How To Decorate Your Home Like House Lannister From Game Of Thrones
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"Game of Thrones" will go down in history as one of HBO's biggest success stories. From the minute it first aired till its very last episode, it racked up millions of fans and avid watchers who lived for all the debauchery, bloody battles, dragon homicides, and unending skirmishes for power. According to Vox, the HBO show follows a group of characters from a fictional world who are fighting to gain control over the iron throne. House Lannister is one of the most powerful dynasties among the throne claimants — they held the throne in the premiere and would protect it at all costs.
House Lannister is made up of Tywin Lannister and his offspring, and the family never fails to showcase its power through its castles, architecture, and opulent decor within its home. Since "Game of Thrones" was set in a fictional medieval period, the decor used in this series is not just vintage; it is the definition of antique. Medieval and Rennaissance-inspired furniture is seen throughout, making viewers think back to the ages of family crests, warring families, and golden spoils. Since the Lannisters owned the throne in Season 1, the King's Landing castle was their home, and it looked like a castle from an old fairy tale book. Whether you affiliate yourself with House Lannister or just love a Gothic aesthetic, follow these tips and tricks to decorate your home just like the show.
Introduce a throne into your seating area
Cersei Lannister famously said, "When you play the game of thrones, you win, or you die. There is no middle ground." According to Vox, at the beginning of the series, Cersei was married to King Robert Baratheon, the current occupant of the throne. She killed him and claimed the throne for her son Joffrey to prevent him from discovering her incestuous relationship with her twin brother Jamie Lannister. This imbalance gave hope to other families to come forth and fight for the throne, and thus the "Game of Thrones" began.
If you are decorating your house like the show, add an accent chair that can double as a throne. This can mean investing in a large accent chair with a tall back, or going more literal and getting a throne-inspired chair to decorate your home with. These kinds of pieces can get expensive thanks to their robust shapes and costly fabrics, but if you're crafty, you can DIY a throne to your exact liking. All you will need is a plastic chair as your scaffold, a ruler to take measurements, cardboard to make the throne's silhouette, furniture inlays to trace out your desired design features, and foam for cushions (via Yoduvh Essentials). Once you have procured the throne, find a special spot to place it within your house, such as the den or bedroom. And if you don't mind guests sitting in it as well, you can showcase it in your living room.
Add studs to all your chairs
Aside from the highly sought-after iron throne, there are many other chairs in the House Lannister abode, all of which are decorated with gold circular studs for extra effect. Literally every chair you come across — from the chairs that flank the throne to the chairs in their quarters (upon which Tywin Lannister sits as pictured above) — has studs fixed to its edges.
This detail is a lot easier and less time-consuming to DIY than a throne and will require only a few items. Head to the craft store and pick up upholstery studs, which can be added to any leather, fabric, or wooden chair in your house. According to Suffolk Latch Company, studs were especially popular in the 18th century, which is why furniture with stud detailing today gives off an antique flair. It makes us think back to furniture that was trendy hundreds of years ago.
Studs come in all different shapes, sizes, and finishes, allowing you to choose one that best fits your aesthetic. You can choose between brass, copper, chrome, and silver and decide between square, pyramid-shaped, or domed studs. Some even come in unique designs like animal heads or flowers, allowing you to get as creative as you'd like (via Atlantic Shopping).
Dare to drape two colored curtain panels
Each house of the seven kingdoms has its own unique sigil. House Lannister has a very striking sigil consisting of a gold lion fixed upon a generous crimson red background. As you watch "Game Of Thrones," you'll notice that this noble sigil is added to the Lannisters' clothing, jewelry, and most especially the decor. When Lord Tywin meets his warriors for the throne takeover, we see the sigil has been made into a curtain and draped on the exterior of the building.
You may already have curtains in your home, but if you want to add some Lannister flair, pair one red and one gold panel together to create a new style. If you want to go a step further and combine two different curtains into one panel, Style Me Pretty shares a no-sew tutorial that uses fabric tape. Once you have your curtain, the next step is figuring out how to add it to your space. Crimson red on its own is an intense color, and so is gold; when used together, they could be overpowering. One way to avoid this is to ensure you are implementing these curtains into a room with a lot more neutral tones than loud ones, such as a room with white walls and minimalist furniture to diffuse the energy.
