Decorating Guides
See What You Can Do With a Black Feature Wall
An expanse of this dramatic color brings the drama — and much more
Creating an accent wall in black can be a smart choice because the color is surprisingly flexible. Black can conceal unwanted elements or highlight special attributes. Its elegant nature can make either a minimalist statement or a decadent one, depending on your interior design goals. See eight ways a black accent wall might work in your home.
Designer tip: As shown here, coordinate your black wall and TV with dark media furniture. This also helps take the focus off the media equipment.
2. Feature a Cozy Fireplace
If you have a fireplace in your room, chances are you also have a structural element like a chimney, mantel or surround. If you’re looking to feature the warm glow of the fire itself and create a cozy atmosphere, paint the wall behind your fireplace, including the mantel, black.
If you have a fireplace in your room, chances are you also have a structural element like a chimney, mantel or surround. If you’re looking to feature the warm glow of the fire itself and create a cozy atmosphere, paint the wall behind your fireplace, including the mantel, black.
In this photo, you can see how the depth of the black color surrounding the fireplace allows the golden hue of the flames to take center stage.
Designer tip: Accent your black mantel or fireplace surround with elegant contrasting accessories, such as metallic picture frames or vases of flowers, as shown in this image.
Designer tip: Accent your black mantel or fireplace surround with elegant contrasting accessories, such as metallic picture frames or vases of flowers, as shown in this image.
3. Showcase Your Art
A white wall is known as the perfect canvas to feature artwork, but black is an equally elegant backdrop to show off a masterpiece. Here, you can see how the dark wall creates a sort of frame around the artwork. The ebony color gives the wall a dramatic yet sophisticated feel while allowing the artwork to be the star.
A white wall is known as the perfect canvas to feature artwork, but black is an equally elegant backdrop to show off a masterpiece. Here, you can see how the dark wall creates a sort of frame around the artwork. The ebony color gives the wall a dramatic yet sophisticated feel while allowing the artwork to be the star.
4. Make the Most of an Angled Wall
If you have a wall with a different angle from the rest of the room, make that wall a feature and go for black. The intensity of the color will emphasize the angle, particularly against a white ceiling. The resulting shape can feel like geometric sculpture drawing the eye up to the angle’s tip.
If you have a wall with a different angle from the rest of the room, make that wall a feature and go for black. The intensity of the color will emphasize the angle, particularly against a white ceiling. The resulting shape can feel like geometric sculpture drawing the eye up to the angle’s tip.
Designer tip: Take advantage of your geometric black wall by placing a light fixture on the ceiling where it will show against the dark backdrop. Here, the beautiful spherical chandelier and angled dark wall work in tandem to draw attention to the height of the room.
5. Give a Brick Wall a Chic Makeover
Brick walls are a beautiful feature in any home. But if your brick wall isn’t in the best shape aesthetically, or if you’re just looking for a change, you might try giving it a coat of black paint. A neutral but unexpected choice, black will add a dose of sophistication to the room while allowing the textured surface of the bricks to show.
Brick walls are a beautiful feature in any home. But if your brick wall isn’t in the best shape aesthetically, or if you’re just looking for a change, you might try giving it a coat of black paint. A neutral but unexpected choice, black will add a dose of sophistication to the room while allowing the textured surface of the bricks to show.
Designer tip: A brick wall is commonly painted in a flat or an eggshell finish. But if you have other large shiny surfaces in the room such as counters, hardware or glass cabinet panes, consider painting yours in black semigloss. In this kitchen, the island cabinet and stainless steel refrigerator mix well with the glossy black bricks.
What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
6. Treat Your Kids to a Chalkboard Wall
A chalkboard wall is the quintessential black accent wall. This multipurpose surface is not only fun for the kiddos, but it also gives parents a ton of options to decorate with colored chalk, vibrant hooks and even their kids’ artwork. Its popularity with the little ones shows how black doesn’t have to be a dark and brooding hue, but instead can be a neutral palette for a variety of colors and decorative elements.
A chalkboard wall is the quintessential black accent wall. This multipurpose surface is not only fun for the kiddos, but it also gives parents a ton of options to decorate with colored chalk, vibrant hooks and even their kids’ artwork. Its popularity with the little ones shows how black doesn’t have to be a dark and brooding hue, but instead can be a neutral palette for a variety of colors and decorative elements.
Designer tip: Chalkboard walls aren’t just for kids’ rooms. Look for other useful places in the home — such as this dining nook — where the entire family can benefit from a chalkboard wall. On top of being functional, the wall stylishly divides this small space and appears to be floating down from the ceiling.
7. Emphasize Your Brights
Black is also a terrific neutral backdrop to stylishly showcase your vibrant colors. Vivid hues aren’t always easy to coordinate and can make a room look too youthful or loud when they aren’t paired well.
Black is also a terrific neutral backdrop to stylishly showcase your vibrant colors. Vivid hues aren’t always easy to coordinate and can make a room look too youthful or loud when they aren’t paired well.
Here, a simple black wall with brightly colored towels effortlessly amps up the style quotient in this bathroom while maintaining an elegant vibe.
Designer tip: Show off vibrant style in the rest of the room with colorful accessories that coordinate but have differing textures.
Designer tip: Show off vibrant style in the rest of the room with colorful accessories that coordinate but have differing textures.
8. Indulge Your Wild Side
Animal prints aren’t the easiest patterns to coordinate tastefully. Specifically, leopard and zebra can look loud, discordant and somewhat tacky in a room when not styled correctly. Here’s where elegant black comes to the rescue. As shown in this dining room, dark painted walls (and yes, in this photo, all the walls are black) allow the zebra chairs to be the standout feature in the room. A white wall wouldn’t have had the same effect.
Animal prints aren’t the easiest patterns to coordinate tastefully. Specifically, leopard and zebra can look loud, discordant and somewhat tacky in a room when not styled correctly. Here’s where elegant black comes to the rescue. As shown in this dining room, dark painted walls (and yes, in this photo, all the walls are black) allow the zebra chairs to be the standout feature in the room. A white wall wouldn’t have had the same effect.
Designer tip: Select something else in the room to echo the same pattern as the animal print. Here, the arc of the hexagons mirrors the zebra pattern of the rug. The black wall ties the room together.
More
Why Accent Walls Are Here to Stay
How to Create a Feature Wall (Without Going Back to the ’90s)
More
Why Accent Walls Are Here to Stay
How to Create a Feature Wall (Without Going Back to the ’90s)
Unless it’s installed in a wall unit or surrounded by a gallery-style arrangement of art, a wall with a flat-screen television can scream, “TV!” The screen can visually dominate the wall and, for that matter, the room. But opt for a black media wall, and your black flat-screen television almost seems to disappear. The result is an ebony feature wall with dark silhouettes that blend with one another.