Black Friday

Tailored. Ageless. Glamorous. Sleek. These are just a few of the adjectives used to describe black in a room. Pair black with white for a crisp, clean look. Add brass to an ebony space for a striking effect. High-gloss walls have a reflective quality - creating drama and the illusion of space. Mirrors, metallic surfaces and crystal chandeliers can help bounce the light around even more - making a small, dark room look larger. Vinyl wallcoverings, such as those offered by Phillip Jeffries, create the appearance of lacquer without all the layers of paint. Interior designer Scott Yetman believes that every room should have black in it, but designer Stephen Shubel cautions that black, like gold leaf, should be used carefully. He suggests using black in a mostly white space "like the lines in a drawing . . . tying everything together." Stan Topol thinks light floors are necessary with dark walls, and Tommy Smythe uses neutral grasscloth to balance high-gloss black. For inspiration, take a look . . . 

"The front door of the three-story Georgian-style house in San Francisco is glossy black - very tailored."

Design by Ken Fulk.

Photography by Karyn R. Millet.

"Such Style - and Kids, Too?" by Mimi Read.

House Beautiful (July 2006).

"[Angele] Parlange's South African chandelier creates a glowing pattern on her ceiling. 'It's like looking at a kaleidoscope,' she says. The 1940s mirrored cabinet is from a Paris flea market."

Benjamin Moore "Black" paint in High Gloss finish.

Manhattan pied-a-terre of Angele Parlange, designer and author of Creole Thrift.

Photography by Patrick Cline.

Florals and styling by Robert Valley.

Art direction by Michelle Adams.

"Family Tradition" written by Shawn Gauthier.

Lonny (December 2010).

"Louis XV chairs covered in a Clarence House velvet are paired with prints by Robert Goodnough, left, and Andy Warhol, and the circa-1970 Lucite sculpture is by Vasa Mihich; doors in a glossy black by Fine Paints of Europe lead to the entrance hall, which features a Regency mahogany hall chair and walls glazed in a custom green lacquer."

Upper East Side apartment of interior designer Todd Alexander Romano.

Renovation architects: Richard Bories and James Shearron, Bories and Shearron.

Photography by William Abranowicz.

Text by Kathleen Hackett.

"Dressed to the Nines" produced by Anita Sarsidi.

Elle Decor (June 2013).

"In the entry hall, the light fixture is vintage, and the stone sculpture is from JF Chen; the walls are painted in Glidden's Onyx Black, the floor is patterned with three different marbles, and on the ceiling is a wall covering by SJW Studios."
Mercer Island, Washington, home of Lara and Jeff Sanderson.
Interior design by Kelly Wearstler.
Photography by Mikkel Vang.
Text by Celia Barbour.
"Shadow Play" produced by Anita Sarsidi.
Elle Decor (September 2012).

"Pair glossy black walls with brass accents. The black paint's glaze finish sets the walls aglow. A brass mirror, chandelier and pillow fabric infuse the dark space with warmth."
Wall color: "Jet Black" (2120-10) from Benjamin Moore's Color Preview Collection.

Designer: Tommy Smythe.

Project Manager: Jenny Dames.

Photography by Angus Fergusson.

"Tommy Smythe's Victorian Makeover"

Canadian House and Home (January 2012).

"Use bookshelves for customized TV storage. The backs of the shelves are covered in a neutral grasscloth wallpaper to balance the dark walls. Placing furniture in front of a bookcase creates a cozy, layered effect."

Wall color: "Jet Black" (2120-10) from Benjamin Moore's Color Preview Collection.

Designer: Tommy Smythe.

Project Manager: Jenny Dames.

Photography by Angus Fergusson.

"Tommy Smythe's Victorian Makeover"

Canadian House and Home (January 2012).

"Black lacquered walls set off the crisp white woodwork in the Ishams' family room. Horizontal stripes add a fresh twist to draperies."
Black paint with "Brilliant White" trim by Benjamin Moore.
Lance and Tracy Isham's classic shingled cottage on Cape Cod.
Interior design by Michael Cox and Mary Foley, Foley and Cox Interiors Inc.
Renovation architect: Douglas E. Dick, LDA Architects.
Photography by Bruce Buck.
Text by Sandra S. Soria.
"Cape Cod Reconstruction" produced by Jenny Bradley.
Traditional Home.

