In this text, the author discusses the use of black in interior design, highlighting its versatility and power. Black is a strong, robust shade that can bring drama and drama to any space. Designer Michael Kramer of Michael Thomas and Co. shares his tips on how to incorporate black into various rooms, including the kitchen.
Black can be used in various ways, such as creating a cocooning feel in a social space, color drench a kitchen, balance black paint with lighter colors, zone an open-plan layout with black paint, add black accents in neutral rooms, and mix it with other colors. Black can also be used as a contrasting color to create depth and drama in a room.
In interior design, black creates drama, evokes sophistication, and adds depth. It acts as a grounding element that allows other colors to pop. Treating black with intention and strategic accents can result in a glamorous, timeless, chic, and sophisticated look.
Black can be introduced in various ways, from paint ideas and wallpaper to furniture. It is often used for its ability to create high contrast, making it a great choice for window treatments against light walls. Black can also be used to give a powder room a wow factor, play up a fireplace, pair with natural textures, mix with wood and white, add excitement to exteriors, and even create a beautiful kitchen or mud room with black joinery.
In conclusion, black holds immense power and symbolism in interior design, representing strength, power, and authority.
📹 How to Decorate With Black | Ideas For Using Black in Your Home
In this video, I go over how to decorate with black! Sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to decorate with black because it can …
Does black make a room look bigger?
Dark wall colors do not shrink a room, as they tend to recede. Research by Sherwin Williams in Stir Magazine reveals that humans perceive bright objects as being closer than those in darker colors, and bright colored objects also appear taller. To select the right dark color, it is important to test the color by painting a sample no smaller than 12″ x 12″ on several walls of the same room at different times and under different lighting conditions.
It is important to note that natural light may not be ideal for dark colors, as it could make the color appear washed out. The rules for selecting dark colors depend on the specific room and the lighting conditions.
How to use black interior paint?
Black paint can be used as an accent, accent wall, ceiling, interior door, or trim, or as a feature like a fireplace surround or built-in cabinet set. It should be used in a natural, off-balance area to draw the eye and create a focal point. Black can also be used as the main wall color, with significant contrasts such as light-colored furniture, a light rug, white curtains, or white trim. A decorative mirror can be a striking visual interest and help amplify natural light in the room. It is important to choose a color that feels natural and balanced in the space.
When to use black in a room?
Black can be used as an accent color in various ways, such as painting one wall, using decorative stencils, or creating a dramatic contrast against other bright colors. It can also be paired with warm colors like reds and oranges for a cozy feel, or combined with cool colors like blues and greens for a more modern look. Feature walls are a popular way to use black in a room, adding drama and interest to the decor. Black can be used as the main color or a point of drama in a room, making it a versatile and versatile color choice.
Why painters don t use black?
Black is a color that is perceived as heavy and dominant in artistic contexts. It is often associated with the absence of light and a lack of luminous depth. When combined with other hues, it can appear lifeless and lackluster. Notable Impressionists, including Manet, Degas, and Cassatt, were reputed to have eschewed the use of black. However, prior to the advent of Impressionism, it was a pervasive element within the color palettes of many artists.
How do interior designers use black color?
Black is a versatile color that can be used for window treatments, adding bold contrast against light-colored walls. It can create an expansive feel and add dimension to a room. Using neutral curtains over shades can create a multidimensional look. Black sheers offer elegance, especially when accented with color. Light filtering rollers and solar shades allow natural light to be used while maintaining black color. Sheer black drapes create an exciting image in rooms with metallic furnishings.
A black cornice over sheer white drapes complements black furniture and accessories. The combination of black and neutral colors with gold, aqua, and blue accents on the wall creates an open airy feel.
Is black good for interior design?
The use of black paint colors can serve to enhance the aesthetic appeal of an interior space, thereby creating a stylish and modern atmosphere. There are five methods for incorporating black paint colors into kitchen design. For a warm color scheme, black can be used on cabinetry constructed from natural materials. Alternatively, for a modern monochrome scheme, black can be paired with white cabinetry.
Is black still in for decorating?
Black is a timeless and versatile color that has been a staple in interior design trends for years. Its bold impact and elegant appearance make it a versatile addition to any space. Whether used as an accent color or a stylish accessory, black can transform a space by adding character and solidity. Whether you’re looking to refresh or update your home, adding black is a smart and easy way to do so.
