into a plant pot. You might use a basket (you'll need to pop in a liner to prevent dirt from spilling out), an old metal box, or even a watering can. In addition to these options, think about wooden barrels and mason jars. If you want to purchase a few new additions as well, most garden stores carry a variety of shapes, colors, and styles of planters so you can easily show off your personality.
Shop antique couches like the Spellmans
The Spellmans don't seem to have a modern piece of furniture in the entire house, making their Victorian style house seem all the more authentic. If you want to recreate this vintage home design trend, avoid the local furniture store and search for older pieces in specialty stores and flea markets instead.
According to The Spoiled Queen, sometimes buying antique furniture means poorer quality. Much like a house that's a bit of a fixer-upper, before purchasing a piece, think about the time, effort, and extra money you might need to restore it. From there, you can decide if it is actually a good fit for your space. Finally, just as you would with modern pieces, purchase antique items that you fall in love with at first sight. Don't buy antiques just because of their age and because you want to fit a certain aesthetic.
Invest in spooky art
Instead of beauty, use art in your home to inspire horror, fear, and all things spooky like the Spellmans. According to DeviantArt, you can even create dark art yourself. It's easy to transition from more classic sketches into spookier creations. For example, you can transform a simple drawing into a scary one by adding a few shadows and drops of blood. If you don't want to create the art yourself, there are many artists on DeviantArt, Etsy, and other websites where you can commission the ghastly paintings and sculptures of your dreams.
When commissioning an artist, you'll need to find someone whose style you like and ensure that their price works within the budget you set up for your piece. Popular artists will often have a waiting list. Be ready to wait for a spot in their schedule or pay extra to skip the line (via Artwork Archive).
Add a magical touch with stained glass
Stained glass can elevate any room, whether you DIY or style an existing window. According to Cumberland Stained Glass, this type of glass used to be considered a luxury item. In older homes, it was significantly more expensive. However, it's now more common and easy to add to homes on any budget. In the Spellman house, you'll see stained glass on interior windows. However, in most other homes, you usually see stained glass on exterior windows or the front door pane.
For stained glass to look its best, highlight it with a light source. It can be natural light from outside or artificial light. The Spellman ladies placed a stained glass lamp next to the window to highlight the colorful glass. If you have stained glass, stay away from curtains or other coverings which block the light and detract from the natural beauty of the glass.
Spice things up with mint cabinetry
Most "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" fans agree that the Spellman's mint green kitchen is nothing short of fabulous. Mint is a color not used enough in interior design. It's a fun, fresh hue that's also pretty easy to work within the home. According to Storables, mint was at its peak in American home design in the 1990s. Most who jumped on the trend find that as time goes on, they don't feel the need to redecorate. It seems mint is a lot more timeless than we first thought.
If you feel shy about painting your cabinets mint green, there are more subtle ways you can begin to incorporate the color into your home. Think about bringing in a rug, window curtains, or even a blanket in mint or similar hues like cerulean or sea foam green. Using the color as an accent can tone it down substantially, so you can decide if you want to keep it around or not. In addition, because these items are linens, it's easy to swap them out if you decide they are not for you.
You'll need a large wooden table
The Spellman ladies have a lot of serious business to discuss around their wooden kitchen table. If you want to decorate your home like "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," solid wood is a solid choice for your dining room table, chairs, and other furniture. According to the Furniture Academy, there are many benefits to owning a piece of wood furniture. The first is that solid wood is strong and durable, so your table can withstand a lot of wear and tear with little maintenance.
To keep it in top shape, you'll need to apply a little bit of wood shine every once in a while to keep it looking sleek. Tables made of solid wood have unique features, so you don't have to dress them up much with accessories. These include knots in the wood, which form unique swirls, and the tree's natural grain.
Create an unsettling ambiance with lamps
Take a page from the Spellman's book and go for darker interiors when lighting your home. If you go this route, remember that dark spaces can be cozy or spooky. It all depends on how you light them. An overhead light can seem too bright and harsh, ruining the ambiance. You can use lamps like the Spellmans to better disperse the light in the space while maintaining the atmosphere.
However, if your space is too dark for use at certain times of day and you don't want to add more lamps, there is still a solution. According to Lumens, a great way to control the amount of light you have in a room is by adding a mirror. You can use the mirror to emphasize the amount of light spreading through the room at different times of the day. It's also easy to move and adjust depending on how much (or little) light you want.