"The reception area's antiqued, mirrored wall panels supply reflected light to its dark, sophisticated palette. Bold, graphic lines lend definition to the interior, from the carpet's vivid pattern to the walls' painted moldings. The space features a careful balance of masculine and feminine elements, as well as a playful introduction to the lounge's chinoiserie decor."
Maison 140 Beverly Hills, a boutique hotel.
Interior design by Kelly Wearstler.
Photography by Patrick Cline.
Art direction by Michelle Adams.
"Continental Hideaway" written by Robert Leleux.
Lonny (March - April 2012).

"Dark cabinetry painted Benjamin Moore's Midsummer Night creates a classic Edwardian feeling in the kitchen. Spin barstools from Crate and Barrel; light fixtures from Summer House; faucets by Waterworks."
Interior design by Stephen Shubel.
Photography by Jeremy Samuelson.
"A California Home Shows Off the Power of Color" by Mimi Reed.
House Beautiful.

"Highlight select cabinet doors with contrasting paint. Sleek stainless steel detailing on the range hood puts a contemporary spin on traditional style. In this kitchen designed by Jennifer Worts, a symmetrical layout enhances the timeless appeal of Shakes-style cabinetry. Glass pendants hang like jewels over the large Calacatta marble-topped island, granting a clear view to the backsplash."

Interior design by Jennifer Worts, Jennifer Worts Design Inc..

Photography by Michael Graydon.

"Glamorous Black and White Kitchen"

Canadian House and Home.

"[Nate] Berkus painted the existing kitchen cabinetry a high-gloss black by Farrow and Ball and added crown molding and brass pulls; the subway-tile backsplash, Electrolux dishwasher, and marble-top island are new."

Interior design by Nate Berkus.

Photography by Pieter Estersohn.

Text by Samuel Cochran.

"Nate Berkus Renovates His Manhattan Duplex" produced by Robert Rufino.

Architectural Digest.

"Glossy cabinetry in the butler's hall."

Manhattan apartment of Valerie Colas-Thibouville and her family.

Interior decoration by Miles Redd.

Renovation by Dick Bories and James Shearron, Bories and Shearron.

Photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna.

"A Glamorous Renovation" by Mitchell Owens.

Elle Decor (December 2009).

"A collapsible fireman's ladder hooks onto the stainless-steel rail for easy access to the top shelves. Black cabinets in the kitchen offer simplicity and sleekness. They're also a perfect backdrop to display an all-white collection [old Wedgwood and ironstone that belonged to designer Mallory Marshall's mother and grandmother]. Designer Mallory Marshall's kitchen in Maine features these mahogany cabinets finished in black to match her favorite piece in her husband's glass collection: a black bowl by Dale Chihuly." 

Maine home of designer Mallory Marshall.

Photography by Laura Moss.

"Glowing Simplicity in Penobscot, Maine" by Christine Pittel.

House Beautiful (April 2006).

"A crystal chandelier and high-gloss kitchen cabinets painted Farrow and Ball's Pitch Black 'remind me of Paris apartments and grand French style,' [designer and homeowner Tobi] Tobin says."
Tobi Tobin's Hollywood Hills farmhouse.
Interior design by Tobi Tobin.
Photography by Karyn R. Millet.
 Interview by Lisa Cregan.
"Light and Reflection" produced by Doretta Sperduto.
House Beautiful (May 2013).

"An assortment of shells adds a natural element to the breakfast room."
Tobi Tobin's Hollywood Hills farmhouse.
Interior design by Tobi Tobin.
Photography by Karyn R. Millet.
 Interview by Lisa Cregan.
"Light and Reflection" produced by Doretta Sperduto.
House Beautiful (May 2013).

"Crystal vases feature shells, rather than Christmas ornaments, layering freshness and character into a traditional living room. Black lampshades and a miniature juniper tree look particularly striking on a black and gilt console table."
Photography by Angus McRitchie.
"Christmas Decorating Ideas"
Canadian House and Home.

"A print of a painting by Sir Alfred Munnings is displayed above a tray-top table in the library; the crystal decanters were flea-market finds."

Moon Stone Farm, the Lexington, Kentucky, retreat of designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka.
Photography by Roger Davies.
"At Home with Badgley Mischka" by Julia Reed.
Elle Decor (September 2009). 

"The library shelves are studded with antlers from European hunting lodges and trophies found at flea markets and on eBay; the Windsor chairs are antique; the china is by Hermes, and the napkins are by Leontine Linens."
Moon Stone Farm, the Lexington, Kentucky, retreat of designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka.
Photography by Roger Davies.
"At Home with Badgley Mischka" by Julia Reed.
Elle Decor (September 2009). 

