The Surprising Color Every Room Needs!
November 14, 2016
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I've been busy working on our basement fireplace and hope to have an update to share with you this week. I'm so excited about it! I'm thinking about my next steps for down there and I was reminded of my absolute favorite addition when it comes to decorating. I've said it for years but it's worth sharing again -- nearly every room can take some black accents!
Whether they are small (frames or small furniture) or big like walls, I am absolutely obsessed with the understated drama that black adds to a room. I've always said it grounds a space and it never fails.
I went mostly white in our old office/loft makeover but I knew all along I wanted the contrast of black in here as well -- I added that with the lights and the large DIY chalkboard:
The beauty of black is that it works even when your walls aren't white. I know some worry that it will make a room feel heavy and it can...but if you have a fairly neutral space it will only add to your space!
I recently transformed this old table into a bar cart and knew it needed to be black. It was the perfect contrast in this spot:
I discovered that green and black is one of my favorite combos when I moved one my favorite dressers up to the guest room earlier this year:
I also love our black metal bed in that room too. There are a few colors that it doesn't pair with as well -- I used to have a yellow and black laundry room and it went a little bumblebee. ;)
And if you already have dark walls it may be a little much to have solid black pieces. But especially in rooms with gray, white or neutral walls like ours, it looks fantastic:
I would totally paint a room black and was going to paint my husband's office dark, it just hasn't happened yet. :) If a whole room is too scary for you, you can do a smaller accent wall like I did on the stairs. I still love it! It demands your attention but doesn't make it feel heavy at all.
I love chalkboard walls and it's not because they are fun to write on (they are). It's that pop of black:
This small wall in our kitchen was perfect for it and now it's a great spot for doodling and lists, but also gives some nice contrast.
This painted dresser in our family room is one of my favorites -- the white trim around the room makes it pop:
And that hardware that I didn't like before is now perfection against the dark color. Funny how it completely changed how I felt about that brass!
And you know what? I don't even mind TV's that are hung on the wall, because they give you the same feel:
There's a hint at one of my favorites in that picture -- if you don't want to go dark on furniture or walls, you can always do the doors:
All of our interior doors on the main floor and basement are black and I would do it again a million times over. They are classic and I love them against the white trim.
One of my first dark doors was our glass pantry door:
I'm itching to get started on the upstairs but there are seven to do! It's going to take me another year at least. :)
I have black accents in nearly every room of our house, and I'm always looking for ways to add it to the rooms that don't!
Do you use black paint in your home? Have you taken the plunge with black doors? It doesn't have to be anything large!The black lines of a coffee table, frames on the wall or even the legs of a chair all help to give you that look.
To see the paint colors I used in these spaces go here!
So crazy...my friends sister just moved to Wheeling (she lived in Greenwood)! I will be praying for you - that would be hard for me too. On a happier note, your house looks lovely as always!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ashley! If she wants to meet up with my sister, have her email me! I'm sure it would be nice to have a fellow Hoosier getting used to the move to talk to!
DeleteI love having black in every room. We just finished a complete Fixer upper and I did all black doors. I love them and get so many compliments.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! Love that dark door and my favorite is that piece of wall by the stairs. Would have never thought of painting it black, it's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great - can you tell me what type of hook you used to hang that basket with the flowers (dried hydrangeas) in it?
ReplyDeleteThank you! Just a command hook that sticks to the door. :) (It's clear.)
DeleteUnfortunately I will be revealing my age by sharing, but before HGTV there was a decorating show hosted by Lynette Jennings. It was on the Discovery Channel or something like that. Anyhow, there was an episode where she said the same thing! That had to be 20 or so years ago! Love your posts and your house is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, if I've lived near your sister, I would gladly hug on her for you. And I absolutely adore black in my home. I have a black leather Chesterfield sofa in my family room that makes the room. I haven't done the black interior doors but I sure want to. Maybe next year. Your house is a great inspiration and I admire your style.
ReplyDeleteSarah -- It can be so difficult living far away from your sister, but I think you'll find (like I did) that it actually brings you closer! I live closer to my sister now (within weekend trip distance) than I used to, but because of the distance, we always cherish our time together. We love thrift and salvage shopping together when we visit. We talk often and there is never a lack of love between us. We're made of deeper stuff!
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I love using black as an accent color and I think it totally goes underrated! It's such a great way to add contrast without clashing with your other design choices! It's classic and AWESOME. Great post! Thanks for sharing. :-)
Thank you so much Megan! I am hoping it's not a permanent move but we will be making a lot of road trips in the meantime! :)
DeleteBeautiful room. I love the black,it makes everything look more classy! I love reading your blog. You have great tips.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you couldn't mass-paint doors black with a sprayer? That *may* save some time. You would need a pretty big space to paint, though. hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteYes you could and I've considered it! I'd still prime with a brush though because I'm afraid it would mess up my sprayer.
Deletesorry about your sisters move. But remember now with Skype and Facetime it almost feels like you are in the same room! well except for the hug!
ReplyDeleteLove this :) I already thought I was addicted to black, now I will be for sure... you're encouraging my black addiction!!! My favorite color on walls is "Black Fox" by Sherwin Williams, you should check it out! Thanks for sharing loved it!
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