Consider wallpaper instead of paint
Wallpaper has been back on the scene as a stylish option for years now. As you can see in the Spellman home, there are plenty of innovative ways to use wallpaper. They've chosen a chic floral option for the upper half of the walls in their home. The bottom half uses wainscoting in a bold olive color to complement the tones of the wallpaper. According to The Seattle Times, wallpaper gives the space more character and visual interest than a simple coat of paint.
If you're worried about your wallpapering choices making your home too unique, you shouldn't be. "We have never worried about turning off buyers with wallpaper," designer Jeff Benach told Realtor Magazine. Yes, wallpaper tends to be a pretty personal choice, but the great thing about using this medium in your home is that should you sell, the buyers can easily remove it to add their own.
Lean into a Gothic aesthetic
The Sabrina aesthetic is all about drama. The Spellman women live in a spooky yet romantic Victorian Gothic mansion. According to Art & Home, this style first popped up in the early 1800s and was on-trend for about 100 years. Even Queen Victoria was a huge fan of the look and decorated her palaces to match. The Victorian Gothic movement took plenty of inspiration from the Romantic Movement, which used Medieval Gothic themes and brought them forward into the (then) modern era.
When you think about Gothic, it's not all crows and tombstones. It involves red velvet drapes on four-poster beds, plush furniture, and deep mahogany stair railings. Victorian decor is expensive because it is so ornate. Being over the top is one of its key features. However, you can still create a low-cost duplicate for pretty much anything these days if you are a savvy DIYer.
Use drapery to create drama
Billowing curtains certainly fit the Gothic look. Use drapes around your home to create a dramatic flair similar to the spooky vibes on the show. According to SFGate, drapes are one of the best locations to incorporate your accent color of choice into your room. You can create contrast between the walls and curtains for an eye-catching effect. If you want to stick with a Gothic aesthetic, go for a crimson red, dark gray, or royal purple.
In addition, you will want to use heavy fabrics because most Gothic mansions (and the Spellman house) don't have delicate, sheer curtains. Our best guess is that you need heavy curtains because you can't do magic in privacy if the neighbors can look right into your house. Most velvet curtains reach down to the floor. If these curtain styles are too long for you, tie them back with tasseled ropes.
Add some life with succulents
If a house as full of death and destruction as the Spellman mansion has room for some cute green succulents, then so do you. The nice thing about succulents is they are a pretty easy plant to maintain. Even if you don't have a green thumb, you should be able to keep them alive. According to Tom's Guide, most succulents will do great with just the light from the outside. If you set them on your counter or windowsill, they will thrive right where they are, even if you forget to open the curtains.
If you are concerned about them getting too hot or not receiving enough sun, all you have to do is rotate your pots every once in a while to ensure each one is getting even attention. During the summer, water them about once a week. Depending on the winter climate where you live, you can leave them be for up to a month during the colder season — making them one of the most low-maintenance options. That's why they're totally perfect for witches.
Decorate with fringed lamps
Lamps are a fun and easy way to add visual spice to a space. Fans of "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" will notice that the Spellman ladies use lamps with fringed shades instead of the more typical flat-bottomed styles. These shades add a period-appropriate, dramatic flair. According to Oriental Lamp Shade, fringed lamp shades became popular in the 1970s. They typically come in earthy tones with soft silhouettes. You can mix them with brassy light stands in a nod to the Art Deco movement of the 1920s.
Most lamps on the market today lean into this look, or they draw inspiration from even farther back in time: the Victorian area. Lampshades in this style, while often more expensive, look like you've plucked them straight out of a Charlotte Bronte novel. Look for styles with beaded fringe for an elegant touch. They are perfect for your Gothic-inspired home (via Antique Lamp Supply).
Grab a Gothic bed
A good night's sleep starts with a Gothic bed frame, like Sabrina's. According to Cornish Bed Company, metal bed frames became popular during the Victorian period because of the Industrial Revolution, which occurred around the same time. As many factories opened up, products could be mass-produced for the first time. Since metal is easy to work with, metal bed frames soared in production and sales.
Another option for a bed that fits the overall style of the Spellman house is a bed with a wooden frame and intricate fabric headboard. Typically, the wood should be darker, like mahogany or dark oak, to fit the spooky vibe of the era. To further dress things up, stay on theme when selecting your linens. While you don't have to go with black sheets, a velvet throw blanket or tasseled pillows will go a long way toward achieving the look you want.