Black’s relevance in home decor is due to its timeless nature, as it can create an inviting, warm, and welcoming feeling during cooler seasons and add an elegant touch during warmer ones. With subtle changes, you can use black in your home interior all year round, making it a versatile and timeless choice for any space.
How to use black on walls?
To create a striking black accent wall in an industrial space, pair it with warm neutrals like ivory, beige, taupe, and natural wood tones. This creates eye-catching contrast and drama without feeling cold or uninviting. The designer used textured black and gray wallpaper with tonal black accents for added visual interest. The pop of warm wood in the center, black drapes, and artwork make the space feel edgy and design-forward. The black accent wall complements concrete floors, tall ceilings, minimalist windows, and sharp furniture, while teal accent chairs and brass hardware complete the look.
How is black used in design?
Black is a color that is easily readable due to its high contrast against white pages, making it the most legible option for text in projects. It can be regarded as an integral component of the project’s visual vocabulary, even when employed solely for the purpose of displaying black text.
Why not to use black in design?
Black overpowers other colors when used in apps, as it is not natural and often appears as dark gray. These dark grays are often used in apps like Twitter’s sidebar, Sublime Text 2, Photoshop’s background, the calendar widget, and Twitter Bootstrap. These apps use colors close to black but slightly muted to avoid overpowering other elements on the screen. For example, Dribbble’s feature allows users to search for shots by color, but the pure black shots may not be the most appealing. In summary, black overpowers other colors in apps, as they are not natural and often appear as dark grays.
What is the color psychology of black in interior design?
Black can connote elegance, sophistication, and power, but too much can create a ghoulish ambiance or a darker death-like vibe. When combined with white, a classic design can feel like a dream, but too much can make you feel down or sad. White symbolizes goodness and purity and is popular for its refreshing and cleansing effects. It is also excellent for opening up small rooms and making them feel larger, calming and at ease.
Room color psychology is more complex than just what a color signifies, as it can be manipulated to evoke specific moods and feelings. For example, yellow can leave you feeling joyous or jealous depending on the color you choose. Paint chips come in dozens of variations of one color, as color has many characteristics that can drastically change the mood it creates. Some common color attributes that should be considered in creating an interior design palette include black, white, white, and yellow.
📹 HOW TO decorate in a BLACK COLOUR Palette | Our Top Interior Styling Tips
HOW TO decorate in a BLACK COLOUR Palette Today we are looking at how to decorate in a Black Colour Palette. Streamlined …
Bonus tip I forgot to mention in the article! Remember that there are warm blacks and cool blacks, just like white and grey. So make sure you choose the correct colour temperature for your space! This especially applies to black paints. Feel free to check out my neutral paint article for more info! youtu.be/kEfG5XoJZxM
Our living room isn’t very big and doesn’t get a lot of direct sunlight, we initially painted the TV wall a warm black as a feature wall. We loved it so much we decided to paint all the walls black and it makes the room feel cosy, intentional, all the good things. We left the walls white for so many years because of the lack of light in to the room, we tried to fight against it and make it brighter, which just made it drab and bland. Playing in to the lack of natural light and working with what we have rather then against it was 100% the best decision we ever made decoration wise.
Great article! Black is definitely under-used and these were some fantastic tips on how to use it well. I firmly believe the ‘paint rooms white to make them feel bigger’ advice that I hear so often is bunkum. If you have a small dark room, no amount of white paint is going to make it feel big, light and airy. I tried this in my little spare bedroom/study and it just made the room look drab and lifeless. I’ve since repainted it, not quite in a true black, but in a very dark velvety green-brown which is almost black. It actually makes the room feel bigger, and it’s so cosy and luxurious. I used gold, white and deep green as accent colours in the furniture and decor. It’s gone from being a room I never wanted to spend any time in to being my favourite.
I decorated my new place with black accent walls to contrast with white everything else. The showstopper is my fireplace and mantle though. All black, and it looks sophisticated AF. I painted my doors black, painted the cabinetry in my bathrooms black, painted my entire powder room black, and used wood tones and white marble as accents. My friends absolutely love the vibe, and now my place is the go-to hangout space. Needless to say, I highly recommend being bold and using black! Great article, Nick!
