FIRST, REMOVE ANACHRONISTIC ITEMS FROM YOUR SPACE:  Whether you’re building your world in an apartment common room, or your own living room, or a school gym, or your yard, take a hard look at what items are there that will ruin the mood, and are light enough to move.  Grab a friend and move the worst offenders into another room, or stash them in the basement for a while.  Take the electric clock off the wall, move the water cooler, put all the charging cords and the calendars and the car keys somewhere else.  And if you’re stuck with something that’s too big to move, or it’s permanently installed, like a tv on the wall, try to cover it up.  

 

COLLECT GENERALLY EVOCATIVE DECOR:  These are the simple items that form the base or the background for your fantasy world.  Go on a scavenger hunt through your whole house and gather up everything you already have that “suggests” the era of your world. For example, If you’re going for an ancient setting, like a castle or a sorcerer’s lair, look for things like pillar candles, wooden salad bowls, iron servingware, oriental rugs, old bottles, old books, wooden boxes, and fabrics like black velvet or red silk.

 

If you’re building a world in a very specific era, like the Art Deco era for example, look for things that you already own that have that shape and style, even if they’re not traditional decorative items.  Maybe you have an Art Deco picture frame, or some martini glasses, or even something like a toothbrush holder that you can repurpose - stick some flowers in that and pretend it’s a vase!  

 

You can literally use anything as decor to build your world - when you group together related items you’re creating a still life, and you can put anything you like into that collage.  A top hat, or white gloves, or a paper fan, or a string of pearls or a beaded purse. Collect everything that seems to even remotely belong in your setting, pile it all up in your space, then artistically redistribute it around the room so it has the maximum effect. 

 

To make your little still lives look like they’re organically part of the room, you’re going to anchor them with a few other normal items that everyone has.  You can use a tray to turn mismatched china into a deliberate group, or a pile of old books to put a magnifying glass on, or a mirror to pull together a hat and gloves, or even flowers string lights.  Large potted plants are also a great way to fill in any gaps you might have around your space. The addition of these anchors transforms your items from “holiday decorations” that are set on top of real life, to artifacts from a real place.  

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INTRODUCE A FEW SPECIFIC FANDOM ITEMS: Now you'll narrow down your atmosphere from just "a castle", to Hogwarts, for example.  Chances are you already have items all over your house that you can use for this step.  And don’t limit yourself to the obvious … sure, bring out the Sorting hat, but also grab that empty bottle of pumpkin juice that you brought home from Universal because it looked cool.  Everything works in a still life!  Then, put your most prized possessions in central locations so they have the most impact.

 

For more specific tips and tricks about planning your immersive themed event, check out these practical posts: