Black Power!

Paneled Den, Antoine Proulx (Contact us for purchasing information, info@carladavisdesigns.com)

Black is a color that instantly evokes intensely prejudiced emotions.  Either you like it, or there is no way that you will ever accept it.  What other color in the spectrum denotes submissiveness to authority (clerics' and judges' black robes), as well as strength and protection as it signifies in Feng Shui?   What other color is associated with despair and even death while it is considered to have the power to instantly bestow any room an instant  fresh, elegant aura?  Despite its many contradictions, black continues to be a perennial classic in interior design.

Circa Lighting Windsor Black Iron Chandelier
   Butler Specialty Co. Connoisseurs Curio Cabinet

Black is a neutral color, and like the other neutrals -- beige, champagne, ash, stone, etc. -- black offers longevity to your decor.  Make no mistake, black is not a trend.  It's here to stay and so is its dramatic partnership with white.  Black and white has always been a fixture in design, and it has experienced a resurgence in popularity over the last few years.

 

My favorite high-style-for-less fabric company, Kast Fabrics (Top L to R):  Deco Zebra, Linette Ebony, Lamesa Ivory, Dawson Black/White, , Bayview Black/White, Baycliff Black

Tips for adding the glamorous drama of black to your space:

• Black absorbs light and will make a room appear to be smaller than it is.  This is fine if you are going for a cozy elegant vibe in a dining room, living, room or library, but I would not recommend it for a bedroom or kitchen.  It's far too austere for those areas.
• It's difficult of the do-it-yourself painter to achieve a good wall finish using black or other dark colored paints.  This is a color that I feel is best left to be applied by professional painters, and generally with 2 or more coats!
• If the idea of black walls is not your thing, try black picture frames, black pottery, black crystal, a black accent chair, or black lighting fixtures to infuse some black drama into your space.

For me, there is nothing more striking than black dining or living room walls above a  glossy white chair rail and wainscoting/shadow boxing.