Tricks of the Trade: How Designers Warm Up Black & White Rooms

Black and white is a great color combination: it’s classic, it’s sophisticated, you don’t have to worry about whether things match. But sometimes the combo of black and white can be a bit stark. How do you create a monochromatic interior that feels elegant without being forbidding? Here are some ideas to make your rooms look sophisticated with this classic color scheme, but still livable and comfortable.

Above: this room, from a Hong Kong home, has warm wood elements and various finishes (like metallics) to keep the black and white interior from feeling too stark.

Pops of bright yellow make this Montreal kitchen with stunning black-and-white tiles look so much more fresh and fun.

Another way to make black + white work: add a little shine. Spotted in this Memphis bungalow.

This black and white New York City studio apartment has a certain richness to it, thanks to patterned pillows and lots of interesting textures.

Colorful accents (like this color-coded bookshelf) can help ground a black and white interior, like in this Brooklyn rental.

Plants can make a black-and-white room (or any room for that matter) feel so much warmer and cozy, like in this California home.