Q: I will be moving into my first real apartment, and it is mainly unfurnished. The one piece of furniture it does have (a bookcase) as well as the doors and cabinetry are a light brown wood. The furniture I want is black.
I plan on buying my first furniture at Ikea or another cheap place, but I still want furniture that I like and that will last me at least through graduate school (~5 years) and possibly several different apartment moves. My question is: Can I make my apartment work with mainly black furniture (I'm planning on buying a bed, bedside table, 2 desks and a loveseat) and some brown furnishings? Or will it look terrible and I should just buy brown furniture to match, even though I don't really want it?
Related questions:
- What basic furniture would you suggest for a first-time apartment?
- Where, besides Ikea and Target, would you recommend buying these? Any other advice?
Thank you!
Sent by Alaina
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I find black and wood is lovely together, as long as a) there aren't too many other colors around, and b) the black furniture is painted, not stained.
Beyond that, I would recommend going slowly. Even though you are excited about having your very own, real place, don't rush in to get everything right away. Let your place and your taste evolve. See if you can dress up existing pieces and thrift store finds with paint, pillows, quilts, etc. until you find something you really love.
Have fun with your new place!
Any accessories of color really POP with black furniture..keep it all simple and streamlined..and your apartment will look very sleek and tasteful...a clear vase,Ikea..with just a green branch or pink flower in it on your black coffee table will look so nice!...Keeping it all simple will look lovely with your brown furniture already in that apartment....the black furniture will be YOURS that you realllly like and can take with you to unfurnished apartments in the future..
Definitely buy what you love and not just what goes with your first apartment. Give yourself time to see what you really need and want in your apartment, and don't be in a hurry to do it all in one weekend.
Buy the furniture you want. Choose basic pieces with simple, clean lines. Don't forget about Craigslist, Goodwill, Salvation Army, consignment shops and thrift stores as you furnish your apartment. You may find just what need for little $$. Stick with neutrals and basics in upholstered pieces, and let your accessories do the talkin'! Bright pillows, area rugs, throws, plants, artwork, textiles - you can make your space so attractive with just the right pieces. Check out the places I've mentioned for good deals. Good luck with your new place.
It would look pretty strange if all the wood in your place--cabinets, trim, doors--were black in addition to black wood furniture! Don't worry about mixing black with light brown. Focus on harmonizing rather than matching. Just try to avoid heavily weighting one section of your room with just one color or it could start looking unbalanced. Tie the looks together with fabric, art & accessories and let your wood finishes intermingle.