Going To The Dark Side Or Saying Goodbye To Wishy-Washy

We’ve all been there… I mean the “light side” of interior decorating – correct me if I am wrong!  We adored tranquil environment of neutrals, we fell all over tender pastels, we admired Scandinavian minimalism and painted our walls all in white. Then at some point we get bored with this serenity and calmness, our…

We’ve all been there… I mean the “light side” of interior decorating – correct me if I am wrong!  We adored tranquil environment of neutrals, we fell all over tender pastels, we admired Scandinavian minimalism and painted our walls all in white. Then at some point we get bored with this serenity and calmness, our eyes intuitively search for bold and dark colours which make our homes so chic and luxurious. If above mentioned doesn’t refer to you, than stop reading right here. This article is aimed for those who are tired of  wishy-washy and want to make a scary move from light to dark.

First of all I want to say that I was also afraid of going dark. Decorating with neutrals is much easier: you paint the walls off-white or beige, add a lot of texture and end up with some bright accents. With dark colours the result might be quite unexpected that’s why not everyone has guts to try it.  However, we have a very old saying in Russia: “He who doesn’t risk never gets to drink champagne”. Dark colours are opening new horizons in interior decorating, try it and you will be really astonished with the result.

To make your trip to the dark side safer, I have prepared these little tips:

1) I already told it before, but will say it again as with dark colours it becomes even more important. When choosing paint, remember that on the large surface it will seem darker and brighter than on your paint chip. I recommend to choose one value lighter to achieve desired result.

2) Dark colours can be used to camouflage any architectural flaw: odd shape of ceiling, awkward angles, columns, large beams. Have a look at the picture below: door painted in same dark colour as walls appears almost invisible, which enhances the sense of flow. Consider this trick if you have a lot of fitted wardrobes or doors in your room.

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3) In the areas with lack of natural light dark colours might appear almost black. This effect will be even more enhanced if you paint dark the neighboring walls and ceiling: there will be no reflection and colours will be absorbed by each other. In the small rooms, such as entrance or powder rooms painting walls dark will help you to make them seem bigger as these hues will create “no boundaries” effect.

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Image source – Elle Decor Magazine

4) Light-reflective surfaces such as gloss paints will bounce the light back, and colours on these surfaces look brighter and even lighter. Reflective finish also gives dark colours greater depth:

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Image source – Elle Decor Magazine

5) Matt paints will make the opposite effect: colours will seem darker and more subtle.

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6) The key element of good design is balance. And how to balance dark walls? That’s correct: by introducing light colours in decor and you can do it with furniture and accessories. Creamy hues or pastels on a dark background look especially sophisticated and elegant. You can also balance the dark colours by introducing high reflective textures such as mirrors, glass, metals (gold or brass might be the best option).

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7) By bringing bright bold colours in interior, such as striking yellow, pink or orange you will not only not harm the elegance of dark rooms, but will even enhance it. It is the same as wearing bright shoes with modest dark dress.

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8) Dark interiors might seem too masculine and harsh, soften them by adding comfy textures, for example velvet and furs:

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9) Dark colours can be used to make the ceiling look taller. What? How? I know you were always told the opposite. Of course if you have bright walls painting the ceiling dark will make it seem lower. The trick here is that it has to be the same colour as walls, or one or two values lighter which will create the seamless look and greater harmony. This technique will also help you to hide imperfections on a rough ceiling:

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10) If the dark walls seem too oppressive for you, don’t rush to repaint them: consider adding a lot wall decor. Besides, the art will pop forward on a dark background:

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Do you like decorating with dark colours or is it something which you will never try at your home? ? If you already done that, please share  your experience with us.

Looking forward to hearing your comments!

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