Black can be a polarising colour in interior design. Too often we think it will create dark oppressive rooms, or that it should be used only by rebellious teenagers.
But black can be a powerful colour, able to transform ordinary spaces into something dramatic, interesting and glamorous. When used as an accent colour, black can really amplify other shades and show them off at their best.
Here are some design ideas for dipping your toes into the world of black.
Consider your space
Start your property search
Generally speaking, in small rooms, painting a lot of black will make them feel more enclosed and darker. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It can be great if you want a snug, sitting area in winter, a media room or even a cocooning bedroom. In some cases, painting walls dark can also make the walls recede slightly so the room will feel cosy rather than overwhelming.
In larger rooms, black can be a useful tool in managing the scale of the space. Painting or staining your floor black, or painting black about a third of the way up the wall will help anchor your space and prevent furniture from becoming lost. In large spaces with over-height ceilings using black high on the walls or even the ceiling can scale it down.
The finish of your black paint can make a difference to how it feels in any room too. Absolute matt black painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat will give your space an almost suede-like finish that adds luxury and softness to a room, whereas the high-gloss finish of Resene Enamacryl will bounce more light around and can appear quite sleek and glamorous.
Off-black
When it comes to choosing your colour scheme, remember not all blacks are created equal. Just like white, which can veer towards creamy yellows, or cooler blue-greys, black can come in shades of ‘off-black’ that tint towards deep browns such as Resene Black Magic, charcoal greys like Resene Bokara Grey, blues such as Resene Bastille and even greens with hues like Resene Swamp.
Opting for some of these alternatives to a true black like Resene All Black or Resene Black can open the spectrum in terms of what other colours are going to work best with your chosen black. For example, burnt oranges like Resene Ayers Rock work very well with blue-toned blacks, mustard-toned yellows like Resene Ipanema will be dramatic against charcoal hues, brown-blacks will make cherry reds like Resene Red Berry pop, and try a fresher green like Resene Granny
Apple against the black-green of Resene Midnight Moss.
Depending on what shade you choose, these ‘off-blacks’ can also make your finished walls feel less densely black and create a more inviting but no less striking interior.
A stained finish in Resene Colorwood Sheer Black with battens in Resene All Black, elevates an inexpensive building material and provides a bold, but still neutral backdrop to this living area. The black also makes the caramel tones of the floor stained in Resene Colorwood Natural shine. The sideboard and coffee table are in Resene Snow Drift and the pendant lamp is Resene Black White. On the sideboard the woven lantern is Resene Half Black White, the small vase is Resene All Black and the plant pot is Resene Snow Drift. The artwork is in Resene Okey Dokey with strokes in Resene Half Blanc. Project by Laura Lynn Johnston, image by Wendy Fenwick.
Soften the edges
Whether you’re using a jet black or an almost-black, and whether you’re using it as your main backdrop colour or as a highlight there are lots of ways of softening the impact, so it feels comfortable and appealing.
If you have furniture, flooring or fittings in a wood finish, consider staining some with Resene Colorwood Pitch Black or a similar dark shade like Resene Colorwood Dark Ebony. Even on walls a dark stain still gives you the drama and impact of a black palette, but allows the wood grain to show through, lightening and lifting the finished effect.
Another way to soften the edges of a black colour scheme is to use different textures and finishes around the room, so even an all-black space can be layered and interesting. Think about faux fur or wool, velvets and suede in curtains, rugs and throws.
Layer your blacks with soft greys, creams, blush pinks and then one bold accent in a metallic or jewel tone for drama.
Classic plus
There are many classic colour combinations for black, but it can be fun to play with those expectations and bring them up to date with a subtle twist.
One of the most common and classic ways to use black in an interior is, of course, black and white. It’s a classic for a reason - it’s smart, sophisticated and doesn’t ever really date. To put your own twist on that classic though, you could pair your black with more stony, beige and cream neutrals instead of a classic white. Try Resene Quarter Tea, Resene Biscotti or Resene Double Thorndon Cream.
