As a wise man once said, “be bold - don’t be afraid to paint your interior in dark colors, this does not mean that you will end up in hellish darkness.” If there is not enough natural light in the room, no bright colors will replace it. Instead, opt for deep blues or rich blood reds. As a result, you will get a cozy, soft, enveloping interior. The same technique will also benefit dreary rooms in which there is nothing for the eye to focus on: a well-chosen dark shade will transform such a room beyond recognition. We have selected workshop examples for you. Don't be afraid of the dark...
In this living room, the graphic linear pattern created by the wall decoration sets an ultra-modern style in the interior.
In the spacious living room, three large, rough-looking wooden panels, painted in an elegant floral design inspired by Botticelli's painting "Spring", are set around the dining table. The room is decorated in cool colors, creating a relaxing mood, and it seems completely out of the ordinary for Paris, where it is located. The flooring made of wide wooden planks is complemented by natural fabrics in muted colors and stylish, sometimes somewhat eccentric furniture.
The walls, painted a deep blood red, provide a luxurious backdrop for a painting by Spanish-Cuban artist José Segura Esquerro and a lampshade made from an antique sari.
To decorate the interior of this home, designer Robert Moore chose rich yellow corduroy sofa upholstery, deep navy blue wall paint, and a white geometric patterned rug.
This apartment is located in a house built two hundred years ago. Its new owners decided to give it a modern look - and they succeeded, with the help of elegant furniture and wisely organized useful space. In the living room, which you see in the picture, shades were used that “play” in a special way after sunset (it is at this time of day that the room is used most often). The ribbed curtains were chosen specifically to highlight the stunning architecture of the space while also casting soft, inviting shade.
In this apartment, the walls and wood paneling painted deep red create an incredibly luxurious feel. The light lacquered surfaces reflect the soft light emanating from the magnificent Art Nouveau pendant chandelier.
Designer Adam Bray has transformed this eighties-style apartment into something he says is "dark, dramatic and sexy" all at once, using a combination of deep blood red and olive green.
A hallway or landing is a great place for a full-wall bookcase. According to designer Emma Burns, there is no need to be afraid of large scale: the interior can look pretentious and cozy at the same time.
The rich color scheme in the design of this library was set by a sixteenth-century painting by Francesco Morandini. The reddish wood of the bookcase pairs with warm brown tones to create a great backdrop for antique art.
SUCH A WARM BLUE COLOR
The combination of noble blue and creamy white shades gives the interior of this bedroom by designer Paolo Moschino marine motifs.
The decor of this bedroom is incredibly striking, yet understated. Excellent symmetry, no overload of details, elegant decorative elements that do not conflict with the dark shade of the walls. Light touches of color are added with the help of paintings and a table lamp.
Designer Keith Kemp masterfully combines vibrant hues and patterns with a sophistication that never feels overdone. In this room at the Ham Yard, blue walls complement the bright upholstery on the bed's headboard and matching curtains. The polka dot upholstery of the armchairs echoes the pillow covers, and the striped ottoman at the foot of the bed creates balance in the design.
The Roman blinds in designer Mark Smith's bedroom are made from the same dark green wool that covers the walls. Even the picture frames were painted the same shade.
Featuring a neo-modern chandelier, this enchanting bathroom exudes a sense of elegant luxury.
In this bathroom, charcoal walls provide a dramatic backdrop for distinctive volcano paintings and base shelves adorned with coral branches.
There is a stereotype that our apartments are so tiny that when creating the interior we should use warm light colors and shades that visually expand the area.
However, modern designers have proven that a correctly and competently selected combination of dark and light shades can do more - make the interior of a room not only spacious, but also harmonious and luxurious.
Let's fantasize and imagine what a dark interior might look like?
The interior is in dark colors - stylish and comfortable!
The use of dark colors in design allows you to add a touch of comfort and tranquility to the interior. This design solution can expand the available space, and in combination with mirror elements the room will look rich and aristocratic.
Most often, dark tones can be found in the interiors of premises belonging to sophisticated and creative people, lovers of art and antiquity, romantic people who value peace and quiet. Black is the color of modesty, moderation and constancy.
Living room in dark colors
Typically, the most spacious and brightest room in an apartment or house is chosen as the living room. Psychologists say that dark living rooms are most suitable for people who spend most of their time in a noisy office or travel a lot.
Dark shades can give a room a trail mystery and rich appearance. It can be black, dark chocolate, brown, burgundy, etc.
Designers do not recommend using dark colors when decorating ceilings, as this visually makes the room smaller and causes a feeling of discomfort. It is best to make the living room ceiling glossy and light - in this case, it will visually enlarge the space and add its own unique atmosphere to the overall aura of the room.
If you decide to decorate your living room in dark colors, The main secrets for you should be:
- well-chosen color scheme;
- well-chosen lighting;
- correctly placed light accents.
Dark interior for small rooms
In small rooms it is better to avoid using pure black; the best option is brown, purple, dark beige.
Special attention should be paid to light accessories, the correct choice of which will make the living room cozy and attractive. This could be a beige carpet, a white coffee table, light furniture.
Small and dear to your heart “trinkets” are best chosen in rich and bright colors (green, pink, red).
What about a dark bedroom interior?
Married couples who once decided on a design experiment and agreed to use dark colors in their bedroom note that they are constantly drawn to this room. What causes this craving? Everything is very simple - the dark interior of the bedroom creates a romantic and calm aura in the room, awakens the kindest, sincere and noble feelings.
They will help to add mystery and romance to the room pendant and wall lamps with soft, dim light, contrasting bright bedspreads, small light vases or pots with flowers, framed paintings or photographs, light carpet or palace, as well as light-colored furniture.
