"Every room can use a touch of black" is so true and is something to remember when it comes to interiors.
Bright colors are taking a back seat to black.
Back to Black, the name of Songstress Amy Winehouse's soulful vocal, is enough to inspire the return to
classic, forever black. Amy's song (listen to it here) is my inspiration for The Return to Black, in fashion as well as in Interiors.
Think style, think sophistication, think timeless.
The little black dress,or LBD as it is known in fashion shorthand, is an timeless classic.
Tory Burch left Philip Lim center Vince right
A room needn't have a total makeover to make a statement with black - punctuate a neutral interior with a sleek black table lamp.
A TOUCH OF BLACK in a room can act like a punctuation mark!
This gourd lamp with black silk oval shade is from the stylish Porta Romana lamp company in the UK and is a timeless classic.
The Night Hotel (pictures above and below) in New York is a study in black and is decorated in "Modern Gothic Gotham"
A bold black stripe down the back and seat of these mid-century chairs creates added interest. Popham Design
Black & White photos line the walls of this stairwell, and the black geometric "David Hicks" inspired carpet
adds drama and lots of glamour. Eric Cohler
Hollywood Glam - black patent headboard & bench - InStyle
The black marble floor is another timeless classic (left) Jamie Haydon / Kitchen with black slate floor (right)
Black & white dishes (left) / an iconic Chanel tray (right).
When I think of Chanel, I think Black, I think timeless, I think classic, I think unforgettable!
Timeless black sofas add drama and are a grounding element in the above rooms.
(left) Mary McGee / (right) Suzanne Kasler
Want to add drama to a room quickly and inexpensively, try painting or wallpapering a feature wall black.
Paint your house black. My favourite black paint is Benjamin Moore Black Beauty - photo NY Times
Black can act as a neutral because there is no color it doesn't go with.
Accessorize with these buffalo horns from Z Gallerie
To see more posts on colour trends click here
Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture,
and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009
I love balck in a room, it anchors the space. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteThis is a gorgeous post!!! I can never get enough of gorgeous black:) And the David Hicks inspired carpet on the staircase is my absolute favorite!!!!
ReplyDeleteCara Patricia,
ReplyDeleteI´m so curious to read the comments on this post... I love black, always wore black (considered the Signora nera. I had a post two weeks ago "A Leopard Never Changes its Spots" (A Hommmage to Black & White) and most of my visitors reacted negatively or were confused. I certainly back you up. Black is timeless and black accents are perfect for interiors. Brava ragazza! Bacione, Ingrid
This has to be my favorite post of all time. I love "Hollywood glam", and am desperately trying to recreate that look. I recognize that Chanel tray....it's Nicky Hilton's. Oh how I want that tray!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, the black lamp is my favorite, by the stair case carpet. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I LOVE white, but just recently I have added quite a few black touches to my home and they really make me very happy!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I'm pretty known by my friends to have almost an entirely black wardrobe. But I just can't help it, if there's color options in a clothing piece I ALWAYS have to go for the black first!
ReplyDeleteAwesome examples of very different styles using black in their color schemes.
I remember I reacted on Ingrid's post on black a while ago and I was confused with myself. After doing some analizing, I came up with the conclusion that I add black in my interior design for a final touch and balance. By the way, there is of course no choice but Chanel's little black....and yes Signora Ingrid dresses so well in black. Bye, Ingela
ReplyDeleteBlack is incredible. I love the black house. What a fab post!
ReplyDeleteYes, Black is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWe should also remember to put a few small accent pieces when we have a bold black sofa or wall or similar.
Speaking of black walls, my mother (an interior decorator at heart) in 1960 wanted a black wall in a living room of our country house.
Being a small italian town, she called the local painter who, hearing the colour chosen run away making the cross sign and refused to come back (like "Vade Retro Satana").
Luckily we ended up with the beautiful black wall, painted by someone else and it was the talk of the town for years.
Yes, Black is beautiful!
Beautiful post
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures. Thanks Patricia
Loved the modern gothic
Great post! I especially love the black and white dishes and the hollywood glam photo. Black (and white) is so classic and timeless.
