He attracts, seduces, repels sometimes but never leaves indifferent. After having left its mark on modern interiors. Black is nowadays invited into the most classic interiors in bold and offbeat notes. As in the world of fashion, black worn well will embody the ultimate elegance while a mismatched black will be the absolute sadness. How to use black in decoration, in which rooms, with which colors to associate it? If you consider that it is time for you to bring a little intensity to your decor, dare black interior design and learn how to tame it…
A black wall!? Beware of the light
Contrary to what is sometimes heard, black works very well on large surfaces. A black wall is far from being nonsense. On the contrary, black on a wall gives depth to the room, in addition to a modern and sophisticated touch. But one must keep in mind that black is intense and absorbs light. In fact, it is considered more of an intensity value than a true color. As a result, black tends to sublimate rooms that are well served by natural light, while it creates a feeling of unease in poorly lit rooms.
Black prints a modern style
No matter what you do, black will always tend to modernize the decor. Like in a theatre, a black wall in a room of the house creates an extreme intensity that is both trendy and sophisticated. It is used in classic interiors when you want to create a real break in style. Especially since black acts as a revealer and a magnificent showpiece. In the Haussmann-style apartments, for example. The black on the walls enhances the blond color of the herringbone floors and fades away to better highlight the relief of the woodwork and moldings. Black invites you to play on the mix of styles in bold, refined notes. It is the ideal backdrop for eclectic decors where antique furniture and designer works are combined.
Black and white decoration
Black and white is a binomial that has a hard life! The association of black and white is a craze that lasts beyond the years … so much so that black and white interiors have become the classic of the modern. But if black and white is widely used in newer houses and apartments, it is much less so in older interiors with elaborate woodwork, molded ceilings and old oak floors. To make a black and white decor interesting, we will play with visual effects, offbeat furniture and objects, unusual objects.
Break the black and white with natural materials
Black and white are opposite colors which, when combined, tend to create rather cold and harsh worlds. To soften a black and white decoration, it is wise to introduce neutral and natural tones such as the color of wood, the reflections of zinc, the gray of steel or concrete. Natural materials left in their natural state are the great trend in the contemporary world. In a black and white decor, each of the materials used will reflect black in a different way and will attenuate the absolute black effect.
Break the black with color touches
Introducing a few touches of color is a way to brighten up a decoration where black is present. The most daring will go for bright, flashy or vintage colors. But beware, the exercise is perilous! The trap is to create an aggressive decor where you don’t want to settle down. This dining room succeeds in marrying black with a vintage blue. The subtlety of the lines, the non-proliferation of colors and the attenuation of strong tones by natural wood give the room its character that is both adventurous and masterful.
Delimit an area with black interior design
The black is very intense and marks the decor with a strong presence. In a room with a high ceiling, the color black is often used on a portion of the walls to delimit an area within a large volume. A painted area structures the space and can radically change the perception of an unbalanced volume. Painting part of a wall in black is a trick to sculpt an intimate and modern area within a room. In a particularly spacious room or one with a high ceiling, black can be used to mark the night corner with a deliciously Zen atmosphere.
Black interior design in the kitchen
In the kitchen, black can be very chic, but if it imposes itself without subtlety. It can be dark and unpleasant. Just as in the living room. Introducing natural materials such as brushed parquet flooring. Which is enhanced by a few wooden accessories, is enough to soften and ennoble the decor. Another tip for a successful black kitchen: accompany the blackness of the kitchen cabinets with a play of textures in the same chromatic range.
A black wall in the bathroom
A shower room, a bathroom or a black toilet … why not! Black creates chic and contemporary universes and will know how to make refined and resolutely modern your small room of water. To make the black of the walls deep and luminous. Play with directed lighting by favoring wall lights and spotlights to illuminate specific areas. Introduce a mirror to enlarge the room and increase the brightness provided by the lighting. And again and again, soften the decor with natural materials such as wood, concrete or steel.