Remember that a dark interior can turn any room into a crypt - you should experiment with dark colors in the bedroom with extreme caution. Be sure to pay attention to the lighting of the room - it is best to equip the bedroom with basic and local lighting, as well as hidden lighting, which will create a romantic atmosphere. It is best to place lamps around the entire perimeter of the room, which will create the effect of diffused light.
Dark color in the interior of the kitchen and dining room
Designers do not recommend using dark colors throughout the kitchen and dining room; it would be best to highlight the work area with a dark color, while the rest of the room is best decorated in light or bright colors.
The use of dark colors in the cladding of the walls of the work area is a practical and convenient solution, since all possible stains and splashes, which cannot be avoided in our kitchens, are less noticeable on a dark surface. Therefore, you won't have to clean them often. In addition, the use of dark glossy tiles will allow you to visually expand the space.
In the design of the dining area, along with dark tones, we recommend use white color- this will give the room solemnity and make the interior softer and lighter.
And again we want to pay attention to the lighting - the kitchen and dining room in dark colors should definitely be complemented with bright and massive lamps.
We hope our tips will help you create a unique and individual style in your home.
Interior in dark colors - photo
Design and architecture studioYo Dezeenembodied the dream of Kyiv apartment owners who wanted housing in dark, muted colors. The stylish apartment with an area of 90 m2 is filled with an atmosphere of mystery and relaxation.
To optimize the space in the apartment, a redevelopment was done, removing unnecessary partitions and rationally zoning the living room, kitchen, bedroom and utility rooms. To expand the living room, it was combined with one of two balconies and a kitchen. The kitchen was made larger by shortening part of the second balcony. A dressing room was installed in place of the storage room.
The design of the room uses various shades of gray, turning it into a place of peace and relaxation. The floor is made of hardwood and has the function of combining cold and warm shades in the interior. Accents on decorative elements are made using different types of lighting. The lamps themselves perform a decorative function.
In the living room, the main element that attracts attention is a half-wall light panel depicting a mountain range. The dining area is decorated with round ceiling lights. The toilet uses mirrors and a illuminated ceiling.
In the bedroom, white walls and ceiling contrast with chocolate shades of furniture and textiles. Two types of ceiling lamps and table lamps are used here.
To design an interior in dark colors, there is one general rule - such design ideas should only be implemented over large areas. For example, if you dream of a dark interior in a typical apartment, think about dismantling the walls to turn it into a studio apartment.
Living room in dark colors with bright accents
Dynamics and contrasts in dark interiors
The formative accent of black (the same applies to lead-gray, dark steel, “wet asphalt”, dark burgundy) are, as a rule, the walls. The opposite approach is light or white walls, and furniture, textiles, accessories are black or dark; in this case, it is undesirable to allow the participation of a third equally expressive color.
- In a black or dark interior, a visible difference between shades of black is desirable; for example, the ceiling should be lighter or darker than the walls; black furniture should also not blend in with the wallpaper or panels.
- A black interior will look more interesting if you use a material with a muted pattern or ornament for wall cladding, as if appearing through a smoky curtain.
- Black flooring is very popular today. In a room with light walls they can be blurry-dark; in a black interior they should be exactly black - the blackest surface in the interior. In this case, it is important to choose a large carpet in noble dark shades, for example, a combination of dark cherry and dark gray.
- A prerequisite for an elegant black interior is the presence of a relief colored or white accent. This could be a creative chair (not a pair of armchairs), a piano, a picture frame, a writing set on the desktop. The ideal combination is several of these items of different sizes and purposes, for example: an armchair, a small rug at the entrance, a candelabra, one large or several medium figurines.
- When combining black with white or light, avoid a 50:50 percentage ratio; the second color, regardless of whether it is dark or light, should shade the main one, without balancing it.
- A suspended black ceiling - with the exception of interiors in which visible gray or brown beams are stylistically justified - is logical to be made mirror or glossy.
Lighting system in dark interiors
A dark interior will not look gloomy provided there is a competent composition of light accents, which can be multi-profile lamps that enliven a particular area.
- Some parts of the room should be equipped with spotlights that will always be on - in a black room it will not be advantageous to have featureless “black holes”. You can install spotlights on the floor, hiding them in the corners around the perimeter.
- During the day, the presence of sunlight will be enhanced by smooth furniture facades and mirrors, satin textile draperies, and crystal tableware.
The relevance of the interior in a dark palette
Any room made in black and dark colors can become not gloomy, but stylish.
- The abundance of black in the bedroom will help you turn a small room into a “luxury”: rich black wallpaper, bright textiles with large patterns as curtains and bedspreads, bright velvet pillows, silk bed linen. You can wallpaper your bedroom with black wallpaper with contrasting patterns and place low couches and banquettes.
- A black kitchen is best done in a Scandinavian or minimalist style. In the first case, black walls, a floor made of black and neutral tiles and a gray ceiling will become an excellent backdrop for stained wooden furniture with simple silhouettes and an abundance of “grandmother’s” accessories; in the second, dynamics are achieved due to the abundance of glossy surfaces and chrome elements, as well as fuchsia-colored dishes , turquoise, terracotta.
- In a black bathroom, it is especially important to maintain subtlety of shades - you can line the walls with longitudinal blocks with a pattern or ornament; in no case should you use obtrusively shiny plumbing fixtures. Bathroom furniture is mirrored and richly inlaid.
When creating a dark interior, try to comply with the proportion set by venerable designers: 2 parts dark and one part medium or light. Standard dark interior without any frills - dark furniture and floors, medium (gray, smoky) walls, light ceilings and accessories.
Dark "men's bedroom"
Interior in dark colors, photo:
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Creating dark interiors - our work:
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