Monday, July 27, 2009

Black Walls...Black Rooms...Punk, Goth or Glam with an Edge?

A couple years ago, I started getting into black walls and
black rooms...I even painted my guest bathroom black.
This was after I lost the battle at home to paint the guest
bedroom black. Granted, it's not the usual color to paint
a bedroom or any room for that matter - but black as a
room color can definitely work. Take the above room for
instance, who would ever think of pairing this ornate bed
with black lacquered walls? But it works and to me it's
glam and chic with an edge.

Here's a room where the black bed frame blends into the
black walls and ceiling. It's actually pretty neat. Even the
bench, rug and door frame is painted black. The gray flooring
and white bedding give some contrast to an otherwise very
black room.

This room is painted all black except for the window frames.
The white desk and white bed linens help temper this space.

Black textured wallpaper on one wall can make quite a
statement without painting the entire room black.

Black and bright yellow. You can also pair black with
other bright colors where it can really make a color pop.


Metallics will always look good against black.

This is Jennifer's bedroom (Made by Girl). She makes
fantastic stationary and we share a common penchant
for the union jack. Isn't her bedroom cool?

This kitchen is from Domino magazine. I don't know
about you but I don't see many kitchen walls and ceilings
painted black - but this really seems to work. Painting
kitchen walls and cabinets with chalkboard paint has also
been popular lately. You can achieve a similar affect with it
and have the benefit of being able to use the wall as a
chalkboard - pretty nifty if you ask me.

Black can make instantly create the "cool" factor
in any room. It can also make a room feel cozy
like this great lounging space where the wall
disappears into the ceiling.

Sky blue with black and white - black
and be a great neutral color.

This photo by Ted Yearwood showcases
an all black bathroom - even the door
is black.

The black marble and crystal scones in this
bathroom really make for a swanky and high
end bathroom. Can't forget the lacquered walls
for some shine and glam.

I just love how smooth and shiny the black
walls are in this bathroom. The single yellow
chair in this room really creates visual interest.

My Favorite and My Best has a great post on the
black rooms and walls in her home. Definitely
check it out.

What do you think of painting a room black?
Would you dare?

A big thank you to Terri Sapienza for featuring

37 comments:

iva yaneva said...

I never thought I'd say that, but I really like it. It looks very elegant

Southern Aspirations said...

Not sure I would dare... BUT love many of the rooms you featured! Very sophisticated. The first room really captivated me!

MyLittleHappyPlace said...

I think I could do a small room - that entry with the big, gilt mirror, and the powder room just KILL me!

Jessie {A Punctuated Life} said...

Black walls isn't something that I think about much, but I'm glad you wrote about it! Even though I'm drawn to the really glam looks, they would never work in practice for me [I like a more lived in look]. But I'm so intrigued by the kitchen and the bedroom with the casual beige decor... it works for me! These are definitely going into my deco files - Thanks!

LindsB said...

Yes! I love black walls and I would LOVE to have a black room in my house. I, just have to get the BF on board too, he does not like the idea as much as I do :)

home before dark said...

I have upholstered a small library in a black satin/matte striped fabric. I love it. I am going to paint my staircase walls in black and white stripes and decided last week to paint the ceiling black. I think it forms an elegant backdrop and a I enjoy the range of blacks in sheen. Informative and lovely post.

my favorite and my best said...

i did. see here http://myfavoriteandmybest.blogspot.com/2009/06/black-is-beautiful.html

Jana Marie said...

I actually love it and I think I would be willing to try it. I really like the pairing of yellow and black...

Jill Seidner | Interior Design said...

I love black walls! Yes, I would consider doing it. It would have to be the right project or the right client, but at the end of the day it's only paint - if it needed to be changed after a period of time, and it's not a difficult room to paint - then experimenting with black would make for an interesting project.

un bel oiseau said...

Oh wow. Black glossy walls are so striking. I guess you just have to know how to set up the rest of the room. Beautiful photos.

Thanks for sharing

GC Designs said...

I really like the way a black wall or two brings out the sharp lines and contrast of white picture frames as well as linens/pillows. Very underused and I think black walls can be done in a tasteful and classy manner. I really like that black bodied bath tub, with the white insides, really looks good in a black walled room.

Rebecca Ward Design said...

I love the black walls! So velvety

Alicia said...

