No story has captivated people who grew up in the early years of the 21st Century quite as much as Harry Potter. If you were born at any point in the last 30 years, then chances are you’ve had some brush with the series.
Whether you’ve obsessively consumed literally every piece of content that has ever been released from the books to the play to the video games, or you just tagged along with your friends to one of the films, you are familiar with it on some level.
I think if you’re reading this article, you probably fall into the former category. And I’m sure you realize that you are far from alone being a dedicated and loyal fan of the franchise. There are hundreds out there just like you.
And it’s not hard to see why. The series became popular and maintained its popularity for so long because it was very effective in terms of characterization and exploration of globally relatable themes.
It resonates with children and adults alike and for many people now in their 30s and even in their 40s, it is an incredible source of nostalgia. Now, what every Potterhead has always truly wanted, was to genuinely be a part of the wizarding world.
To get an owl on their 11th birthday announcing their acceptance into Hogwarts. That didn’t happen for any of us, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t replicate the experience for yourself in your own home.
Here are 5 ways to bring a dash of Hogwarts into your house:
- Utilize Your Hogwarts House Colour Scheme
The house system in Hogwarts was a stroke of genius by J.K Rowling because it gave every reader a personal connection to the school. Each of the four houses represents a variety of different core character traits.
Gryffindor has bravery, Slytherin has ambition, Ravenclaw has intelligence and Hufflepuff has hard work. Your admittance to a particular house is determined by which of these traits most interests you and which you excel in.
If you’re interested to find out how well you fit into each house at Hogwarts, take the quiz to find out. And once you know, then you can start to think about how you could model some parts of your home after the color scheme.
Each house is represented by its own distinct colors and if you are a huge fan you will no doubt be reminded of your allegiance if you have the colors decorating your home. I would suggest doing this in your bedroom.
Paint the walls and get specific curtains and bedspreads. That way you will feel like you’re falling asleep in an actual Hogwarts dormitory.
- Hang Some Old-Fashioned Light Fixtures
One unique thing about the Hogwarts castle is that they shy away from using any kind of electricity. The lighting in the halls and classrooms all comes from candle-based light fixtures which include chandeliers and lanterns.
It’s not as impractical in the story as it sounds because witches and wizards have no trouble creating fire by way of magic, but it still gives the castle a very medieval feel, which helps a lot with the magic considering how many fairy tales are set in that time period.
You could try and replicate that effect by using some light fixtures that have a more old-fashioned design. I’m not saying use real candles for it because you can’t actually do magic and so it would get annoying after a while, but you can get electric lights that are designed to look like medieval lanterns and chandeliers.
- Get Some Gothic Furniture
A couple of J.K Rowling’s biggest literary influences were Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. Two authors are well-known for being a part of that Gothic literature movement that was present in Victorian England.
Architecture was a big part of the Gothic aesthetic, and the idea of the Gothic castle is a pretty huge component too. That’s basically what Hogwarts castle is modeled after and it’s hard to imagine the story taking place anywhere else.
You can easily source the kind of furniture associated with Gothic castles. High-backed chairs, long tables, robust chests and cabinets with ornate handles, and four-poster beds. Gothic furniture is always a pleasing addition to a home and will be even more so when infusing that distinct Hogwarts feel.
- Put ‘Magical’ Objects Around the House
The world of Harry Potter is full of all of these unique magical objects and while you won’t be able to find any that are actually enchanted (I hope) you can get tons of replicas of some such items.
The first thing to have is of course, your very own wand. If you’ve been to the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando you can actually purchase them in Ollivander’s, but if not you can find them online too.
It would be a great thing to put on your mantelpiece, or perhaps more appropriately, on top of your bookshelf. You can also get replicas of golden snitches, remembralls, time turners, or maybe even something bigger and more eye-catching such as the sword of Gryffindor or a quidditch-style broomstick.
- Decorate the Walls With Harry Potter Art
And if you want to express your passion for Harry Potter more than you want to make your home look like Hogwarts, then this is another option that you’ve got. Get some official artwork on your walls.
Maybe some movie posters, or some prints of specific scenes from the films, or maybe something that you get custom-made by an independent artist. There are many artists out there who are also Harry Potter enthusiasts and would love to design something for you.
So if you do even just one of these things, you can start to feel like you’re a kid again and you’ve stepped into Hogwarts for the first time. With that incredible world of magic and wonder ready to greet you inside.
