It seems that no matter what interior trends come and go, there's a lasting appeal to dark and moody spaces. Even in 2024, many interior designers and homeowners are still in love with dramatic living rooms, dimmed bedrooms, and dark-hued kitchens.

The only thing is, if you're not careful, a dark space can feel gloomy, not stylishly moody. So how do you create a moody ambiance without making the room feel depressing? No worries, you can pull it off with our simple tips. Try any or all of these!

What Does "Moody Interiors" Mean?

In interior design, "moody" refers to a dark yet calming ambiance in a room, like a library on a rainy afternoon, a jazz bar at closing time, or a country kitchen on a quiet winter morning. It's at once cinematic and cozy. Some typical elements of a moody space are a dark color palette, soft lighting, antique furniture, and premium art pieces.

Moody interiors are well-loved because they make a space feel quiet and soothing. They make you want to snuggle under a warm blanket or play a lovely classical piece. As youngsters would describe it these days, it's literally "a mood." Now, let's get started on how to build this beautiful atmosphere in your home.

 

Tips to Decorate a Room in Moody Style

Pick a dark color scheme you love.

Pre-plan the colors you want on your walls and the rest of the room. Moody interiors mean elegance and subtlety, thus it's best to have just two or three colors in your palette. If you're concerned that the room would become too dark, visualize various combinations of dark and light tones.

Bonus tip: If you're still not sure about repainting your walls a dark color, how about some non-permanent options like peel-and-stick wallpaper? Another alternative is to use cool neutrals instead of solid blacks. Examples of cool neutrals are steel gray, icy gray, cool taupe, and even chocolate browns. See our examples below.

Metal art pictured above: Personalized "Tree Of Life" Custom Metal Sign

 

Keep your lighting soft.

Proper lighting is crucial to prevent your moody room from becoming dreary. What you want is diffused lighting, which creates softer shadows than, say, direct fluorescent lights. The best example of diffused lighting is natural light on an overcast day. As much as possible, let in lots of indirect sunshine. If windows aren't enough, explore interior light diffusers such as translucent lampshades.

Wall art pictured above: "This Is Us - Our Life, Our Story, Our Home" Premium Panoramic Canvas

Wall art pictured above: "Family... Love" Premium Canvas

 

Pepper with complementary colors.

Outside of your chosen color palette, sprinkle a few items in a contrasting shade. The little pops of color help break up the monotony, preventing the room from looking too formal. In the following example, designer Amity Worrel throws in a mustard-yellow blanket to punch up her blue-and-brick color scheme. See more examples below:

Image above from Amity Worrel

Wall art pictured above: Personalized Rustic Family Name Premium Canvas 

 

Make cozy with layered textiles.

Fabrics and cushions soften the look of a dark room, so opt for cushy upholstery, complementing throw pillows, and, if feasible, layered rugs. In your bedroom, duvets will play double-duty as a practical need and a decorative focus, so get them in colors that fit into your interior scheme.

Blanket pictured above: Personalized "Mr. & Mrs." With Name And Year Premium Fleece Blanket

Wall art pictured above: Personalized "Our Love Story" Premium Canvas

 

Beautify the walls with art that pops.

This is a fun part! Decorating the walls of a moody room gives you lots of leeway to be as minimal or maximal as you'd like. What matters is that your wall decor pops against the dark background. Some decorators choose a more refined look by hanging just one oversized wall art. Others fill entire walls with photos in gilded frames. Watch the room come to life as you hang the art pieces you like.

Wall art pictured above: "YOLO" Gold Typography Premium Canvas

 

Add small dashes of whimsy.

Another fun decorating step! To keep the room from feeling somber, finish it off with interesting or whimsical touches that will delight guests. These can be, for example, a silly figurine, an odd-shaped lamp, a unique travel souvenir, or a happy family photo. They don't have to be huge or eye-catching, but they may have the potential of sparking great conversations.

Metal art pictured above: Personalized "Family Tree" Custom Metal Sign

Wall art pictured above: "Papa - The Man, The Myth, The Legend" Premium Rustic Canvas

 

Wall art pictured above: Personalized "Couple's Names Joined By Love" Rustic Premium Canvas

 

With these tips, we hope you can be more confident to redecorate your home in a moody style! Oh, and one more thing: no room would turn out gloomy if you fill it with things you love. So go ahead, re-color your walls, hang that wall art, and create that dusky, mysterious, cozy vibe!

To help you redecorate, browse GearDen.com. We have tons more of the customized wall prints, metal art, and blankets featured here!