I painted my dining room walls black above the chair rail and drew a harlequin pattern below the chair rail and out lined the pattern with black fabric trim glued on with a glue gun. I did faux paint the pattern that was not a part of the harlequin pattern. I also painted a harlequin pattern to the ceiling around the chandelier instead of using a medallion. It was so stunning!! Love it!!
My new home is called a Barndominium, open concept. My husband says; I get to decorate so I’m having Resin floors with black, white and copper on edges of flooring near walls . Black kitchen cabinets, white Quartz counter tops and back splashes and black leather furniture. All the knobs, faucets and lights will be brushed gold colored with chandeliers or ceiling fans ! I’m going nuts waiting for it to be completed, Hugh plants and rusty pillows and vases . Black bath towels and rugs . Did I mention dark gray walls and light gray doors and molding. I’m glad I found you, thanks for the inspiration❤
Recently we painted the whole house to a dark gray /almost black color. It’s insane what it did. There are a lot of white pipes running across the walls, they were ugly and distracting, now they’re became decorative elements. The white tiles everywhere on the floor were too ‘coldy’, now I like the white ceiling – dark walls – white floors combination. Light wooden and black matte furnitures looks stunning, decided to go with bright orange as main color. Your articles help a lot, thank you 🙂
I love black! It gives me such an elevated feeling for my space. I have painted some antique furniture black with crystal knobs and I have lighter grey/green walls. I have this look throughout my home and I am now looking at my bedroom. I would really like to paint the wall behind my bed with matte black and bring in a large piece of art that really speaks to me. My walls will be white and then I can add any accent colour I want to. I am excited but apprehensive at the same time.
Two things. First, for anyone stuck with a fireplace screen that has hopelessly dated strips of brass and can’t afford to replace it, a spray can of matt black manifold paint solves that problem beautifully. Second, I don’t recall the designer/source of the info, but for those who think black will make a room seem smaller, it often has the opposite effect. It can create the illusion outer space and infinity. If you wish to extend that idea (city dwellers never get those night skies), you can get an home planetarium with authentic constellations and thousands of stars to project onto the ceiling or walls.
Great article! Thanks for all the great advice and tips! I am NOT nervous about using black and, in fact, I’m going ALL IN on it in my super-minimalist, one-bed 570sqft 1960s condo. I’m going for a dark, moody, masculine yet cozy vibe with dark brown, textured matte flooring; black walls and ceiling; black kitchen; black, white, brown, and emerald green bathroom; black bedroom with some kind of dark blue/green wallpaper as a headboard; lots of texture, as you recommend; MUST nail the lighting; some greenery to pop against the black; and one large, colorful painting to pop against the black, too. I’ll be returning to this article! Thanks, Nick!
Yes! to everything in this article! We are using lots of black in our new home – matte black door hardware, faucets, kitchen hardware, light fixtures and black stainless kitchen appliances. Also a beautiful black and gold granite for the kitchen counters and the exterior doors are pine stained black (the rest of the outside is board and batten stained a weathered barn gray). I think black is both sophisticated and calming.
I painted my downstairs toilet in matte black and it looks fab! White toilet, sink, wall-hung storage cupboard and hand towels. It really shows off the white- framed & white matted black and white art I have on the walls. Everyone who comes over always comment on how great it looks and feels, even in such a tiny (1 x 1.6 m) room.
I am painting a lot of my walls in the Sherman Williams evergreen fog. And I’m going to use some of the Urbane Bronze accents in certain areas. Right now I have it on my entry wall. It is not black but it is deep and it is going to be stunning. I had these really strange ideas where I could put it but it would be a pop of the color extending from the entryway. So I’m looking forward to listening to this
I’m doing a black quartz countertop in my kitchen. It has hints of sparkle in it, and I am SO over the moon for it to go in! The backsplashes will be solid sheets of white quartz, again with hints of sparkle. Lower cabinets will be black with silver handles. Upper cabinets will be white with the same exact handles, but in black.
