How to Style Homes Using Black Colour

Many people tend to steer away from decorating their own homes with black in fear of creating an environment that is too drab and dull. We are here to show you that when you decorate with black, you can still make your interior explode with vibrancy!

traditional style interior design with a black colour palette

History of the Colour Black

Charcoal was one of the first pigments used in art, making its first appearance on the walls of prehistoric caves. Over the centuries, the colour black has gained a bit of a bad rep. Oftentimes associated with death, witches, and magic – black used to be perceived as “evil” until the 14^th century, when it became the colour worn by royalty, judges, and government officials.

Since then, black has become a symbol of power, elegance, and sophistication.

modern interior styled with black colour

Black in Interior Design

Technically speaking, black is not considered a colour because it is seen as the absence of light, at least according to the laws of physics. In home design however, black is considered a neutral colour.

And as any other neutral colour, it can be used in any room and in any style, as long as you don’t overdo it. In excess, black can stimulate feelings of gloominess and sadness, or even suck up some of the sun light making your interior appear smaller and darker than it is.

black and white bedroom with a monochromatic colour palette, picture of dark clouds creating a moody colour palette

Think of it as an outfit. A black dress is a great foundation, but you need accessories to bring it to life. Same applies for styling homes. But first, you need to understand the nuances of this colour and then you can use it wisely with other shades.

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For example:

black with metallic gold, silver, copper, or brass creates an opulent look
paired with pastel shades, black becomes more palatable for interior design schemes and home staging
black matched with bold colours (red, green, blue…) reinforces the psychology behind these hues while adding a mysterious and dramatic touch to the final look

These are our three favourite ways to incorporate black in home staging:

1. Black as an Accent Wall

Using black on the walls can make a bold statement and create the perfect backdrop to highlight the rest of other décor. However, it also poses a challenge.

Dark wallpapers can come across a bit overwhelming, which is why it’s our responsibility as Home Stagers to brighten it up, without steering too far away from the black theme.

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Watch our Instagram Reel we made on this topic, featuring our Senior Stylist Bianca.

Psst… there’s much more where this came from! Check out our work HERE.

black themed master bedroom with a dark wallpaper

black and white accent wall near a staircase, modern interior with accent wall

2. Black in a Monochromatic Colour Palette

We wrote an entire article on “How to style homes using monochromatic colour palette”.

The timeless and sophisticated combination of black and white is a staple. If you want to break up the space and give the entire look a nice little boost, add a pop of foreign colour to the mix.

black coffee table with black and white accessories, dark grey sofa and a black and white tribal painting por

3. Black Mixed with Other Colours

Our absolute favourite! Whether we pair black with soft pastels or dusky shades of green and blue, we know it will always come together beautifully. The secret is to use just enough black to tie things together, without going overboard and creating a ‘too loud’ of a colour palette.