Decorating with dark colors

Styles and trends in the interior design world vary significantly depending on personal style. One trend in particular that is becoming more popular right now is decorating with dark colors. For years, you’ve been told to stay away from black, but when done right, darks colors are very strong and make a big statement about your space. Here are some ideas for what you can do when decorating with dark colors.

Layer the darks on each other

When using a lot of black in a room, you should make sure and layer the colors throughout. For example, you could put black on the walls in your kitchen. Then use a slightly different shade of black for your cabinets, your backsplash, and your appliances. While you are still making for a completely dark room, you are also giving the room definition by adding layers of color.

Bring in the light

If you are going to do everything in the room dark, you need to make sure you also have ways to bring in extra light. You want to use light to help balance out all the darkness in the room. One way to do this is by putting big windows in the space to bring in the natural light. You should also try to create reflective surfaces in the space, so the light from the window bounces around the room to brighten up the space. You could use black tile that is slightly reflective or shiny. You could put up mirrors on the wall as part of your decor.

Offset with whites

To offset the darkness in the room, you will want to use white accents in your decor. You can use a white floor or rug, white tables, or even more subtle white such as lamps. Or you can use white baseboards and white baseboard heater covers. The whites will also help reflect the light in the room and make it feel brighter even with all the darks in the space. The accents of white might be just what you need to finish off the look in the room. Plus it will modernize the feel of your design.

Use dark colors in your art too

Another thing you can do is pick art for your walls that has darks in it. With dark art pieces, you are continuing the theme of black style. It breaks up your wall a bit and makes the space feel more complete. Stick with art that has a black and white theme like your home as opposed to adding a lot of color. Big, colorful art pieces can make the space feel more chaotic instead of the calm and peaceful feel you get from a dark palette.

If you choose to decorate with darks, know you aren’t the only one. You can look online at Pinterest and other design sites to find decorating inspiration and guidance. It is a new trend, but there are still plenty of other people out there who want to decorate just like you.

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