What Goes With Black Walls?
Once seen only in teenagers’ bedrooms, black these days is chic and showing up everywhere. Learn which colors are its perfect partners
Colors fall in and out of fashion, and black is a prime example. A few decades ago, painting your bedroom black would have seemed a rather rebellious-teen thing to do, while using it in your living room would have raised some eyebrows. Now, however, we’re learning to embrace this inky shade and enjoying the depth, drama and downright cool it brings to a space.
However, just as with dark blue and gray, which are also enjoying their time in the limelight, this moody tone needs careful handling. Which colors are a natural with black? Check out this selection of perfect partners.
However, just as with dark blue and gray, which are also enjoying their time in the limelight, this moody tone needs careful handling. Which colors are a natural with black? Check out this selection of perfect partners.
Combine with pale wood. Black beautifully anchors blond wood and keeps it from appearing insipid. The combination of a light wood, such as birch, and timeless, no-nonsense black looks wonderfully contemporary.
Wake Up Your Woodwork With Black
Wake Up Your Woodwork With Black
Garnish with warm metallics. Brass and black are a match made in heaven. Both have a richness and integrity, and the glowing quality of the metal works wonders at warming up the dark color.
Black, White and Gold Add Up to Bathroom Design Heaven
Black, White and Gold Add Up to Bathroom Design Heaven
Pair with soft red. Bright red combined with black has strong 1980s associations, which is fine if that’s where you want to go. But using black with a more subtle, organic red is a real winner. Think of warm rather than vibrant berry tones and you can’t go wrong.
Bet on Black and Red for a Winning Combination
Bet on Black and Red for a Winning Combination
Go for classic white. It’s the original pairing and it still works beautifully. White jumps out against a black backdrop, looking extremely crisp and stylish. It offers a chic reverse take on Scandinavian style, which typically employs white walls with black accents.
14 Fab Black and White Home Projects
14 Fab Black and White Home Projects
Splash it with turquoise. This super-bright shade of blue makes a zingy partner for black, injecting fun into all that darkness. Imagine this chair in a muted, organic shade such as sage and it doesn’t feel like such a fit. A bold, confident turquoise, on the other hand, can hold its own against the inky depths.
How to Work With Turquoise
How to Work With Turquoise
Add a touch of greenery. We often think of white as the perfect backdrop for everything from art to plants, but lush leaves look incredibly striking against a black wall. Plants also prevent the scheme from feeling stark or oppressive.
Play Up Some Fiddleleaf Figs for a Lively Indoor Tune
Play Up Some Fiddleleaf Figs for a Lively Indoor Tune
Build in texture. Black soaks up light and can look rather flat, but painting it over exposed brickwork avoids this problem beautifully. The bricks’ shape and texture give the black a variety of tones.
What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
Mix in yellow. Black and yellow are a highly contemporary duo that’s bold and full of energy. This living room benefits from lots of natural light, which brightens the black and highlights the yellow, but the combination would work in any space.
11 Ways to Add a Splash of Yellow to Your Interior
11 Ways to Add a Splash of Yellow to Your Interior
Sprinkle on sparkle. Whether it’s mirrors, stainless steel or chrome, working some reflective, shiny materials into a black scheme gives it pace and creates bright focal points.
Tell us: Are you a fan of black in decor? How have you used it in your home? Share your advice and photos in the Comments.
More
11 Reasons to Paint Your Interior Doors Black
11 Reasons to Paint Your Ceiling Black
Tell us: Are you a fan of black in decor? How have you used it in your home? Share your advice and photos in the Comments.
More
11 Reasons to Paint Your Interior Doors Black
11 Reasons to Paint Your Ceiling Black
How to Work With Charcoal Gray