Easy Dark Academia Decor Ideas on a Budget
Get ready for an amazing budget-friendly room transformation, where I'll give you dark academia decor ideas.
I'm taking a bland and boring room in my home and giving it a complete makeover using just a couple of cans of paint, a few thrift store finds, and some creative decorating. I have lots of budget-friendly tips and tricks to share.
Bookshelves
Every good room transformation needs to start with the before photos, so here's what the bookcases in my library looked like just a couple of weeks ago.
Although they are constructed of solid maple wood, I always found the medium wood tone rather bland, so I will paint them navy.
I went thrift shopping for inspiration and some raw materials, and as it turns out, I found a few things I can use that I think will fit in perfectly with the library aesthetic just as they are.
I picked up some small books perfect for staging in different vignettes.
You can't have a vintage-looking library without a few candles, so I picked up this wood candlestick for a dollar and a little brass candle cup for only 50 cents.
I got unopened ivory candles for 25 cents and this little brass candle sconce for $1.14. Those are all great budget-friendly finds.
I picked up this little statue that looks like a miniature birdbath.
You might not think this would be typical library decor, but statues and busts are common in the Dark Academia aesthetic.
I love glass cloches, but they are getting harder to find.
I picked up some interesting items I thought could be used, like a glass cloche. They were just a couple of dollars altogether.
Drawer decor
Now, the piece de resistance. Look at these drawers. I am guessing that these probably came off of a vintage dresser. I think these are amazing, and I'm not sure how I'll use them, but you know I will find a spot for them somewhere in my library. For $12, I got these fantastic drawers.
Furniture placement
While I was shopping thrift, I was hoping to come across a desk that I could add to the library area.
I found this vintage roll-top desk at the Habitat Restore and purchased it for just a hundred dollars.
Once I arranged the desk, I realized I only had room for one additional chair across from the sofa.
Once I had the red chair, a side table, and a lamp all for my front living room in the library area, it became evident that I would need a smaller coffee table.
I tried out a couple of options in Canva and settled on this recent thrift store purchase I found for $30 at Goodwill.
Shelf decor placement
Once I had the furniture situated, I was ready to start unpacking my books and getting them back on the shelves.
You can arrange your books any way you like. Some people like to arrange them by color, but I've always arranged mine by genre to easily find them when looking for a specific book.
Once all the books were in place, my next step was to consider which of my previous decor items fit in with the Dark Academia aesthetic I wanted to achieve and which items I needed to replace. I kept the Raven figurine, which I, of course, put next to the complete tales of Edgar Allan Poe.
I also returned a school-themed vignette to one of the cubbies.
Over the years, I have picked up a few vintage textbooks, tins, and other school-related items to add to this vignette, and I use a small child's chair to add interest by creating some height so everything is not on the same level.
I purchased a metal and glass frame on clearance at Hobby Lobby.
I tore off the edges of a thrift store butterfly drawing to give it a vintage look so that it would fit inside this frame. One of the chain clasps is missing, so there's no way to hang it on the wall, but it is perfect for leaning inside a bookcase.
After adding some of my old decor to the shelves, I was ready to add some of my new thrift store finds.
I painted the little statue with Waverly's mineral-colored chalk paint and piled a couple of small books on top.
For the glass and metal cloche, I found a round slice of scrap wood to use as a base, and after I rummaged around my house, I found a small piece of coral that was the perfect size to display on the wood round.
I love how these three separate junk items look unique and expensive when used together. When I was looking at the cloche, the inner votive holder popped right out, so I decided to add a few small faux plants and use them as hanging decor in my library.
Bookcase decor placement
Once the shelves were decorated, I moved my attention to the top of the bookcases. Although I love my collection of vintage thermoses and red plaid accessories, I was ready for a change and wanted to create a more academic aesthetic.
I played with the suitcases and added my vintage birdcage and a random spindle on the upper left side.
On the upper right side, I again removed the red plaid accessories and played around with the arrangement of three different suitcases. Then, I added a droopy fake plant to a brass bowl to add texture and a pop of color.
Roll-top desk decor
Once I was happy with the bookcases, I decorated my new roll-top desk. First, I added my vintage typewriter that had previously been on the bookshelves, and then I rounded up a few vintage-looking desk accessories that I found around the house.
Finishing touches
First, I hung a piece of salvage taken from an old church organ, then I hung a vintage framed presidential print that I picked up at an antique store for $38.
I have two unique wood sconces that once hung in my dining room but have recently been stored in my basement. I wanted to see if I could use them somewhere in the library. I decided the best spot was on the two ends of the bookcases.
Now I have a few finishing touches. I moved a vintage clock from my front living room to the desk and added a few small pieces of vintage art to the center of each big bookcase.
This is the final reveal.
Dark Academia decor ideas
I hope my Dark Academia decor ideas were helpful to you. Will you be decorating in this style? Share your projects in the comments below.
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