I’m hoping to pull off an industrial decor theme with my living room…which is small, has carpet, and vertical blinds on the patio doors, lol. This article might be able to assist me a bit with that. The hardest decision though is whether to change the walls or not. I can’t paint, but the beige walls aren’t what I want, so I was thinking of using fabric and starch to make wallpaper, as it supposedly leaves little or no trace. Ideally, I wish I could do the whole room, but that means I’d probably also need to do the dining room too, as the two are right by each other with no doorway. Or I could do an accent wall. Not sure though if I want it to be with the wall behind the couch (my first pick) or behind where the TV will go. Hiring the advice of an interior designer would be costly but I’m really just not sure what way to go here and yet the living room room isn’t big whatsoever, lol.
Black is my signature color. 2 houses ago, I used it as an exterior siding color, interior doors, all my lighting, metal hardware and kitchen cabinets. It was stunning with the contrast on the seasons, fall colors, white snow, lush greens in summer. I’m about to paint all my trim and all my interior walls & ceiling of my massive garage BLACK. I have a beautiful cream on my cabinets, doors & trim. The only builder picked item I love. So I will use that color for the walls, ceiling, and a pop of color for my interior doors. The 15 year old girl inside of me who begged her parents to let her paint her room black that was DENIED BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOO DEPRESSING, enjoys sending pictures of her beautiful house to her parents…..”told you it would look good”. It never gets old. I ❤ BLACK
Wow, just in the “Nick of time” 😉 I was literally looking around my living room last night thinking I should incorporate some black accents with my mostly gray & aqua colors! I’ve never really thought of using black that much til my granddaughter bought me a plant and the pot is really dark gray, very close to black and it looked really nice with the other colors. Thanks very much for the tips Nick! Ck out Connor McDavid’s house tour, almost everything is black!
Hi Nick, I’m glad that you’re talking about black color coz I love color black. We’re in the process of building our custom house & I’m thinking of using 2 color tone in my kitchen which is L shape I want black in the island cabinets with white quarts countertop marble look there’s no sink in the island which most of the houses are and the range & sink area L shape countertops will be same quartz marble look white with same slab backsplash with a black bottom cabinets and white upper cabinets. Do you think this looks good in my kitchen? by the way, my windows is going to be black trim too including my kitchen window I’m a black nut😂 Appreciate any response. Thank you Nick.
I am painting in the family room the evergreen fog. But the front doors are in that normal white that they put them in. But I’m going to do them in a smoky white. Which is very nice. And on the inside edge going around I’m going to put the Urbain bronze as an accent coloe. it’s going to be so cool and if it isn’t I’ll paint it something else
I have a 3’ x 7’ bathroom that has 75% of the room surface in black. Ceiling, walls, storage and tiled shower. I have had rave reviews from every visitor to my home. White wainscoting, toilet and hand basin with pebble tiling on shower floor. It doesn’t look or feel 🙄 any smaller than it did when it was white and peach.
Hi Nick…. what timing !! after living in an all white condo for the last ten years I just recently painted all bedroom and closet doors black…. what a difference !! what took me so long ??!! only dilemma now….. I’ve noticed on Instagram a lot of homes with that look also have the door frames painted black !! yikes !! what to do ????
I love black as an accent and using it repetitiously is the way to go, especially if concerned that it is black. All of my lamp shades in my home are black with gold lining. I also have one black item in each room: chairs, and end table, my bed frame. It really does give the eye a resting place. Great article.
Nick approved! I moved a few months ago and black is my accent color, I painted the kitchen cabinets and fireplace black rest of the house is white and everyone who visit comment in how good it looks, I added color with plants, pillows and other decor but the base of white and black gives a big contrast.
Before I take “my” time and sit down with just myself and absorb this beautiful space that Nick has created…thank you sir! Let me top off and grab a throw… I need this today 🤟 Also…I use black as accent to pop against my more eclectic back drop. It does absolutely bring it all together! I’m in a literal farmhouse trying to avoid farmhouse. It works.
Really a great vlog with lots of useful points. Several years ago I painted a very dated 1971 linoleum floor in my dining room (which I wasn’t ready to budget for replacement) with a gloss black porch paint (Sherwin Williams Tricorn) and it made very traditional furnishings sing. I loved it so much I painted the downstairs loo a very matt charcoal (Sherwin Williams Iron Ore) including the ceiling. White trim, fixtures, and black and gold frames engravings scintillate in there like stars against a night sky. Those successes meant I had no qualms in painting white bookcases in gloss black outside and matt inside in my front room/library. Books and art look gallery ready. Black might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely for me.
