Not all that long ago, only a certain element of the teenage population would ever contemplate a black bedroom. Thankfully, times have changed. A lot! Black is now much more mainstream and while none of us would want a jet black bedroom, there’s nothing wrong with liberal use of the colour within a space.
We are so convinced that black bedrooms can be elegant, upmarket spaces, we’re going to share a few key influences we will often use when designing them. Here are just a few of those influences:
Combine black with other colours
Black bedrooms don’t just mean using black everywhere. While black should be the dominant colour, it can be complemented by other colours such as warm neutrals, white, warmer colours and a complementing palette. If you have or are selling a bigger house, darker colours can take more of a dominance.
You could also go the other way with contrasting colours. Black and white, black and bright, black and even black and neon. The liberal use of a colour wheel could develop some very interesting colour combinations!
Black bedroom ceilings
Coloured ceilings are a relatively recent design trend and are something we have tried ourselves. Done well, it can add cosiness and intimacy to a room. Done wrong and it can be overbearing and make a ceiling feel much lower than it is.
Much will depend on the space, how high the ceiling is and what else you’re doing. A black ceiling and black walls can pack a real punch as long as you have some contrast colours in there to break it all up.
Use soft furnishings for light relief
Black is an amazing colour to work with but its effectiveness depends entirely on what’s going on around it. One way to elevate a black bedroom is to use soft furnishings. As they fit perfectly onto a bed, you can use fur throws for texture and a little lightness, bright cushions or pillows for contrast, a coloured rug for more colour and pictures on the wall for extra interest. Choose your accessories carefully and you can add a lot of depth and texture with very little effort!
Use metals for contrast
Another way to add contrast to a black bedroom is to use metal. Use copper, brass, nickel or other metal that isn’t stainless steel. Warm tones of copper, lighter character of brass or the complementing colour of nickel will all work well. We’re sure you can come up with a range of fixtures, fittings or accessories that would work.
Stainless steel is an amazing metal but can sometimes make a dark space look cold. That isn’t the look we want in somewhere we use to relax. Your opinion may differ though, which is more than fair enough!
Black bedroom furniture
There is a huge range of black bedroom furniture around to suit almost any taste. All could work to complement your bedroom. From the contemporary to the Oriental, heritage to Art Deco, there’s a black design out there for everyone.
You could also upcycle standard furniture with a little preparation and black paint. Use contrast colours like brass, copper or gold to add interest and a little taste of luxury and you’re all set!
Black bedding
Black bedding on a black bed can look amazing when paired right. Combined with the light relief from soft furnishings and you could create a bed you wouldn’t want to leave. Consider materials carefully. Silks and satins would work best in a contemporary scheme, while matt black bedding could work across styles.
Consider luxurious bedding with a pared back scheme or go all out in creating a feeling of elegance.
Choose your lighting carefully
Black paint can literally drink light so pay careful attention to lighting within a black bedroom. Consider an overhead light, wall lights, bedside table lamps and stand lamps. Combine colours and styles to create the look you’re going for.
Then experiment with placement to provide the task lighting you need for getting ready and reading with clear navigation around the room at night. Once that’s covered, you can do what you like with the rest!
Contrast with lights or neutrals
Black bedding can work amazingly well but so can white or light neutral bedding. Contrast works amazingly well in interior design and the bedroom is the perfect place for that. A black bed with white sheets can look exceptional. Black furniture with a light rug or curtains is another great look. White cushions or pillows add character while white lamps or artwork can add texture.
Try bright colours for contrast
White and light neutrals work well in black bedrooms, but so can some light relief from brighter colours. Think lime green, bright pink, rich reds, decadent golds, bright blues and so on.
There’s a lot that bright colours can bring to a dark room and it can be done relatively cheaply and easily with throws, cushions, lampshades and other accessories.
Shades of grey
Our final suggestion for a black bedroom is to mix the blacks with greys. Both dark greys and light greys work well with black because they share similar tones. That can be enough to offer light relief from a totally black colour scheme while elevating a space above the norm.
Paint skirting grey, have black walls and a dark grey ceiling, use grey for architraves or architectural features or use grey soft furnishings. It’s entirely up to you.
Black bedroom design
Just because you’re creating a black bedroom doesn’t mean you have to use black everything. Complement, contrast, add texture, colour or whatever you like. It’s your bedroom, have it your way!
