The Dark Side
Whether it is a large room or a small forgotten hallway or bathroom, I love a dark room in a house. People are often afraid to go dark but once we have pushed them to the other side they never regret it. A dark room becomes the most intimate room in the house. I have “gone dark” in libraries, dining rooms, bedrooms, dressing rooms, bathrooms, and hallways. In dining rooms, I prefer to go dark with a high gloss paint so at night when an overhead chandelier is dimmed and candles are lit the entire room twinkles. Libraries, where people mostly sit at night is another good spot for deep dark paint, a dark lustrous fabric, or wood paneling. With dark walls and well placed lights it feels a natural spot to sit with your glass of wine and a book. On a hot summer day a dark room feels cool and welcoming, while in the middle of winter it becomes the coziest room in the house. The two mistakes people often make are not adding enough lighting sources ( sconces, table lamps, floor lamps – all at different heights to cast a glow) and forgetting to bring in color to balance and offset the dark walls. Since walls are the majority of your room you need to bring in lighter colors to make it work. Personal favorites for high gloss walls are chocolate brown, eggplant, charcoal, and navy blue.
Ruthie Sommers- Charcoal grey grasscloth and scarlet shade- sexy.
Another room by Ruthie Sommers- A deep greeny black on bead board. This room has large windows so it can take a flat paint.
Jeffrey Bilhuber – deep aubergine high gloss walls in a dining room. At night when candles are lit this will become an intimate room where you will love to gather at the end of the day.
Mario Buatta – lovely dark lacquered walls set off by lots of yellow
Jansen kicks up the drama with a fretwork pattern in glossy white on top of a glossy black wall.
Tom Scheerer’s take on dark walls in a dining room with crisp white trim
Markham Roberts- offsets the dark walls with drapes with an ivory background, a beautiful soft brown antique desk, pops of pale blue, and tan.
Tory Burch’s apartment with upholstered walls in deep green velvet- texture, color, and the velvet reflects light. Delicious.
Sister parish- Timeless
Feminine but so chic
Markam Roberts – nautical, crsip, and ever so handsome
xo,
S
