Don't Be Spooked by Black Walls

Filed under: Color, Your Home, Design, etc

Black walls aren't as scary as you think -- They're actually kind of chic.

Painting walls black is not a new trend, however, we're seeing more people take the plunge. Why? It has to do with the popularity of design blogs and websites like ShelterPop, Desire to Inspire, Style Court and The Design Files (to name a teeny tiny sliver of the amazing design blogs out there).

Seeing other homeowners painting a black wall -- or black room -- makes it seem like less of a professional interior design risk and more of an average, do-able project. Plus, with the rising popularity of chalkboard walls, it's considered homey to paint a wall black.

To show off just how good black walls can look, we put together this inspiration gallery.

Ethan Feirstein and Ari Heckman's black bathroom featured in Lonny Mag definitely feels indulgent with the glossy black paint, a budget-conscious choice for the duo. Against a black wall, the colorful and patterned accessories and old framed photos pop in focus.



Heather (DeanStreet on Flickr) explains that she "chose the black -- Knight's Armor (Olympic Interior Latex Eggshell) -- after a long love affair with airy white rooms. The house is from the early 1800's and a guest bedroom seemed like a perfect place to experiment with something new." I think her experiment worked, don't you? The white balances out the dark walls, and the simple modest accessories and warm wood floor add to the room's nostalgic feel.



I've been digging the idea of painting your trim the same color as your room -- all of it so that the trim fades into the background. This whole idea started when I saw Gemma Ahern's gray apartment featured on Design*Sponge.

If you think this doesn't apply to black paint, you are wrong! I spotted a few great black rooms with painted trim and moldings on Elle Decor. On the left, fashion designer Gilles Mendel's paint goes from the floors to the walls to the moldings and is paired perfectly with a black Saarinen tulip table and white chairs, and artwork. On the right, cosmetics executive Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer relaxes in this library and office in his Long Island home. The lacquered shine of the paint makes the space feel more prestigious, even a bit like a sophisticated man cave.



In Hemet, California, Morgan Satterfield created a relaxing "Southwestern meets mid-century modern" retreat for her guests using Scandinavian decor alongside cowhide and kilim art tied together with Behr paint in pure black semi-gloss.


Nothing says bold like the unexpected -- as we see here in Living, Etc., a solver-leaf bathtub or a pop of chartreuse against black can add a much-needed punch.



In the kitchen, you can go black too! Dark kitchen walls and cabinets add elegance. On the right, Laura Aviva used Benjamin Moore's Deep Space, which is actually a charcoal, but you could've fooled me -- it's the perfect pairing to the IKEA butcher block countertop. On the right, a stainless steel back splash makes these ebony cabinets feel both glamorous and industrial.


This formal, traditional dining room in a home in Lake Forest, Illinois, demonstrates how black walls aren't just for modernists. The carefully chosen accessories and textiles paired with the black walls elevates the formality of the space. Large shuttered windows, a large chandelier and white trim allow for lots of extra light to achieve balance.



Besides curb appeal, the first thing your guests will see is your entryway, so why not make it count? That's what designer Rob Southern did here using Phillip Jeffries' Lacquered Walls in Eyeliner. The foyer, featured in House Beautiful, isn't covered in paint -- that's vinyl!



Door Sixteen's Anna Dorfman makes the black Fir Tree wallpaper from Ferm stand out on her office wall by using it on just one accent wall and then painting the floor, walls and trim white.


J. Crew's creative director, Jenna Lyons, has a home like no other. Like the brand, Jenna's style is preppy chic with classic touches. By playing up the architecture of her apartment, the black walls feel like they've always been there.

Interested in experimenting with color, check out these posts:

- Kate Spade's bold new line of bedding.
- Why gray is turning heads in the design world.

For more great do-it-yourself home ideas, check out DIY Life.

 

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