Gothic glam
A wide range of finishes pumps up the monochromatic scheme: The metal-plated wall inspired the conical metal art in this dining room designed by Los Angeles-bsed BAM Design Lab (bamdesignlab.com). Shiny black champagne flutes complete the look.
Element of surprise
One color can be one-note, so in addition to varying the materials, add in unexpected accents that stand out from the sea of black, such as this armchair's clever upholstery featuring text.
Balancing act
In a mostly black palette, keeping furniture light gives a room balance. The tufted sofa in white was a must-have to up the glam quotient in the living room. The faux concrete media console begged for “the fluffiest rug we could find” to serve as a foil, says one of the BAM Design Lab (bamdesignlab.com) masterminds behind this room.
Stormy chic
The design team behind this bedroom originally painted the walls (in charcoal gray, but it looked flat, especially against
the ornate custom headboard frame. Tone-on-tone wallpaper with a raised motif brought the interest they were looking for while
still letting the neo-baroque paper inside the frame shine.
Emo accents
Red plays a supporting role in this guest bedroom but in a small way—just the headboard. With so much drama everywhere else,
a rainbow of accent colors is unnecessary. To match the tonality of the wallpaper, the designers chose a deep berry instead of, say, a cherry red. Design: BAM Design Lab (bamdesignlab.com).
Touch of whimsy
To balance out a somber color scheme, this light-up sign adds retro cheer to the room.
Onyx overhead
Committed to black? Paint the ceiling. The onyx beams give this sitting room a moody vibe. Dark elements go against all rules of maximizing small spaces. But this 875-square-foot loft keeps itself from closing in by using white shelves, carpet, and subway tile.
Ebony cabinets
- Related: Give your kitchen a modern look
Our 2014 Idea House designers stained the kitchen cabinets ebony. The look stays clean and bright with white backdrops and industrial pendants–not to mention the ivory bar stools and matching pup. Gold hardware on the chairs and lighting give an elegance to the space.
Inky interiors
Black and cream create a modern, yet cozy living room in this Manhattan Beach home. A dark fireplace and shelving form a bold statement wall. Neutral furniture keeps the hue at bay. Stripes in an oversize rug spread charcoal to the rest of the space.
Midnight pantry
This butler’s pantry is black-tie only. Gilded cabinets make the room luxurious against the black patterned wallpaper. Dark accessories and a starry lamp create magic on the countertops. Each element comes together in midnight luxury.
Graphite guest
Decorating a tiny hallway bath in black takes guts. Doing it right like this one pays off. It features floor-to-ceiling subway tile and a painted door. The utility sink gives the room a vintage vibe while adding light to the space with a white basin.
Shadowed sink
This bathroom’s all about bringing the outdoors in. Painting the wall behind the sink brought darkness to the naturally bright space. The black makes a nice contrast to the hardwood and emerald foliage.
Spangled seating
Susan Stella does black and cream well. She uses dark stripes on her cushions without the color overtaking the rest of the room. Midnight framing anchors the walls and matches the banco seating.
Blackest bath
Ceramic vessels and an abstract painting welcome modern art into this powder room. The speckled wallpaper, reminiscent of pointillism, uses black while staying light. The bold marble sink pulls the dark elements together.
Dark arts
Make a creative statement by decorating with black in your artwork. This stairway gallery employs black on cream and vice versa. Silhouettes and shadows like these never go out of style.
Pretty penny
While the rest of this house may be colorful, the bathroom brings the black. Penny tile covers part of the wall in a nod to the home’s 1940s origins. In the portrait, a gentleman’s blue shirt and dark-ended pipe echo the midnight wall and blue flooring.
More: Go wild with color with lessons from this Hollywood Hills home
