Interior design: 9 easy ways to decorate with dark colors

Dark colors work especially well in the bathroom, as design professionals Leicht Kuchen have proved in this space.

Do you see how dark tiles in a bathroom can create a very elegant and very sophisticated space, enhanced by the silver and white bathroom features and finishes?

You can also go for white walls and then add dark flooring or a white and black checkered tiled space. It all depends on your style!

You can introduce darker colors into a space in the form of raw materials, such as a dark grey or brown stone. In this design, by Juan Luis Fernandez Architects , we can see how the stone wall adds texture and tone to the space, creating a very homely, warm and earthy look and feel. We feel like this living room could be in a cottage in the middle of the mountains!

The stone wall is also offset by the gorgeous fireplace – a great addition to any living room, especially one that features dark colors.

Have a look at how you can make your home roar with raw materials.

Another way to create a bit of diversity and break up neutral tones and colors in a space is to add a dark piece of furniture to a room.

In this design, we can see how a black sofa works beautifully with a predominantly white living room, creating a very classic look and feel. Yet the designers have also added a bright yellow ottoman and an electric pink sofa, which converts this classic space into a retro palace!

What better what to introduce a darker color into the kitchen, than by painting a wall completely black so that the residents can use it as a chalk board? This way the family members can write down grocery lists or recipes, add their favorite inspirational quotes to the wall or even draw some pictures. 

This kind of design adds a very personal and homely touch to the kitchen space.

Tip: Go for this option if you have a lot of natural light in your kitchen. You don't want to end up with a very dark and gloomy looking cooking area.

Other dark colors can be introduced into the kitchen space to add personality and charm, especially if they come in the form of patterns!

This kitchen features a gorgeous array of brightly colored tiles, thanks to Tikkanen Architects, which add so much life to this space. It also works beautifully with the bright red counter tops. 

Don't be afraid to be a bit bold and daring when it comes to darker colors in the kitchen. This is truly the heart of the home, so what could be more fitting than a dark red color for this space?

Use dark colors for the finishes in your home to create a very industrial chic look, especially if you can get away with retaining some of the original materials in the home like the ceiling beams, the raw bricks of the walls and the steel staircase. 

The industrial look not only looks really trendy, but it's not too expensive to put together because you are working with the original materials. 

Tip: Add a stylish lamp made from copper or brass to an industrial looking home as the final touch! Interior lighting is key to a home that features dark colors.

Especially if your bedroom features a lot of natural light, dark colors, shades and tones can create a cozy and warm space that allows the bedroom to feel like a cocoon where you can escape from the rest of the world.

Dark colors can evoke a sense of peacefulness and serenity, soothing you into happy dreams and peaceful sleep. 

Tip: Go for dark colors when it comes to your linen, keeping other parts of your room a bit more neutral so that you don't overwhelm the space. You don't want to feel like you sleep in a cave.

Also have a look at this ideabook: sleep better in your ideal bedroom.

Some people really like to feel like they sleep in a cave however! This allows them to relax and enjoy their sleep, no matter what time of the day it is.

If this is the case for you, then by all means combine dark wooden floors and furniture with dark grey walls and linen.

Just ensure that you add a few softer and lighter elements to break the dark colors up like the designers have done here with the white rug and the silver artwork.

Also invest in some good bedroom lamps and lights, which will create ambiance and a warm, soft glow in this space.

If you have neutral tones in areas in your house, like your living room, then you can always add a dark wall to the space to add a bit of contrast.

In this design, we can see how the white sofa and light wooden floors offsets the charcoal black wall in the background. The black wall also matches a few pieces of decor items that enhance this space.

Tip: opt for a bold design by painting one of four walls a dark color such as black or burgundy and the rest a more neutral color or a plain white. The result will be striking!