The days are shorter and evenings are dark which means winter is definitely here. It can easily get depressing when you go to work in the morning and it’s dark and then you come home and it’s equally as dark. But just because the weather is gloomy, doesn’t mean your house has to be. What’s better than to come back to a beautiful cozy home?
You can maximise light in the home with white walls and pale-coloured furniture, but an alternative trend that has been building pace in recent years is to embrace the darkness and create warm, cosseting interiors with inky tones. Done right, it’s an amazing way to create an elegant, classy look.
Dark interiors just look and feel more interesting, and wrap you up in sophistication. Many people worry that dark colours may appear depressing. There is a risk, however, they can be calming, super-relaxing and make you feel snuggled and cocooned if done correctly.
Mix it Up
Nobody loves a completely dark room, unless maybe you live in an igloo in the North Pole. Adding white creates sharp contrast, while metallic accents will create glamour, and complementary colour will intensify the intimate ambience.
Dark walls are a great opportunity to play with colour on upholstery and other furniture. Jewel colours work especially well: teal, claret, deep forest green and pink accent your home beautifully.
Splashes of bold, bright colour - even neon, for the brave - will make a strong statement, but cool pastel shades on furniture and accessories also contrast beautifully with darker tones. Blush pink - a trend that doesn’t appear to be going anywhere - is a good foil for charcoal grey.
Paint it Black
This may seem a little strange at first, but it can add something a little extra special to a room. Dark walls seem to some a curious choice in Vancouver where we are starved of natural light but going dark can be a clever option. However, you do need plenty of natural lift to pull it off.
Walls need natural light to bounce off and do its job of lightening; without that, it will just look drab and dreary – it doesn’t matter what colour you paint them. If you have a little trepidation and want to keep it a little lighter, do the ceiling and above the rail in a chalky white shade.
That will blur the edges of the ceiling and the wall and make the room feel bigger. Painting the skirting boards the same as the walls makes them look longer and therefore the ceiling higher.
Go Gothic
Black walls aren’t for everyone, but dark wallpaper and fabrics with pattern and print to liven up the flat colour are a good alternative. practical aspect as well as an aesthetic one: “You don’t have to worry as much about scuff marks on a crisp white wall or one’s linen sofa.”
Twilight colours can currently be found across the board on furniture and accessories but to avoid an overly matt, dusty effect, the key is to go for luxe textures. Wool and velvet are good choices for upholstery, and anything with a touch of sheen will lift the look. Mirrored surfaces are also key in a dark room - on tables, sideboards, chests and accessories, as well as on the wall.
Conclusion
Hopefully you’ve got some good ideas about how to decorate things a little differently this Christmas. You don’t just need lots of lights and white rooms to make things cozy and warm!
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