Its sexy, modern, urban & elegant. If I had the right space its defintiely a design I would try. I do love Ted's bathroom...its just crazy sexy cool.

Down Pillow said...

I couldn't imagine having a black-painted room in my house, but I can appreciate in certain instances. I just think that if walls are going to be black, it needs to be offset with bright or lighter furniture & light window treatments.

Susan Lang @ Designing Your Dream Home said...

I especially loved the powder room sink in the second to last photo.

meohmyoh said...

Wow wow wow. We are design twins. I just found your blog, and I have to say that I have at least half of the images in your pages saved in my inspiration files on my hard drive, for our new house. Yours is a blog I will definitely be following!! LOVES!

Ty said...

I love Black with Tiffany Blue!

Rachel said...

I loved the first and the sixth photos!!! And I've been in LOVE with Ruthie Sommer's kitchen from Domino since I first saw it... I love the combo with the turquoise.

I actually have considered painting our guest bath black, but I know my husband would not get it. And with the overall style of my house now... really, it may not work. But it is fab, and I would do it in a heartbeat if I were still single!

henzy said...

great compilation of photographs. We have painted our living room a dark grey.. and love it.. though when other heard about it they all said 'do you really want to go that dark?' but once they see it they feel differently.

Porchlight Interiors said...

Wow, these rooms look amazing! With all the recent posts on black walls I'm feeling very inspired to start painting - just need to pick which room! Tracey xx

Rachel said...

the great secret about deep dark colors is that often, they can make a space feel -bigger- than it actually is. Because it's so inky, it visually pushes away the walls into the background, especially if you paint out the ceiling too. a great trick to drawing attention away from a low ceiling-making it disappear.

Dallas Shaw said...

been loving this lately too

dallas
http://dillydallas.blogspot.com

Cote de Texas said...

Congrats on the Washington Post!!!!
have you ever seen Renea Abbot's black living room - with Imperial trellis wallpaper in black? it's is so gorgeous. let me know if you need the url for it.

Scott Fazzini said...

So chic! I painted my bathroom black gloss, even the ceiling. I loved it to pieces.....

pepd said...

A little reminder - walls must be in good shape because black will show flaws - just like it shows lint on clothes. I think the best place to try it would be a powder room, or maybe dining room. Dramatic but contained! Don't wimp out and do an accent wall though. If you are hesitant - and it is quite a committment- find black patterned wallpaper. The texture helps soften the impact.

Kimberly said...

I love all these shots. Black is so dramatic, sophisticated, bold and mysterious. I am going to find a place for it at some point. Thanks for showing me black outside the box! xxx kim

Anonymous said...

My sister-in-law had a small guest bathroom in black back in the 70's. For the 'neat freak' that she claimed to be, it wasn't very nice.
A friend in high school, also in the 70's, had permissive parents who allowed him to paint his room black. He then used white paint to write incredible verse in very small print and elaborate sketches all over the walls. Quite a creative kid!
I know I could never get black walls past the SO; he insists that all walls should be art gallery white. I'm so bored with white walls I could scream! LOL!

Rebecca@Harmony and Home said...

I love black... I wear it, I buy black furniture, and I specify black for my clients. Although, I've never painted a room black in my home. Great post!

stagingworks2009 said...

Alkemie....I love everything you display here. I love black rooms surely. It is really really cool. Thanks for such inspiring ideas. From Home Stager Toronto

down pillow said...

I've decided chic... very very chic!

Sarah Jane said...

there is something i am absolutely loving lately about black walls, or black floors. thanks for the inspiration!!

The Goods Design said...

LOVE every one of those room.

sketch42 said...

I put up black imperial trellis in my bedroom and I DIE! I really love it, I have been posting about black rooms for the last 2 months! Its not done yet, but you can see my preview here.

http://sketch42blog.com/2009/05/19/my-master-bedroom/

MARIA JESUS said...

Fantastic Room. I love this color and i dedicated one week to him in my blog. You can see here: http://iwantahouselikethis.blogspot.com/search/label/BLACK%20HOUSE

Biz Haddock said...

I painted my guest room black and was terrified (wished I had seen this blog first) that I was making an ugly mistake. WoW~I was wrong. Since black is a color we are not use to working with in this way it can be very intimidating. The beauty of black is it makes everything pop. so all your colors come to life. Crystal sparkles like fire (provided you have lighting) and white takes on a life of it's own. GO FOR IT!

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