In case you haven't noticed, black living rooms are having a moment. If the thought of a black room makes you think of dreary and gloomy basements or dark and dingy unused rooms, you're probably not alone. But you are, in our opinion, wrong. Decorate with black the right way, and you could have a space filled with drama, confidence, sophistication and elegance. And it can be cozy, too, by the way.
Whether you're keen to make a statement or you simply need a touch of drama to enhance your space, we've gathered the best black living room design ideas for incorporating this daring shade into your moody living room.
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1. Make a statement with a single black wall
See, straight away you can see black living rooms don't always have to be dark and dramatic spaces (although we do have lots of those coming up). This space is light and bright, but still has that statement black wall that works as the perfect backdrop for all the lime greens and pale yellows going on in this room.
2. Paint your floorboards black
If you have been blessed with wooden floorboards, why not get out the paintbrush this weekend and transform them with some black paint. Firstly, it looks really cool and secondly, how practical would it be to have a black floor? That's going to hide a whole load of sins. You can add in some cozy vibes with a rug and link the black to the rest of the room with cushions and prints.
3. Use black to make colors pop
Nothing makes a color pop like a black backdrop. So if you love vibrant hues, consider painting your walls black to make those colors stand out even more. Adding a gallery wall, or a cool mirror wall like you see here will break up the black too and make it seem less dominating in the space.
4. Go for dark walls but keep your ceilings bright
If you want to dabble in the dark side but not ready to paint every surface in your living room black, painting up to a picture rail (or a fake picture rail) will add the drama but not the darkness. Keep the tops of your walls and ceiling a bright clean white. Also, note in this room how the look has been warmed with the pink-tinged cushions and rugs – love it.
5. Create stark contrasts with black living room walls and pops of color
Just as black mascara makes your eye color pop, black walls and floors make other colors in your space pop, too. Using black on all your surfaces creates a deep and solid background from which bright colors can take center stage and create real impact. A bright orange statement light in this living room creates a striking contrast and brings warmth to the scheme.
6. Inject pattern with a statement print
Black has grounding qualities, being relaxing for the eye. If you want to ground your space and add a feeling of depth without overwhelming your room with a block of dark color, introduce black using pattern. Be it patterned curtains, a rug, or monochrome print tiles like this.
7. Paint sections of living room walls black
If you're just not ready to let go of your light, white and airy scheme but still want in with the black living room trend, create definition and contrast by painting the bottom half of your wall black. A small yet mighty twist to the standard white wall which instantly enhances your space.
8. Make a statement with black furniture
Bring in a hint of black to your living room with accent furniture. That old wooden side board that's been in the corner of your room for decades? Give it a new lease of gothic life by painting it black and then tie it in with some monochrome prints.
What colors go best with a black living room?
The best colors to add to your black living room really just depends on the vibe you want to create. Bold colors like pinks, greens and yellow will really pop against the black so if you want a more statement look choice throw cushions and prints in these more vivid hues.
Black also lends it's to neutrals too, so cream, white and grey. If you want a more toned-down look, this would be the color palette to go for. Layer up the textures too to get all those cozy vibes.