My condo has a lot of built-in black accents that I really didn’t like. I’ve had to slowly shift my colour palette to accommodate more black. I’ve picked up the black in a few pieces – a rug, some lanterns, some pottery, and my art – and it’s made the space really cohesive without losing the warmth. Starting to actually enjoy it.
Hey Nick love this article! Black is my favourite colour and we are building a new home and going with a lot of black and white! What do you think of the black interior window frames? Will they be timeless or do you think they are too trendy? Have to order windows soon and I can’t decide between the black or just standard white 😩
I love the examples you brought in. I know I was anti-black interior design because I absolutely hated the black leather sofa and ugly black furniture trends in the 80’s. Most of the guys I dated followed it and it felt gross dark and ugly. That was mostly because of the furniture itself not the color. I still wouldn’t go for a huge piece of black furniture especially in black leather but love the idea of natural materials in black with plays on texture. Black accent walls or even whole black painted rooms look amazing just keep those overstuffed tufted black couches and chairs away from my home:))
I love black (and colours in general for my home). My kitchen has black countertops and walls, and then the sink, faucet, induction stove top the oven, and the exhaust (is that the English word?) are all black, not a hint of steel metal anywhere, not even buttons! It is amazing how the fan disappears on the black wall like that, I love it!! And I tie the open room living room into it with having an end wall the same black colour as the kitchen, and then warm it up with a smoked oak table and whiskey/tan “leather” dining and bar stool chairs.
Thanks for the article, Nick! My husband and I are goth/ alternative people and we are SICK 🤢 of the way that goth decor is always kitchy with bats and webs, or victorian and rococo style. No, thanks. I’m all for black and grey scale, MCM, or chic modern, industrial design with sumptuous dark woods and stone. Can we please get rid of the idea that color = size? Seriously! Nothing’s going to make my condo bigger until I purchase the adjacent condo and knock down walls, Stacy!! And yes, i already knew dark colored walls make the room dark, Barbara! That’s the point!!
A few years ago I painted a wall in my small kitchen with chalkboard paint and LOVED the look of it!! I almost wished I hadn’t seasoned it and just left it black. A friend of mine came over shortly after it was done and put her hand on it!!!🙄 It left a mark from her dirty hand!!! Why, why do people touch walls??!!!
So I have been told that black hardware is powder coated and will eventually wear off of frequently handled hardware such as your kitchen. Also that it will show hard water spots more than other finishes. So although I love it as a look I have been a bit leery of it using black hardware in those spaces. Personally thinking of a dark oil’s bronze which reads as a warm black
I love some black accents (faucets, picture frames, cabinet/door handles, painted walls) but I really don’t like black fabrics in homes. They collect all kind of lint and the worst of all at people with animals: Hair or fur or whatever animals they have. That’s super disgusting sitting next to a black pillow with literally so much hair on it that you could model another animal from it. 🤢 Same with black bath mats. No hair! If you decide to live with black fabric keep your home super clean and tidy!
I love black accents! Nice example photos, Nick! I LOVE it with many types of wood, light yes but also classic walnut in mid-century furniture. Also black window frames, accent lighting, textiles…oooh la la! Can’t wait to have my black Lacanche stove and stone accent wall someday…planning a Japandi design style.😊
Idea for future articles: You should do a series called “Fix My Room” or something where you take photos of subscribers’ rooms that they want to update, design, or decorate and you give your thoughts on ways to improve it. I personally would love something like this. It would make all your teachings instantly applicable and gives you more access to your fans. PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN XOXO
Great article Nick! We live in a mid century style ranch home build in 1959. We are painting the exterior SW Iron Ore this summer. It is a very dark gray almost black color with no undertone. We also painted our hallway, dinning room and kitchen walls Iron Ore. We painted the trim, door and window frames the same color. The rooms look taller and sophisticated. We also painted a wall accent in the bathroom, living room and bedroom the same color. The rest of our walls are white. Our furniture is a mixture of mid century, antiques and Art deco. Do not be afraid of black paint. Be bold and go for it! Black paint is not a deadly diagnosis my friends. You can repaint anytime if you don’t like the end result.
