So what makes these spaces clean and serene without being the least bit sterile?
First of all, the incorporation of natural woods. Wood tones always soften the tone of a room by infusing it with a touch of rustic.
Next, restraint. It's easy to go over board with black and white and end up with a dizzingly dramatic space. However, if you want to achieve a subtler look while still preserving an air of crispness, try reserving the black for limited for trims, doors, frames, or key pieces of furniture. My favorite example is the black paint below the chair rail in the first picture. A totally black hallway, or even black paint above the chair rail, may produce a tunnel vision effect. However, leaving the top section an airy white and tying the black bottom half in with the black chandelier, creates a calm but elegant entryway.
Finally, a variety of textures and finishes. For either black or white, using high gloss paints for some pieces of furniture while painting others in a matte finish creates a pleasing visual contrast with just the right amount of un-uniformity.
(Images: 1: Skona Hem, 2: via delight by design, 3: Elle Decor of Darryl Carter's Virginia Farmhouse, 4: Country Living, 5: Elle Decoration, 6: Belle Magazine via Emmas Blogg, 7: William Waldron of Nate Berkus's NY office)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
all of the above information is very true, and i love a cozy black! it definitely has the be a warm black though. if you get a black called something like "pit of death" or "vortex" in high gloss the chances of acheiving this look are slim.
view parisienish's profile
we have a black, grey and white home, and love it. white carpeting, silver grey walls, white glass and aluminum dining set, and black sofas, throw rugs, and cabinetry. the only punches of color are accessories in fire engine red and our art, which is quite colorful. I think our home is warm and very comfy.
yay for black and white :-D
view modern on long island's profile
I love these! Using a lot of white and light muddy colours can make a room look somewhat bland. I like to add a bit of black with black iron tables, black picture frames, black patterned fabrics or other black accessories like vases, lamp stands etc. In my opinion this gives a room some structure and depth.
What I would never do again is putting black shelving or other larger black surfaces into a bedroom. After having fluffed up the pillows you can go on dusting immediately.
view MollyHeyer's profile
I love those two chairs on the fourth picture. Below the portrait and just behind the sofa. Anyone got shopping info on that ones ?
view Fairy's profile
I love the contrast of a black and white room.
Can't wait to get started on my dining room. It has a beautiful black wrought iron staircase and would really benefit from crisp white walls and wood floorboards.
view Madame Is's profile
The differing extremes of the black and white emphasise the natural wood floor. Lovely herring-bone blocking.
view Wheathills's profile
Inspired by a painting I purchased in Buenos Aires (black, white with subtle hints of red), I decided to do my apt in black, white and greys figuring I would use a couple of accent colors here and there with furniture, furnishing, etc. I even had the back wall of my kitchen cabinets lacquered in Black as well as the baseboards and door frames throughout the apt. I loved it! You can see photos of it here:
http://www.cheekyliving.com/projects/brooklyn-loft
enjoy!
-Karen
www.cheekyliving.com
view cheekyliving's profile
I just love black and white!
http://www.makemineeclectic.wordpress.com
view jessimarie33's profile
These are beautiful minus the animal skins, B/W is so nice and timeless.
view LoriSF's profile
So very lovely. :)
view caitlinmarie's profile