Display an incredible amount of candles
Because "Game of Thrones" is set in a fantasy medieval era, House Lannister does not have amenities such as fluorescent lights, bulbs, and chandeliers. The only way Tywin, Tyrion, Cersei, and Jamie Lannister could illuminate their homes was through the use of candles. These staple items are not just aesthetically pleasing to look at, they insert an ambiance and charm into a space even when they are not lit. If you want to decorate your home like House Lannister, this is your sign to invest in a few. But don't just place them in simple holders — the Lannisters' wax candle displays almost always involve a regal gleaming candelabra, which is another item you could consider purchasing.
But if you are not keen on the candelabra but want to decorate in a similar antique aesthetic, this Neo-Gothic Knight candle from Etsy can help you nail the look. Finally, when finding locations to place your candles, consider creating a vignette in the middle of your coffee table to achieve a high-end, contemporary vibe. You could also line them up and display them on top of the fireplace or your bedside table, helping you create a cozy ambiance at the end of the day (via Stoned Candles).
Bring bed canopies back
Since "Game of Thrones" is based in a medieval fantasy world, a lot of the furniture mimics pieces you would traditionally see in castles or palaces. So it is no surprise that the Lannisters' bedrooms are as opulent as the rest of their houses. Rather than sleeping on simple beds or cots, this regal family sleeps in large canopy beds draped with heavy silk curtains or brocade fabrics.
You can channel the Lannisters in your own home by creating a canopy in your bedroom, and in more ways than one. You can have one in your primary bedroom, or as Each Night suggests, you can transform your kids' rooms by adding colorful bed tents. The beauty about this version from Amazon is that you can set it up and remove it easily, giving you flexibility. The mobility of such a canopy tent means that you may even be able to add it to a reading nook or a corner in your house where you like to lounge; do not forget to have loads of pillows surrounding you so you can enjoy a literal comfort zone!
Give golden serving ware a try
You can't be a member of House Lannister and not be equipped with as many golden accessories as possible. After all, gold is meaningful to their family since it's featured in their crest. House Lannister can't get enough of this color, from Jamie's golden hand to Joffrey's gold crown and every golden goblet, cutlery, and crockery used for their lavish meals. So when channeling the Lannisters in your home decor, feel free to copy the noble dynasty and rack up a collection of golden kitchenware.
Imagine using gleaming gold knives and forks to serve your guests at a dinner party — it will immediately bring elegance to the dining situation. But according to DelightedCooking, you need to do your research before investing in a set because not all of them hold their color the same. Most gold cutlery is made from copper or zinc and has a thin layer of gold plating. This can eventually wash off, or the gold plating can become scratched, nicked, or stained since gold is a malleable, soft element. In order to prevent this hassle, you could choose items with gold accents rather than being completed gilded. Consider this Etsy gold foil glassware if you want a more practical take on Joffrey's golden goblet.
Fall in love with fringing
The fringe detail on the tablecloths used at one of House Lannister's lavish dinners will forever be etched in our minds. According to Room For Tuesday, when recreating this decor, do not be afraid to take an existing table cloth and DIY a fringe edge. Simply purchase your desired fringe from a fabric store, then lay it against the hem of the tablecloth, pinning as you go to keep it attached. Then place the point where the fringe meets the hem underneath your sewing machine and go to town on the stitching. Take out the pins, steam the cloth so it appears fresh, and voila! You are the new owner of a fringed tablecloth.
If you don't feel like crafting, introduce a price-friendly, store-bought version to your home, such as this waterproof fringe table cloth from Etsy. And if you really love the fringe aesthetic, you can add it to your duvet covers, couch throws, and pillow covers, creating a maximalist look.
Feel free to customize your pillars
If you are reading this, then we believe that you already have pillars in your home, but if you do not have them, you can find secondhand versions on places like Facebook Marketplace or Craiglist to properly decorate like House Lannister. Once you have your pillars secured, the next step is to paint them a crimson red, as pictured above, to keep in line with the colors of House Lannister's sigil. Since the reigning family likes to flex its wealth through its decor, you will need to add etchings into the column to make it appear more opulent.
You can mimic the one in the above scene, adding flowers and diagonal lines to make it more visually arresting. When picking the paint, try not to skimp on the quality and focus on masonry paint as it is more durable and won't crack or chip like regular wall paint, as per HouseLogic.
Add ornate arches for aesthetics
Arches were a common architectural staple in the Lannister castle. They are seen in the hallways and entryways and used as decor to frame the wallpaper. Today, you can use them in a contemporary way to change your home's appearance, according to Tile Wizards. Arched windows bring drama to living rooms, arched alcoves add visual interest to a simple room, and arched headboards add an unexpected curve to a bedroom.
You can channel this trend in your own home by hanging a large arched mirror with an ornate frame on the wall, parroting the Lannister arches above. You can even take it a step further by painting the frame gold with some Rub 'n Buff. However, arched frames don't have to be restricted to the interior of your home — you can also add them to your backyard. Add metal archways in your garden to flank a gate or display creeping flowers, like this arch on Amazon.
High ceilings are a must-have
High ceilings were a staple in "Game of Thrones" castles, hinting at the family's wealth. The impression of high ceilings is the same in the real world — according to Hallmark Homes, they create a "wow" factor and make the space feel more luxe. If you currently have low ceilings, you can make the ceilings appear higher by manipulating your furniture. It is simple math — if your ceilings are low, then you go lower with the furniture to create an illusion that the ceiling is further away from you while you are seated (via Houzz).
You can also create the illusion of height by swapping out your door. You can install floor-to-ceiling doors to elongate the height of your space further. Floor-to-ceiling windows create the same illusion, but since windows are slightly more tedious to reinstall, you can opt for floor-to-ceiling drapes instead to draw the eye upward and make the space feel bigger. Lastly, using lighter hues on the ceiling, such as white or cream, can give off the illusion of spaciousness.
Seek out a few sculptures
One major character trait of House Lannister members is self-love, which may result from the pride and nobility the family lineage gained. When Joffrey (Cersei and Jamie's son) became king, he took his self-obsession to a new level when he got a sculpture of himself trampling a wolf, placed majestically in the garden. Some may see this act as grotesque, but the owner saw it as art.
When decorating like House Lannister, you do not need to follow their act of displaying monumental sculptures to a T. Instead, Art Acacia suggests picking a smaller statue that would fit the scale of the room it's decorating. Since most people don't live in castles or mansions, you need to pick a sculpture that matches the size of the room it's displayed in. Choosing one big enough for a coffee table or bookshelf is perfectly fine.
If you want a sculpture that feels like it's from an antiquity period, peruse the selection at The Ancient Home. The sculptures will add a regal touch to your home, helping you cinch that Lannister aesthetic. In addition, you can expand your choices of sculpture options. If you prefer a more modern take on this sort of decor, consider inserting a stately sculpture from a design brand that has become highly popular. For example, opt for an 11-inch sculpture designed by KAWS in a black resin and vinyl standalone format (via 1stdibs). This pop culture phenomenon may cost over $1,000, but it will become a memorable focal point in your home.
Say yes to the stenciling technique
When Tyrion is being questioned in front of his sister, Queen Regent Cersei, who aims to take him down, the only beautiful aspect of that scene is the wooden stenciled stands where the accused (Tyrion) and his counsel are made to stand. If you have come this far in the House Lannister decoration guide, you would be aware that everything about their aesthetic screamed beauty, opulence, and grandeur, and stenciled accessories tick all these boxes.
The process of using a stencil template to trace out designs is known as stenciling, and according to Royal Design Studio, the spraypaint technique is one of the easiest ways to give your home a facelift. If you are unsure of your skill, the best place to start is on a small affordable tabletop. Purchase a stencil with a design you like, place it on top of the furniture, and spray (via Hello Hannah). For a more professional fix, commission your tables to have stencils carved into them so you can recreate the decor pictured above. Mind you, this technique could also work on your chairs, headboard, and even your doors.