Several years ago I had an art gallery & studio. My first gallery was in an antique Cape (1700’s) in New England. I was fortunate enough to have a foyer entrance which we decided to paint in an ‘almost’ black. On that wall I had a furniture piece with information about the gallery for people to peruse; and on the black wall behind the furniture I had one artist’s large black and white print. It was the most striking way to enter a gallery, which is typically white/beige backgrounds for artwork. Shocking and lovely!
Oh Nick. I bought a crazy expensive fabulous black oven about 9 months ago. The most $ I’ve ever spent. We’ve been thinking about the kitchen reno since then. Thank you for this article. Everything in my kitchen will have to revolve around “the oven”. Ps. Oven is still in storage. Using an air fryer. I need to reno now! PPS. My oven died. Which is why I bought the crazy oven on sale. Living in a 1950’s house we will never leave (family).
OMG! I am HERE for this article! I love black. I think it’s super chic and sexy. I really want to use black in my kitchen, but I’m not sure how yet. I’ve seen black cabinets with black appliances with warm wood floors. I’ve seen white cabinets with black counters… Ugh! 😍 I’m SO scared to do that though!
Personally, I would never paint my walls black. It triggers memories of the garage fire I had many years ago, when the walls were black and charred. Not a good association for anyone who has experienced a house fire. I am okay with using black as an accent colour, particularly on a textured item such as a rug.
Nick, do you have any recommendations on black wall paint as far as what black? It seems like there are choices in finish: matte, semi, etc and even in colors. I was thinking pure black but wonder if you have any thoughts. I plan to paint the open dining room and kitchen black. The rooms are on the South side of the house and are bright all day so I’m thinking the black will make it a showplace.
After having finished painting my living room I called my mom to brag a little- she didn’t know which colour I had picked… Me: So, I’m finally done painting. Guess what colour! Mom: Don’t know, tell me. Me: Black. Silence Me: Hello?! Silence Me: Are you still there?! Mom: Are you making fun of me?! Me: No, not today. It actually looks amazing. Mom: You are crazy. Me: Yeah, what else is new?! 😄 I love my new black living room. 🥰
Hey Nick, I just found your articles yesterday and was already able to implement a lot of your advice on renovating in our kitchen project today, thank you so much! Now correct me if you have already done a article on that but here is my question: Do you have any advice on decorating with “heavier” (for the lack of a better term) colours/textures? Like dark reds, blues, greens, panelled wood walls, heavy dark wooden 1850s-1940s furniture, a lot of “heavy” ornaments (baroque, rokoko) etc. – I really love those things but somehow my living spaces always end up feeling “too modern” since I lack the high ceiling these things were designed for and also adding in TVs, electronics etc. just looks odd.
been using black in my ‘home’ forever!…….my father actually liked it & “introduced” it to my mom about 60yrs. ago……he was a metal worker…& in downtime use to make wrought iron candlesticks etc….went very well with our shaker/colonial furniture at the time……Today I have eclectic (shaker, mid century & modern) in my home…….black is where it’s at! along with my glass, chrome, stainless, wood & a lot of natural “items”
Nick, I’ve been following your website and found your articles extremely informative and helpful. I love this article and actually plan to paint my master bedroom walls black. Initially, I wanted to start with just one black “accent wall”, but most design photos you showed and online all suggest painting all 4 walls black. What’s your opinion on that (4 walls vs. 1 wall)? And the “accent wall” idea in general? Would love to hear your thoughts and advice! Thank you so much!!
I guess I’m old-fashioned. To me, black means DEATH and MOURNING. I could probably tolerate the black fireplaces and black metal. But black walls? Heck no. Black drapes at 7:19? No way — that’s a signal that someone in the house died. At least you didn’t mention black ribbons and candles — that’s how you summon, er, unwanted spirits. And you did totally avoid the old black bathroom fixtures, so I’ll give you credit for that.
