Thinking about giving your home a spruce? Whether you’re looking to create a feature wall, jazz up your doors or restore some furniture, darker colours can be an excellent way to add depth and character to any room. However, they can also seem daunting, and you may find yourself playing it safe with neutral or lighter colours.
At Giuseppe Piran, we’re all for innovation. So, if you fancy taking a leap of faith, read on for our tips for using dark paint in your interiors. You’ll have some striking home features in no time!
Why do we stay away from dark paint?
You may worry that darker colours make your rooms feel dingy or oppressive. It’s true that using dark paint takes a little more thought as it can make some rooms appear smaller.
A dark wall is also more difficult to paint over if you decide you don’t like it. So it’s beneficial to get help from local decorators to ensure you get the result you want.
However, there are many clever ways to integrate dark paint into your interior design without it being overpowering.
Tips for using dark paint in your interiors
Choose a room that has lots of natural light
A room with big windows is a great choice if you’d like to paint entire walls in a dark shade. You can use dark paint in rooms with small windows, but you risk creating a claustrophobic atmosphere.
Natural light streaming in will balance the darkness of your walls and create a wonderful sense of contrast. And contrast is a key concept here.
Keep the ceiling light
Another way to add contrast is to keep your ceiling painted white or a light, neutral colour. A dark coloured ceiling can make it appear lower and more oppressive.
Use dark paint on an accent wall
Do you have a particular wall you’d like to emphasise? Painting one wall a dark shade while the others are light is a lovely way to tie in deeper colours without going the whole hog. You could also consider creating patterns with stencils or hanging dark wallpaper.
Create dark features
If you’d rather not paint your walls a dark colour, you could make a statement with dark doors, window frames and skirting boards. Repainting interior doors is a quick and effective way to add new flair to your rooms.
A dash of black gloss paint on your door and window frames can complement a white room, for example. In fact, the sheen on gloss paint helps reflect light and create an airier feel.
Use metallic accents
Metallic lamps, artwork and furniture also bounce light around to bring a new dimension to rooms with dark walls. Bronze or gold accessories bring a sense of warmth, and, of course, lamps add a cosy glow of their own, too!
Metallic appliances are a brilliant way to complement dark walls in hand-painted kitchens.
Add mirrors
Another way to reflect light is to display some large mirrors. They’ll counteract the shrinking effect dark paint can have by creating the illusion of more space. Plus, you can choose a beautiful mirror frame to really impress visitors.
Balance it out with bright or light accessories
A pop of vibrant pink, energetic orange or rich teal can bring out the nuanced shades in your dark walls. It also lets you put your own stamp on the space and add a little fun!
Hire professional local painters and decorators
Advice from a professional can ensure you get the dark walls of your dreams — not your nightmares. Looking for experienced painters in Cambridge? Why not take a look at our residential gallery for inspiration or get in touch to discuss your ideas?