ReplyDeleteI adore the Chanel tray. It is just classic elegance. A black lampshade is just divine. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI love this post, especially the Eric Cohler stairway- I've posted that picture before. LOVE.
ReplyDeleteI adore that David Hicks-ian carpet! And Benji Moore's Black Beauty! Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, patricia! Just Beautiful! Always love you blog!
ReplyDeleteWith Regards,
MIMILEE
Great Post!...Just painted our house darker gray with white trim, and plan on painting the door and shutters black to match the urns and lanters...some other favorite black interiors have been from Anouska Hempel and (I know...dare I say) Martha Stewart. I love wrought iron, so black is almost always present in my interiors. Take care!
ReplyDeleteAlways love black and enjoyed seeing all the great photos. Would love to see more homes painted black. It's just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! Love this post!A little bit of black makes a room pop even if you are wearing it.
ReplyDeleteThat staircase is incredible!
ReplyDeletePS Those dishes by Mary are directly reproduced from typical Moroccan dishes.
Nice round-up! I think every room should have a touch of black.
ReplyDeleteJust love the black home. The exterior was so simple yet classic.
ReplyDeleteBLACK is my Color ! I love it , for me it is dramatic and lightful !!!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a painted black house. It looks stunning !
ReplyDeleteVery chic post... Such an eclectic mix with the black theme holding it all together very nicely. Complimenti!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Patricia! Black is just classic, classic, classic. It never fails to add an element of elegance, whether in interiors, fashion or decorating of any kind. I love the shot of the Jamie Hayden interior-such a great mix of pieces and what would this space be without the ultra-classic and stunning checkered black and white marble floor!
ReplyDeleteAs a former New Yorker, there is nothing little about black to me!! ha ha
ReplyDeleteWhat a CLP: clever little post!
xo xo
LOVE black! Most rooms in my house and a touch of black... some more than others.
ReplyDeleteNothing better than LBD!
I incorporate black line in ALL my paintings.. love it!
Great collection of rooms!
i honestly believe that decorating without black and white is like cooking without salt and pepper- the results will always be a little bland.
ReplyDeleteoh wow great post! i don't know where to look first...beautiful!
ReplyDeletelooking forward to reading more from you.
Elizabeth x
wow love it. so simple and effective.
ReplyDeleteEvery winter I go back to black after a summer of white linen - clothes that is. I keep my interior white linen all year long!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Patricia. I love touches of black.
ReplyDeleteI love the touches of black. Beautiful post! Amanda x
ReplyDeletei ALWAYS go back to black! i have way too much of it in my wardrobe, but not a lot in my decor... but i've definitely been drawn to it lately, so we'll see what happens the next time i redecorate!
ReplyDeleteI always come to your blog for inspiration on the elegant factor. My favorite is the black room in the Night hotel. I think I would sleep all night there. I love this post! It validates what I have done so far, but I need help. I have painted the walls in my dining room chalkboard black and love it! I have a Saarinen round white table and white trim. I want to add bright yellow but I can't figure out how to do it elegantly. What do I do? It seems like there should be more layers, but I don't know how to create those. What do I do?
ReplyDeleteNICE ...
ReplyDeleteI incorporate black line in ALL my paintings This is a gorgeous post!!! . I certainly back you up
ReplyDeleteThank for you all of the work you did on this post. Beautiful and elegant: like black. I upholstered a little room (a folly of a library) in black and when I showed my neighbor she thought I had gone goth. If she had been Catholic, she would have crossed herself.Love the black exterior. The name is perfect.
ReplyDeleteA black leather club chair... and my favourite sculpture of a water buffalo. I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it. And now, there's a bit of black in almost every room of the house.
ReplyDeleteLove that stairwell with the b&w photos and carpet!
love the hicks / cohler staircase...
ReplyDeletebrilliant posting...
great point, Patricia. I love the one with the pictures on the wall along the stairwell. I always dreamed to hang all my favorite movie posters there^^
ReplyDeleteMarvellous! nice post patricia. Even my favourite colour is
ReplyDeleteblack, and your post impressed me a lot and that buffalo horns accessories are awesome. Classic post. Thanks
Your post is nice! I love the one with the pictures on the wall along the stairwell,and black patent headboard & bench is awesome
ReplyDelete