Whether you think a black room will look depressing or make the room feel small, it's time to reconsider. When done right, deep, dark rooms can actually be surprisingly sophisticated -- not spooky. Our tips show you to work a little black magic for a look that's stylish, seductive, and sure to make a dramatic statement in any season -- not just Halloween!
1. Consider Black to Create Coziness: Even though there's a wall of windows, the black walls of this Greenwich, Connecticut home's library make the space feel intimate.
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2. Accent Black with Bold Colors: Black can actually work for teenager's room. Just add pops of bright color, like a graphic pillow, to keep the space from feeling too stark. Designer Windsor Smith painted her son's room black for a rock-star feeling.
3. Add Black Stripes for Playfulness: A fun black pattern keeps the eye moving and keeps a space from feeling too confining. In this house, designer Mary McDonald wanted the terrace to feel like a tent room. She coordinated it with the old-Hollywood theme of the other rooms by painting the walls with black and white stripes to match the draperies and furniture.
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4. Combine Black with White for a Classic Look: Black and white is a timeless look, particularly in the kitchen. The owner of this kitchen in San Francisco wanted designer Stephen Shubel to reflect her personal style: classic with an edgy streak. The black cabinets feel ageless, and the silver swivel stools add a little bit of flair. A white backsplash, countertop, wall, and accents keep the space airy.
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5. Try Black to Open Up a Space:"When you walk into that room in the daytime, your eye goes straight outside. Black stretches the perimeter. With black walls and a black carpet, everything floats and the room seems boundless," says designer Windsor Smith. She chose to create a game room rather than a formal living room in her Los Angeles family home.
6. Black Is Both Classic and Wild: To turn this 1929 Wisconsin lake cottage into a luxurious home, designer Carleton Varney used bold colors throughout. In the foyer, the classic design is jazzed up with black-and-white striped walls and a zebra print runner on the stairs.
Related: Classic Library Design Ideas
7. Choose a Simple Black Finish: Black cabinets in the kitchen offer simplicity and sleekness. They're also a perfect backdrop to display an all-white collection. Designer Mallory Marshall's kitchen in Maine features these mahogany cabinets finished in black to match her favorite piece in her husband's glass collection: a black bowl by Dale Chihuly.
8. Go Black in One Room Only: If black seems too bold, try selecting just one space to have the color; it offers freedom to add color and pattern in the other areas. In this Houston home designed by Rob Southern, the walls look like lacquer and the hue makes a strong statement as soon as you walk in the door.
Photo Credits in Order: 1. Thomas Loof, 2. Victoria Pearson, 3. Tim Street-Porter, 4. Jeremy Samuelson. 5. Victoria Pearson, 6. Mikkel Vang, 7. Laura Moss, 8. Victoria Pearson.
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