Go further afield and switch in a pale pastel for your white. Try soft pink Resene Wafer or Resene Duck Egg Blue.
Black works well with metallics to emphasise their glimmer and shine. Instead of classic gold or silver, try a deep copper or bronze like Resene Blast Yellow, or try a charcoal shade like Resene Nocturnal with metallic notes in similarly toned Resene Catch 22.
Elevate a neutral colour scheme by pairing beige and peach tones like Resene Thorndon Cream and Resene Pot Pourri with matt black accents in Resene Bokara Grey.
Black and white make a beautiful backdrop for greenery, and this entrance area demonstrates how well a black floor, here in Resene Nero, can really anchor a bright and breezy space. The walls are in Resene Black White, and the wall trellis is Resene Nero. The cabinet frame is Resene Nero and the drawer fronts and plant pots are Resene Double Merino, Resene Atmosphere and Resene Quarter Gravel. Project by Megan Harrison Turner, image by Melanie Jenkins.
Black and yellow make an eye-catching combination, but to avoid the bumblebee connotations try a deep blue-hued black like Resene Nero with a moody chartreuse yellow like Resene Funk. You could even add an unexpected pop of violet with Resene Lip Service.
Charcoal blacks and green are another classic combination. Keep it modern with layers of tonal greens like sage Resene Envy and pastel Resene Edgewater. Add touches of brass and plenty of mid-toned wood stained in Resene Colorwood Natural.
When it’s dark outside
Black and its related dark shades have been a popular choice for home exteriors for a while now. The trend shows no signs of abating as a dark palette gives most houses a dramatic street appeal. It also suits most house types from bungalows through to modern townhouses.
Resene Bokara Grey is particularly popular for exteriors as it’s very adaptable. It can skew slightly brown hued when paired with creamy neutrals such as Resene Spanish White, or it can appear more charcoal grey against brighter, cool-based whites such as Resene Black White.
The number one thing to think about when using a dark exterior colour is to ask for a Resene CoolColour that will help reflect more of the sun’s heat than a standard version of the colour, which will keep the paint and surface cooler reducing the risk of damage. Check with Resene ColorShop staff whether a CoolColour is right for your project.
Natural fibres and neutral colours add fresh touches to this cosy seating area where the wall and floor are painted in moody Resene Suits. The fireplace is Resene Noir and the side table is Resene Thunder Road, while the basket is Resene Rebel. On the coffee table the base is Resene Noir and the dish is Resene Poured Milk. From left to right on the mantel, the vases are Resene Route 66, Resene Ethereal and Resene Poured Milk. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Melanie Jenkins.
Top tips for painting with black:
Lots of leafy plants, natural toned timber in Resene Colorwood Natural or Resene Colorwood Driftwood, with crisp white accents in Resene Alabaster is another combination that brings freshness and light to a black palette.
Pay attention to your lighting as it can make a big difference to the feel of a black or dark-hued room. A soft wash of warm light over dark walls can seem mysterious and cosy, whereas lighting that is too blue-hued and bright can make some blacks seem too stark. Mirrors, glass and metallics will also help reflect light around your rooms
Use black like a ‘power neutral’, it goes with most other colours often amplifying their intensity and it can be used either just as a highlight, or as your main anchor colour.
Resene FX Blackboard Paint is a cool way to include black in children’s bedrooms as a fun and functional feature. Paint a shape on the wall by their desk for homework notes, art or school activity reminders. Or paint a whole section of wall for them to draw on, or even a chest of drawers they can personalise with their own chalk designs. It’s also handy to add functional notes of black to kitchens and laundries.
Licorice-toned blacks like Resene Swamp provide an excellent backdrop for plants, especially the grey-green tones of native plants.
If you’re keen to give black a go but don’t know where to start, start with one space and look to add black in three places – this might be a feature wall, a picture frame and a vase. Having the same colour repeated three times will help it feel like it belongs. As you get more confident, you can expand your painting horizons to the whole room or your home’s exterior.
