USING BLACK IN HOME DESIGN
The thought of using black paint in the interior of your home can be a little intimidating. In recent years, black has been creeping into contemporary home design in more subtle ways. Because black does express a sort of timeless elegance, black furnishings, accents, fabrics, and furniture, has become popular in many households. Against neutral colours, expressive art, soft textures and homey furnishings, black can really add a pop of elegance and ground the style of a particular room. The right black lamp, chair, or black-framed mirror can anchor almost any colour scheme. That is the magic of black – as a shade, like white, it simply WORKS against absolutely any colour.
Recently, the use of black has taken a turn. Not only is it being used as a punch of accent elegance, it is starting to be used in more dominant ways. Dark black window frames sharply contrast against crisp, white walls. Black kitchen cabinets look stunningly dramatic amidst glass and the twinkle of stainless steel. Black walls look amazing in rooms with lots of air and natural lighting. Painting old furniture a glossy black can reinvent them, bringing them back to life in a way you never thought possible. Spraying black paint for metal on old hardware can make you wonder why you ever considered throwing them away in the first place.
Trends can come at as quickly, before we even realize they're here. Black started small, but the way it's picking up speed, it is sure to become more and more common in the next few years. We've already seen it take over the exterior – dark brown and green houses now boast black trim. A few years ago, you can bet that many would never have considered such a dark colour scheme, but lately, it's all the rage.
You can bet that black will soon carry over into appliances as well. Once stainless steel, brushed stainless steel, and yes, the new and improved "smudge-free" stainless steel has run its course, it's predicted that black will be the new choice in appliance finish. If you're nervous to go all black – experiment with mixing and matching stainless with black. Try a black oven range and hood fan, but keep the stainless fridge, dishwasher and microwave. The trend to buy all matching appliances is starting to bore many top interior designers. Mismatched elements in a home, when done right, evoke a sense of play and is a fun way to achieve a more casual elegance. We've already evolved from the days when all of our furniture had to match – why not appliances?
Black is easy yet refined, edgy yet confident. It is a chameleon - working with every colour, without exception. Like white, it's an excellent background for contemporary art and photography. It has the ability to visually pull elements together and, as a rule, most decorators insist on a punch of black in every room to visually anchor their design. It is bold, sophisticated, exciting, and potentially the next greatest thing you should consider taking a risk on!
You may also be interested in the following:
Kitchen Galleries; Check out Distinct Build's collection of kitchens.
Paint; Learn about the value a fresh coat of a contemporary colour can provide.