What, When, Where: Dark Arts

By Kara Lashley

The time has come to festoon your home with pumpkins and gourds, fall foliage and a cornucopia of autumnal accents. But with Halloween a mere fortnight away, have you considered adding something slightly more sinister to the mix? Allow me to present a medley of macabre must-haves, from mildly fearsome to totally frightening. A far cry from fake cobwebs and plastic tombstones, these high-design finds will give your domain a dash of gothic chic even when the witching hour is past.

Somewhat scary: Sure, Lladró‘s Rococo mirror looks pleasant enough by day. But imagine it in a candlelit bedchamber or passageway!

Photo courtesy of Lladró

Moderately morbid: Every hip haunted house needs a sparkly skull or two. Bedazzle your lair with Fabien Baron‘s crystal craniums for Swarovski.

Photo courtesy of Swarovksi

Or, if you prefer a more studious skull, check out Herend‘s porcelain version, which comes in an array of festive colors, as well as black.

Photo courtesy of Herend

Utterly bewitching: Tord Boontje‘s Witches Kitchen collection for Artecnica features utensils and cooking pots designed to work culinary magic. Eye of newt, anyone?

Photos courtesy of Tord Boontje Studio

Freakishly fabulous: There’s a fine line between gloriously ghoulish and downright garish, but Joris Laarman‘s Bone chairs fall just on the right side of it.

Photo courtesy of Joris Laarman Lab

Oh-so-haunting: I love Barlas Baylar’s Black Mother chandelier to death, but really: would you want to find it hovering behind you in a dim salon? The horror!

Photo courtesy of Hudson Furniture