I love black… from a black cabinet in my living room, to a black topped coffee table, to an arched black fire place surround (instead of tile) for my wood fire place along with a black hearth, to black french doors leading to the dining room, to two lamps (floor and table) with black banker’s shades on either side of the sofa, to a black stripe in my woven baskets (where I store throws and dog toys)… it’s a big accent in the ground floor of my home (black tile floors in the kitchen and hall with black furniture not to mention the dining area where black/grey/white curtains are hung over dark pinky terracotta walls). Love it. Have been using it in various ways as accents in the main living areas since designing my spaces since the early 80s. I only use black metals in bedrooms for some reason… mostly because I’m going for more calm in those areas… still somewhat dark, but even calmer. Laughing at myself because the walls of my living room are chocolate and it’s a calm room. There’s just a bit more contrast in there.
Much like The Stones, I want to paint it all BLACK- my husband is hesitant because he wants to avoid a “Beetlejuice” effect. I’ve been eyeballing our curved staircase at our entrance for a big dramatic black statement and the only thing stopping me is the time and labor. Soon though, I’m just one unstructured day off without my kids to sprout that impulsive hair.
So we are building a new home and have yet to move in. Today I bought some black decor, and I am trying to convince the hubby to paint with black. I will share them with you once this has been done. I love the look, especially in those bedroom settings. Beautiful. The main room of our home is huge, 17′ x 35′, with 12-foot ceilings. I think painting some of this room black with help make it a little cozier. Now onto order a black sofa for the adjacent room to tie things in.
As a teenager (a long, long time ago) I asked my parents if I could paint my bedroom black, and as you might guess, the answer was no. So, I painted it white and got black & white daybed spreads and curtains. It was a good substitute for the time. But, once I left home, there has always been black elements in my bedrooms (and sometimes in other rooms, as well). For years now, my guest bedroom (white walls) has been black and white with accents of ruby red around the room. I purchased black fabric to make a bed skirt and matching Roman window shade, and then I purchased a black and white quilt with matching curtains. I cut the curtains into quilt squares and made of quilt top incorporating some ruby red quilt squares, and my window valance uses some of the curtain fabric along with a strip of the ruby red fabric horizontally through the middle. A couple other touches of red in the room, and it makes me happy just to walk into that room.
I painted my bedroom black over 3 years ago when moving into a new house, and my friends thought it was creepy. I feel so redeemed! Also, thanks for saying you can mix metals- I’ve got a muted teal, gold, and matte black thing going on downstairs and I think it’s cohesive despite being told to never do it.
1. If you have built-in shelving, paint the back wall black. It gives an incredible amount of depth, especially if you add LED strips on top. 2. If you are going to paint your walls black, think about whether you are painting the ceiling too. 3. Just like with white paint, undertones are key. Black paint tends to be cool-toned, which is not necessarily what you want for the cozy cave feel.
Love most of this as I’m a huge colour lover. However I wouldn’t do a black bathroom. Bathrooms and kitchens are working and hygiene areas. You need good light for both of those. Black would hide problems, which would hinder cleaning, making it less hygienic. It also doesn’t reflect any light so doesn’t really work for working surfaces.
I’m adding a few black items to my living room and into the kitchen too. I love the way it grounds the space as my living room is in neutrals with touches of soft green and pale pink. A few black items (black drawer knobs, black and glass console table, black convex mirror, a large black vase) will stand out against the softer neutrals. I will also be adding some black materials into the kitchen with; taps (faucet) a couple of chairs, door handles and on the window treatments which will add continuity too. Can’t wait to see the finished result!
Hi Nick, I’m using my husbands youtube, but wanted to ask you what your thoughts on a Black velvet couch, main wall matt black, other walls white/cream?, but here’s the thing, i would like to use my beautiful light, rust silk curtains on the white windows wall!! i will add black velvet and light rust cushions to the couch, also what colour do you think i should make my large coffee table, hope you have time to answer, Thanks Anne.
Hi Nick! Love your articles!! I’m hoping you can see this comment 🤞🏼 I was wondering what is your recommendation for matching wood tones of floor and furniture. Should they be similar/match or when is it ok to go with a different tone of wood for the furniture. I have dark wood floors so I’m not sure how to match the furniture. Thanks!!! 🙂
I am so glad you did this Nick ..we used black on our doors -gravel grey on all our indoor doors and Onyx on our fireplace and now going to do Black wall in our Bedroom – so beautiful with simply white BM It so sexy and absolutely beautiful!!! It is so important to look at your room and the natural light comes in to use the right color ! I just love black !!!
