Decorating With Black

Photo Credit: www.houzz.com

In my experience when it comes to selecting colors, most clients usually opt for something “safe”.  I have heard my fair share of protests and cautions of colors to steer clear of, not too bright because others might not like it; not too bold because the client is unsure if they will be able to live with it long-term; not too dark because the room will appear smaller; not too many colors because the client may be overwhelmed and on it goes.  But also in my experience, I’ve found that some of the most spectacular design projects were those where the client was willing to take a risk and step outside of what was safe and get behind an idea that screamed conviction. 

The last few days I took some time to review some of my favorite interiors and I found that black was a common color in many of those interiors.  Black is one of those taboo colors that clients typically avoid like the plague, but when done properly, opting to use black as the focal point of a room can give the room a very elegant and stately appearance.  The key to decorating with black or any other off the wall color is balance.  When it comes to black or any equally dark hue, there needs to exist a proportionate amount of accessories, paint, and/or art of a lighter color, preferably those that will reflect light.  These additional pieces may also contain black but the lighter color should be the dominant color.  The lighter color will serve as contrast and give depth to the darker dominant color.  Below are a few of my favorite interiors that incorporate black.

Photo Credit:  www.aphrochic.blogspot.com

Photo Credit:  www.trudeb.tumblr.com

Photo Credit:  www.houzz.com

Photo Credit:  www.peacockmooninteriors.com