Black will look fabulous

You might consider Sherwin Williams Black fox, rather than a stark black. That will go a bit better with the wood I also see in your space, and with your floors. Its still very dark, it just is a brown black, and it is beautiful on the wall for an accent wall.

Yes I think a stark black would be too harsh

Maybe leave it the same color, but add some real art. Unique art done by your kids would be better than commercial word-art.

Too much drama with black, too contrast. I would go with

taupe

Based on what we see in the photographs you have shared, we would not suggest a dark black accent wall. Instead, it may be a good idea to consider a dark charcoal color with warm undertones or a bronzey charcoal. A few paint colors we like are Sherwin Williams Iron Ore, Sherwin Williams Porpoise, or Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze. These are all dark with warm undertones and we think they would look lovely. Benjamin Moore Silhouette and Benjamin Moore Willow are also options.

Always a good idea to pick up swatches or test out a small section on the wall before fully painting to make sure all colors in the space (wood furniture, flooring, trim, cabinetry, etc.) all work with the shade you decide on.

We hope you find something beautiful and would love to see Before/After Photos!

Cossart Design would you suggest a color instead of gray/black ?? Like a blue, purple etc

@Nicoke Gardner it all depends on your personal preference! If you are looking for a bold moody statement, the charcoal/bronze fits that perfectly. If you want to keep the space say - light and airy or calming and restful, a blue or green could be beautiful. But, we would not suggest something highly pigmented if you go the blue/green route. Some good green colors are Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog, Benjamin Moore October Mist; these are more of a light sage green. Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments and Sherwin Williams Sea Salt are neutral blue shades we use often. If you want to go darker in this space with a blue or green shade, Sherwin Williams Rosemary is pretty, and Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue is a bit of a deep navy that would be pretty.

See below two projects we recently completed:

1st photograph is Benjamin Moore Hudson Bay

2nd photograph is Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments

I agree black and gray are stark and cold.
Personally.
I think I’d go with a navy. 🤍🤍

So not this color 😬…I’m more of bright person. I do love that blue!

@Nicoke Gardner you can do a purple if that's what you love! Shades of blues and green tend to be much more timeless and many consider those colors neutrals, so they tend to go with almost anything granted you are picking the right shade with the correct undertones for the space.

The particular shade you have selected may not be the best option of purple for the room, but it is always hard to say from computer monitors because our screen can look very different from yours. The undertones of the cabinets and flooring are throwing us with that shade of purple.

From the monitor we are using, that purple seems to have a red violet undertone whereas your flooring and cabinets are warmer grays and almost seem to give a warm green/blueish undertone. We aren't loving the way it works with your dining set either and we think its because the undertone again. You'd be better to search for a purple shade with warmer gray or blue/green undertones. We only have Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams Decks in our Studio; so we can throw out some purples from each of those brands for you to compare with Behr if that is your preferred paint brand.

Try these:

Sherwin Williams Majestic Purple, Deepest Mauve, Grapy, Poetry Plum

Benjamin Moore Super Nova or French Violet

Personally we love a good navy blue dining room! But in the end it is your space and you should do with it whatever makes you happy. Because when it is all said and done, you are the one who will be living with it!

Hope this helps!