Paint It Black

Even though I’m known for my use of color I had to hold my breath when we decided to paint one of our showroom walls black. It was a bold move but it created just the kind of drama I was looking for. Not scary, Halloween black but sophisticated, elegant, mysterious black. A black wall can add depth and perspective to a room and can be as prestigious as “black tie”.

If any of you have seen the new film “Coco Before Chanel” you’ll know that she was the one who made the little black dress the chic, enduring fashion statement that we all own. In fashion or interiors you can make jewel tones pop with black or contrast it with white for a timeless combination.

Even if you’re not ready to take a leap of faith and paint a room or even a wall black, every room should have some black elements in it. It can provide definition or a common thread for the eye to follow. It can be as simple as the frames on photos, the grosgrain trim on a pillow or a few well-chosen accessories. We recently changed all the exterior doors here to black and it looks sleek and classic. But remember that black is not just black. It can carry the subtle differences in value in the likes of ebony, jet, ink, midnight or onyx. I absolutely fell in love with this striking image of Gwyneth Paltrow's beautiful black Hampton's kitchen...I am currently using this as the inspiration behind one of our client's butler's pantry. Stay tuned!

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”
Coco Chanel