Building a dark dungeon

I´m an evil necromancer and I need a dark dungeon for hiding my treausres , for studies and for torture.

Any advice?

Are you sure you're not a few days late?

Anyway, you need to get more specific. There are many variations in the theme of dungeon decoration. Are we talking about: - Roman style, or - more classical Medieval style, or - the equipment-focused Renaissance style, or - the clean-lined Modern style?

The Roman style is recognizable by the Classical architecture. Although we are not talking the elaborate columns familiar to tourists, rather we are looking at structures that are more functional and less decorative. Lighting will be inexpensive ... it did not exist. While that meets your needs for darkness, it may make the 'studies' part rather difficult. Also, think stone.

The Medieval style again is most recognizable by way of the architecture. You know, groin vaults and all that. There is a bit more lighting, but place the windows high on the wall to help prevent escape. Again, we are talking stone for the walls. Maybe a nice cut-block veneer?

The Renaissance style made good reuse of the medieval structures while introducing more elaborate equipment in the torture scheme. So you should be able to leverage the previous category's information and refine the look through careful accesorization.

The Modern style makes a strong break with previous traditions. While the more physical methods of occupant entertainment may still be used, we have made significant progress in replacing those with psychological and chemical forms. Stone is out, replaced with cast concrete. Vermin are less popular these days as well, although a significant part of the interior design community insists that it just is not a dungeon without a few rats. It has to be your call on that.

Let us know what your goals are and what kind of look you are really wanting and we can be more specific in our recommendations.

You totally forgot Gothic. That's quite ideal for dark.

Hausmann' <pytharnia_comcast.net> says...

I agree that the Gothic period creates an agreeably dark ambiance, but I actually did not forget it. Gothic is contemporaneous with most of the Medieval period.

And besides, the term Gothic has been effectively coopted by the white- face-paint-and-black-eye-shadow crowd just-because-I-think-death- obsession-is-cool; huh! huh!