By now anyone who delights in interior design knows that the black room is a major trend. Some of you may even have dared to go dark. More likely, you may admire the look, but are unsure how to pull it off. Here are five different ways you can style a room with black paint on the walls, from pops of bright color through lamps, rugs, and furniture, to barely any tonal differentiation at all.
Moody and magnificent, interiors that combine black walls with these distinct blues are all-encompassing; almost like being in the depth of the ocean. These rooms bring in color through area rugs and accent chairs. The table lamp in the bedroom also pulls in a blue hue, as does the artwork. On the right, in a sophisticated library designed for a showhouse in Atlanta, architectural brass books shelves and a spiky chandelier add interest, while the table is a clear acrylic, so as not to clog up the visual space.
Shopping guide: 1. Galaxy Midnight Chrome Mini Chandelier 2. Foundry Antique Pewter Bookcase 3. Spa Blue Shade Rubbed White Fluted Column Table Lamp 4. Oriental Weavers Revival Aqua Area Rug 5. Alessandra Teal Wingback Chair. Interior images: via The Decorista; Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.
Rich camels and polished metals and lacquered surfaces give gloss and glean to otherwise tailored dens. A spot of animal print adds interest, while lines remain clean on both furniture pieces and frames. On the left, the black lampshade on the sconce blends into the wall rather than detracts from the carefully curated gallery of artwork. On the right, in the Hollywood Hills home of L.A. designer Adam Bram Straus, the contemporary silhouette of the cocktail table provides contrast to an Old World oil portrait.
Shopping guide: 1. Frederick Cooper Hunting Horn Brass Wall Sconce 2. Centennial Brown Velvet Sofa 3. Brown Zebra Rug 4. Arteriors Home Othello Antique Mirror Top Coffee Table. Interior images: Ralph Lauren Home; Lonny.
You've seen the Scandinavian-inspired all white interiors with cheerful color scattered about. How 'bout trying it on a black base? Black walls set an anything but somber tone in these room. In the bedroom of designer Emily Walker, the black wall anchors the crisp white bed and graphic rug , which pop perfectly along with the bedside lamps. The living room belongs to interior designer Jimmie Martin and photographer Rick Schultz in London, decorated with lots of quirky finds and a mix of high/low home furnishings in eye-popping neons.
Shopping guide: 1. Bella Green Glass Chandelier 2. Aspen Silhouette Rug 3. Safavieh Mirabelle Chocolate Burst Accent Pillows 4. Brunetta Purple Accent Table. Interior images: Photo by Donna Griffith in House and Home; Photo by Rick Schultz in Design Sponge.
Black on black? Yes, this tonal look really does work. The secret is touches of brass and silver accessories and perhaps a chandelier with crystals, with a textural rug and some leopard print pillows thrown in for good measure. Notice the walls and and furniture are matte, and not everything is pure noir—a number of the furnishings are finished in a dark brown wood. So is the door in the library on the left, which happens to be the Kentucky home of fashion designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka. The study on the left, designed by Richmond, Virgina-based interior designer Todd Yoggy is equally tailored and masculine.
Shopping guide: 1. Markham Antique Brass Black Leather Floor Lamp 2. Leopard Print Pillow 3. Haeger Potteries Black Cheetah and Cub Ceramic Sculpture 4. Windsor Black and Cherry Wood Dining Chair 5. Black Finish Round Drop Leaf Pedestal Table 6. Woolrich River Run Black Faux Leather Accent Pillow. Interior images: Photo by Roger Davies in Elle Decor; Todd Yoggy Interior Design.
Matte black punctuated with mustard yellow gives off a bit of art deco vibe, especially in the photo on the left, picturing a stairwell in a retail shop. The vintage graphic posters in a sunny shade blend beautifully with the more modern abstracts. on the right, Houston-based interior designer Sally Wheat keeps the number of pieces used in this workspace to a minimum, but the styles are absolutely varied, from the white lacquered faux bamboo Chippendale chair to the hunting lodge chic antlers, to the geo-themed yellow table lamp.
Shopping guide: 1. Stellan Multicolored Deer Pendant Light 2. Sophia White and Chrome Office Chair 3. Thumprints Jewel Cast Metal Yellow Table Lamp. Interior images: Lonny; Sally Wheat Interiors.
Consider all of this visual inspiration at your fingertips your resource guide to make a black room work. Which would you use to accent your dark walls - peacock blue, camel and brass, brights, dark wood, or mustard yellow?