Colour Of The Month: Back to Black

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Fri 28 Jan 2022

Stylish, fashionable, and chic, black is one of those colours that’s been enjoyed and re-imagined in interior design across the ages. From onyx bowls and statues of the archaic world to the black and white checked patterns made popular during the 1960s, black has been a colour that’s stirred within us a feeling of elegance and sophistication that’s hard to match. Think black in interior design makes a space dark and dingy? It’s time to think again!

How to use the black colour in interior

Shades of black can be used to elevate the décor in almost any space in the home. When used as an accenting or spot colour, black will help to break up a space adding depth and charm to your chosen aesthetic.

More so than maybe any other colour, black can be used to draw the eye around a space. It essentially works the same way as a picture frame or even eye liner. Therefore, if you’re looking to use black as an elevating colour for your interior design, look to black cushions and black coloured lamp shades, then as a part of a patterned black Roman blind, roller blind or black curtain.

When coupled with the right colours, black can be used in either a supporting role helping the other tones to pop, or with others, it can be used more freely to add a chic contrast. Curious to know which colours work best with black? Read on…

room set image of room using a black colour interior style

Which colours go with the colour black?

Black and white

For perhaps millennia, black and white have been used to great effect. From the symbol for yin and yang to chess boards, this partnership – while at opposite ends of the spectrum – is beyond beautiful. If using shades of black as a supporting colour isn’t quite your thing, and you want to try something a little more daring, look to larger black furnishings interjected within a white interior.

You can check out our black curtains and Roman blinds, or for something a little different, our fantastic Premier Charcoal Black Shutter, wooden blinds or panel blinds.

Black and gold

Like black and white, the black and gold combination is a true classic within the realms of interior design. The success of black and gold is based upon its flexibility and the profusion of possibilities it opens for stylish decorators. Gold and black can be used either separately or combined within a single patterned furnishing.

For example, a black lamp shade with a gold inner captures the sophistication of the roaring 20s while a swirling black and gold patterned curtain can only make a space into the epitome of class and style.

Black and jewel tones

This one may sound a little daring but in the right circumstances, you can use black with jewel tones of red, blue, green and yellow quite easily. Black and golden tones of yellow are a rather established combination and follow similar rules to metallic gold tones.

Red – especially scarlets or other jewel tones in a vibrantly patterned fabric – and black synergise well, as too do striking shades of green. When considering green, you can slightly bend the rules and substitute black for very dark anthracite greys. Learn more in our Anthracite Colour blog.

For shades of blue, bright jewel tones can be enjoyed but so too can deeper tones. If you want to play on the idea of black and white, you could even consider substituting black for navy or indigo!

image of sofa in living room to show the type of colours that go with the colour black

image of chair next to table in front of a black coloured wall

Keeping with anthracite…

Unlike other colours we’ve explored on the blog, many people will initially feel as though black is quite a prohibitive colour – this really isn’t the case. While they may not be strictly shades of black, there are a range of colours – especially dark shades of grey – that offer a modern twist on black in interior design.

By softening the shade, you can enjoy an even wider range of colours from dusky pinks to powder blues within your décor. Moreover, if you want to create a chic space, you can combine dark greys with black, accented with white as a spot colour. This will channel a retro 60s vibe that will remain popular for years to come.

The best black material in home décor

When using black, material is a very important topic to spend time thinking about. If you’re looking for a home furnishing that’s at the traditional end of the interior design spectrum, nothing can beat velvet. Velvet and black are a classic combo that’s worked in homes and clothing alike due to the way it interacts with light. This combination of sparkle and darkness manifests a beautiful contrast that’s hard to top! Learn more about this amazing fabric in our Types of Velvet and Tips for Using Them in Your Interior Design blog.

Using black in your home won’t make it look as though Dracula lives there. It’s exciting to add black to your décor and easy to enjoy the depth and charisma it adds to a space. To ensure you find the perfect black fabric for your space, you can order up to eight free samples on the website.