Using black in interior design is a ton of fun. Black adds energy to a room design, creating a space that is surprisingly upbeat.The whole point of interior design is to produce interiors that inspire and wow, and that are comfortable and sensible to live in. Interior design has many aspects and can take many forms. Part of the fun is to push the envelope. Black can be a very useful tool in interiors that really zing. It has been said that using black and white in interior design is one of the most classic combinations. As you can see in the photo of this small sitting room below where very little colour is used the finished effect is fabulous. This room is dynamic and not depressing in the least. It is quite a high energy little room, and there is a very upbeat vibe.
Marguerite Roberts of Mulberry Interiors is a Colour and Design Specialist. She has been doing colour and design consultations for clients in the Greater Toronto Area since 1993. Being so comfortable with colour palettes, where dark or light, has led Marguerite to find fun in “The Dark Side”, so to spreak. Beautiful darker colours have been a very effective tool for Marguerite when helping clients refresh their home’s colour palette. The use of black in an interior lends elegance and a grounding effect. Who can deny the impact and beauty of zebra wallpaper? Combined with black and white artwork and accessories, the effect is surprisingly easy to live with on a day to day basis. Gone are the days when people thought of black as dark and depressing. On the contrary. Black is actually necessary in every room, to varying degrees, depending on the final result that we are creating. Stylish, dramatic and bold, black is anything but depressing. The use of black in interior design can be compared to the use of black on a woman’s face. A coat of mascara around the eyes enhances the colour and shape of the eyes. In interior design, black enhances the colour and shape of things around it.
Even in casual interiors, black has a place. There may be just a touch of black in an otherwise very light and bright space. Accessories are magnified and enhanced by the use of black. Reclaimed wood looks wonderful with black. So does vintage furniture. Industrial chic is a strong trend and many people are enjoying living in loft spaces that were previously derelict. The exposed brick, whether painted or not, is a key element. Often the artwork is large and abstract and has a real presence in the space.
A relaxed light and bright approach can be achieved by adding small amounts to black accenting to an otherwise white room design. A large black and white abstract artwork adds punch and draws our eyes to it, a sleek, contemporary coffee table and funky lamp would add pizazz, black banding on the classy white sofa cushions define the lines of the long, low contemporary sofa, and a black drapery rod adds drama and look fabulous.
Black can also be used in a bathroom, whether it is in a traditional style or contemporary one. Many of the fixtures and surfaces in a bathroom are reflective or even white so plenty of light is available to prevent any note of somberness. Adding a black ledge stone wall, a gas fireplace, and a black window blind and bench creates ambiance and impact.
Black is wonderfully versatile. The final effect depends on how black is used in the room design. It can be serious, fun, romantic, severe, feminine, masculine. It can be used, for instance, as an accent on a fireplace. Even just a bit of black gives the eye a place to rest. If the tile is shiny it adds sparkle to the room design. A room with a black accent wall acts as a grounding effect. The eye would otherwise float aimlessly around the light coloured objects in the room and the effect would be confusion. Once again, the effect is anything but depressing or constricting. Rather, it draws the eye and is uplifting. There is no need to use a lot of black. Just enough to tie the space together. a light and bright dining room can become a much more sophisticated space with a large and interesting artwork with a little or a lot of black in it. 
Using charcoal wall colour, wall panelling, or stone cladding is a lovely way to create a restful but sophisticated room design. Adding touches of white in the furnishings, toss cushions, flowers, and matting of the artwork adds lightness and creates interest. If one were describing this room without seeing it, it may sound as if it must be a dark space. Rather, it is cozy and elegant. A room with a ceiling height, stone clad contemporary fireplace is restful and elegant in an entirely different way. The large, flat screen television adds a strong element of black, as technology often does, but what lends the impact is the strong line of the black base of the fireplace. Our eye is drawn to it, as well as to other black elements in the room, such as the black and white area carpet. 
Black looks wonderful with wood tones, adding richness and allowing the eye to truly see the wood. For quite a few years we have been seeing furniture made with the live edge of the original tree. Very often retro elements such as lighting and furniture from past design eras are added to room designs with the live edge pieces. The result is some very creative living spaces. There has also been a strong trend to people going to great lengths to refinish or repurpose vintage or just older furniture, rather than seeing the piece just end up in the dump. Even old wood fencing can be fashioned into pleasing furniture pieces with a few tools and a bit of creative expertise.Sometimes the results are remarkable.
What is more classic than a black front door? The entrance to the home is defined in a classic way, and the lines of the door are emphasized by the use of black. Black urns placed adjacent to the door will have classic lines and would not be as emphatically classical if not black. The black is balanced by plenty of light and bright for a beautiful introduction to a home decorated in this way. Black used as a feature wall around a fireplace acts as a backdrop for the fireplace wall in the room. It adds a striking accent and grounds the room. Black trimwork can be striking. It can also look good just on doors, leaving the remaining moldings white. Black blinds in a room not only lend drama and grounding to the room design, they are part of the overall colour plan, rather than fading away into simply being white. Black doors surrounded by white trim add some interest and punch to an otherwise very ordinary space. Two adjoining rooms can be made much more interesting because the trim is black. What can possibly be depressing about that? Sometimes just a touch of black adds enough punch that the room seems complete. Black is often used in draperies and other window treatments to fabulous effect. In fact, black blinds allow a better view of outdoor greenery than through white blinds. To many, this seems counter intuitive, but the black, in fact, not only adds a dramatic accent. Flanked by light coloured draperies, the window is dressed appropriately and attractively, we gain a certain amount of privacy, depending on the blind used, and in-coming solar rays which damage furnishings are controlled.
Black is the dominant colour in the room below, and yet, the room is not dark. Rather, it is dramatically beautiful and elegant. The lighter accents keep the room from becoming too stark, and the interesting accessories lend sparkle to the room design. A room with black wall colour is not for everyone, but it is not meant to be. It is suited to the client who lives in that home. The light wood of the vintage church pew is an accent, as well as the sparkle of the mirror. The artwork is eye catching and unusual, and has areas of black. 
Dynamic as black is, it is extremely useful in interior design, and contrary to popular opinion, is anything but depressing. Many times, it is a powerful means to grounding a room design and adding a touch of the classic.
Call Mulberry Interiors now at (905) 849-6423 to book a consultation. Mulberry Interiors specializes in paint colour and design consultations. We look forward to working with you to increase your enjoyment of your home.
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