5 Ways to Create the Dark Academia Classroom of Your Dreams (Without Spending a Fortune)

My dream has always been for my classroom to feel like an Oxford library of yesteryear—rain falling quietly outside, the quiet glow of lamplight, students busily annotating a text they love, bookshelves to the ceiling, the magic of literature in the air…

Unfortunately, the reality of most classrooms is that they are not at Oxford and the brick walls/neon desks/etc. leave something to be desired. Also, budgets are tight and it just might not make sense to totally redo a classroom you may not even be teaching in next year.

BUT, luckily, the dark academia aesthetic is about more than just the looks! You can get all the vibes without breaking the bank or spending all your time on aesthetics. You can bring the aesthetic in with a strong reverence for ideas, curiosity, a scholarly atmosphere and timeless stories.

Here are five ways to bring that feeling into your classroom—no fancy makeover required.

1. Let Your Text Choices Do the Heavy Lifting

Before you buy anything at all, take a look at what you’re already teaching. Some of the most powerful dark academia elements come directly from your reading list. Gothic classics like Frankenstein and Jane Eyre, the decadence and dread of The Picture of Dorian Gray, or even modern selections like If We Were Villains or The Secret History can shift the tone of the room just by being there.

If you need more defined ideas, check out my blog post about how to teach a dark academia curriculum without all the old, dead white guys.

Poetry and dark academia are a match made in heaven. One of my favorite ways to lean into the dark beauty of literature is through the podcast Poetry Unbound. If you haven’t listened to Danez Smith’s “I’m going back to Minnesota where sadness makes sense,” start there. The episode is haunting and grounded, personal and philosophical—and it gives students permission to dwell in complicated emotions.

If you're looking to bring that into the classroom in a meaningful way, I created a Poetry Unbound mini unit that walks students through close reading, annotation, and creative response with a handful of poems that match this exact mood.

You can find a blog post about how to get started here: The Easiest Way to Teach Poetry This Year (That Students Will Actually Love)

And you can find the full unit here: Contemporary Poetry and Podcasts Mini Unit | Teach Poetry with Ease and Joy

2. Use Mood Lighting (Even Digitally)

You may not be able to turn off the fluorescents and bring in floor lamps (though if you can, go for it!). But you can control the tone, color, and lighting of the room in small ways.

Try adding soft lighting visuals to your slide decks—old paper textures, candlelight GIFs, rainy day backgrounds. Swap in serif fonts, dim your screen brightness, and play some lo-fi classical music or stormy background sounds during writing time. Even subtle shifts like this can help you and your students transition to a more intentional classroom space.

3. Decorate with Intention (Not Expense)

The dark academia aesthetic thrives on found objects, intentional clutter, and a perfectly aligned color palate. Luckily, this means you don’t have to buy anything new. Raid your bookshelves at home. Bring in an old typewriter if you’ve got one, or stack used books with interesting covers. Tape up quotes in your favorite moody font. Frame vintage-looking art prints or student work with literary themes.

Check out your local thrift store! I got so many actually good classroom books from thrift stores that made my library a amazing destination for my students. But, you could also just get books that are the correct color or vibe for your space! They’re so cheap and it gives all those books a beautiful new purpose in life.

4. Make It a Shared Experience

Your students can help create the atmosphere with you.
Invite them into the aesthetic:

• Try a “Dark Academia Day” where students wear their best moody sweaters and boots.

• Launch a “Dead Poets Society” reading challenge—let students memorize and perform their favorite poems dramatically.

• Use an old-fashioned notebook for journaling or offer writing prompts on parchment-style paper.

• Add a “Word of the Day” board with SAT-level words that feel pulled from the halls of Oxford.

• Assign a fan fiction inspired creative project—I have a freebie that does all the heavy lifting for you!

They’ll get into it more than you expect. There’s something magnetic about taking literature seriously and making it feel like a secret club.

5. Use Stylish Posters That Actually Teach Something

If you’re going to put something on the walls, let it match your aesthetic and support your instruction. My Dark Academia Literary Elements Poster Set was designed for exactly that. Each poster defines a literary element your students actually need to know, using clean fonts, classic layout, and a quiet intensity that won’t clash with your vibe.

They're available in both color and black-and-white (because yes, I know the copier struggles). They look beautiful printed two-per-page, or as anchor visuals behind your teaching.

And if you want to try one out before committing to the full set, I’ve got a free sample poster showcasing symbolism you can grab here. It’s designed to be printed and used on its own—and it fits seamlessly into even the most minimalist classroom.

Final Thoughts

Creating a dark academia classroom isn’t about spending money—it’s about building a space where curiosity feels sacred. Where your students know that books matter, that their thoughts matter, that language matters.

So whether you start with a single quote taped to your door or go full tweed-and-quill, you’re already on your way.

Let me know how you’re bringing the aesthetic to life in your classroom—I’d love to see what you create.