"The dining room's rock-crystal chandelier is suspended above a table by Restoration Hardware painted black and surrounded by 1940s chairs that originally came from Churchill Downs; the monogrammed napkins are by Leontine Linens, the candelabra lamps are from Mumbai, and the 19th-century console is Swedish."

Moon Stone Farm, the Lexington, Kentucky, retreat of designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka.
Photography by Roger Davies.
"At Home with Badgley Mischka" by Julia Reed.
Elle Decor (September 2009). 

"[David] Kaihoi built the floor-to-ceiling bookcase himself and painted it high-gloss Black by Fine Paints of Europe. The floor, painted to mimic a rug, is Hale Navy and White Down, both by Benjamin Moore. 'Big furniture makes a small room seem grander,' says Kaihoi."

East Village, New York City, apartment of David Kaihoi, his wife Monique Simard, and their daughter.

Interior design by David Kaihoi.

Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo.

"Living Big in a One-Bedroom" interview by Barbara King.

House Beautiful (July - August 2010).

"In a Houston house with Georgian bones and siren allure, the drama begins in a foyer swathed in Phillip Jeffries’s Lacquered Walls in Eyeliner — a long-lasting vinyl that mimics lacquer and 'fools everyone,' says interior designer Rob Southern. For theatrical contrast, the shield-back English hall chairs are painted Benjamin Moore’s White Dove."

Interior design by Rob Southern.

Photography by Victoria Pearson.

"Bold and Dramatic Colors in a Houston Home" by Mimi Read.

House Beautiful.

" 'I don't like painted Sheetrock, and white walls are sterile. This black patent wallpaper is glamorous and makes the walls disappear. I like light floors with dark walls. The floor reflects the light shining down on it and pops it back up.' " Said by interior designer Stan Topol regarding the design of his office.

The black patent wallcovering is Rigo by Sancar.

Photography by Thomas Loof.

Interview by David A. Keeps.

"Stan Topol's Anatomy of a Room"

House Beautiful (May 2011).

"In his 'moody and eclectic' bedroom, [Stephen] Shubel mounted flea-market finds against a black wall. Genuine Fake Books wallpaper by Deborah Bowness creates the illusion of more space. Comforter and striped pillowcases, West Elm."

Interior designer Stephen Shubel's 1,450-square-foot California cottage.

Interior design by Stephen Shubel.

Photography by Luca Trovato.

Interview by Douglas Brenner.

"California Cottage" produced by Doretta Sperduto.

House Beautiful (July/August 2012).

"The washer and dryer are tucked into cupboards painted in Benjamin Moore's Black Latex Chalkboard paint. Basaltina floor time by Rondine."

Andrew and Yvonne Pojani's bathroom in a 1900s Southborough, Massachusetts, farmhouse.

Interior design by Andrew and Yvonne Pojani.

Photography by Eric Roth.

Interview by Christine Pittel.

"Bath of the Month"

House Beautiful (September 2013). 

"[The room is] centered on a black-and-white pedestal table. Bold black-striped fabric used for Roman shades and a credenza table skirt repeat the color theme, while warm maple chairs soften the mood. For a dash of drama, window trim, base, and crown moldings were painted gloss black. 'It pops against the eggshell-finish white walls,' [designer L. Jonathan] Savage says."

O'More College of Design Showhouse in Franklin, Tennessee.

Interior design by L. Jonathan Savage, Savage Interior Design.

Photography by Werner Straube.

"Living on Campus" written by Amy Elbert.

Traditional Home (July - August 2013). 

"Mix modern and traditional to keep the look current. Interior designer Scott Yetman believes that every room should have black in it. . . . In the dining room, a contemporary light fixture combines with a Regency-style table and repro white chairs upholstered with black leather and blue gingham fabric."
Quebec holiday home of Scott Yetman and Jean Michel Lavoie.
Interior design by Scott Yetman.
Photography by Monic Richard.
"Photo Gallery: Black Rooms"
Canadian House and Home.

"Anita Phipps chose black-and-white stripes to enrich the walls of the men's half bath off the main hall. She played up the original checkered-tile floor by dressing windows in a complementary woven fabric. Next, she transformed an antique gold frame into a statement mirror. A black chandelier echoes the existing black pedestal sink."

Black paint: "Tricorn Black" by Sherwin-Williams.

Cream paint: "Hemp" by C2 Paint.

Tudor-style manor house built in 1930 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Interior design by Anita Phipps, A. Phipps Designs.

Photography by John Bessler and Peter Rymwid.

"The Showhouse at Adamsleigh" written by Clara Haneberg and Candace Ord Manroe.

Traditional Home.