Our sofa is black. In our next home it worked out well because our living room is very bright with wrap around bi-fold diors/windows and the black totally balances it out abd anchors the look of the room. Edit: ironic that I wrote anchored before I finished the article and you said just that: it anchors a space.
I went all out (most my friends do) and went with black shaker style base cabinets in my kitchen and shaker style alabaster upper cabinets. I love the look but having a problem with choosing flooring. The kitchen melds into the hallway and dining area. I want to add in a natural wood look floor so it flows. Thoughts?
Love the black focus! We just purchased a home with a huge bottom floor that is open with a bar with medium stained wood, huge black leather sofa and really nice pool table. Yeah my hubby was done looking when he saw this space. Only natural light is coming from two doors to the outside. I had no idea what to do because the tile flooring is the same color as the bar. Walls are white. Think I might paint the walls matte black and buy sofa pillows and throws in the medium brown. Then add add rugs that are black and medium brown ~ maybe from Morocco.
Love the article Nick! Also a fan of black! We will be doing a modern handleless kitchen in black in our new home. To tie it together all our door handles will be black (but paired with white doors), and little details like the legs of our dining room and counter stool chairs etc. I think it’s going to look great🥰
1:00 I love that design, and the next one too. The main thing I would worry about with black paint is how dark does it get when you dont have lights on? The power may go at any time, also nighttime/evening. And nowadays electricity has gotten really expensive too, so I and probably many others choose to not have lights on most of the time, along with other adjustments. But I actually really like it as a design
Perfect timing. I haven’t used black to decorate in many years .I used to have red / burgundy, gold amd black. I have been going back n forth, trying to decide what type of decor I want in our family room .( unfortunately over 5000 dollars worth of stuff got ruined including major furniture. No offense to anyone but I don’t use anything from China anymore. I decided on a art deco theme .But I’m picky and I want the real deal like real antiquesfrom the 20’s and 30’s .Any good ideas on where I can get quality antiques on a budget under 5000 for entire family room. I looked on 1st dibs and other do
This might be a weird question but I’m a bit apprehensive about being “too trendy.” How do you not make your place too modern where it may be outdated pretty soon if that makes sense? First off for transparency I grew up in a pre war building and will soon move into a pre war building (I’m from nyc lol) so old aesthetics have always been my thing since that’s all I really know. However I love the idea of adding modern handles/metals, or even a modern paint job. But I don’t want to keep changing things if I stop liking something (ie handles etc). Of course I don’t just like things based on trends but i can change my mind lol Since you said your style is more modern, how does that really work with constant changing styles?
My kitchen has a really cool ceiling beam that is currently painted white. Although the rest of the kitchen is painted white, the brand new ceilings are more of a cream than the white walls, so the white beam against the cream ceiling really isn’t working that wow factor, so I’m trying black on the beam for some drama. With a black-paned kitchen window and other black accents, I’m looking forward to the changes this week with removal of upper kitchen cabinets that will showcase the beam and the view out the window. Two new white cabinets with black handles, and two black floating shelves will complete the look, along with olive wood accents. This article came at the perfect time- when painting that beam black seemed somewhat daunting. Thank you ever so much, Nick! You gave me the courage to follow through with my plan.
I absolutely love black I think it is such a good backdrop for everything actually It makes everything stand out and it gives a richness to the things that Bring you so much joy I know a lot of people are terrified of this color for many reasons but I’ve become enamored with line washing I think this would be phenomenal in a home I love Rawood I also love mahoganies and I think whatever you pair with black is just beautiful black is the quintessential color of class
I love the dark colors coming back! Along those lines… can you you do a article or a discussion on the “dark academia ” trend that is emerging? It is all about candle lit dark paneled libraries, black kitchen cabinets. It is a very “preppy” traditional, academic style, but using a dark palette and old world British manor house style, maybe the old university club style. I think it looks elegant, clubby and urban. Omgosh, I live the kitchen you have in the article qith the cream cabinets and the black walls! What an amazing twist!