It's been a while since we've had an installment of Should It Stay or Should it Go? For those new to this series, this is where we pick apart a design trend and weigh in on whether we love it or hate it, whether we want that or want it to go away. Up this time, black walls.
A week doesn't go by when I don't see a room painted in black in one of the many design magazines on the market or featured on a blog. Black walls bring the drama big time, but would you really want them in your home? You may want to read about my experience with black paint on your walls before answering.
via Arhzine.comWhen we moved into our home I decided that our first floor guest bathroom, painted in a boring shade of tan, needed a little lift. With my budget for decorating our new home being $0, I decided to use some of the leftover white paint to add two floor to ceiling diamonds on the one blank wall in the room. It wasn't long before I got tired of the diamonds and got a brilliant idea-paint the diamonds black!
Finally, after years of looking at the heinous shapes on my wall, I decided to cover them with a coat of primer and paint the walls. Naive girl that I am, I thought a coat or two of primer would do the trick. Oh no, I had to paint 6, count them, 6 coats of primer to cover the black walls.
Who among us is without decorating sin? Don't judge.
I can only imagine how long it would take to prime over an entire room painted in black.
If you hate painting and priming, you better REALLY LOVE black walls.
If you don't mind priming and painting but aren't wild about projects that take days to complete, may I suggest an accent wall instead.
Room by Laura AshleyThe wall below looks like it may be upholstered. While fabric is expensive, you can apply it with liquid starch. Unlike wallpaper that is difficult to remove, fabric applied with liquid starch comes off clean with a few tugs.
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Another choice would be to create an accent wall with a fabulous black wall covering. Of course, if you despise the job of removing wallpaper, again, better love that black wallpaper or you're in for a day of steaming and scraping.
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My vote: I love the look of black walls, but only in other people's homes. I don't love them enough to paint a room in my home black knowing the work that awaits if I grow tired of them down the road.Another choice would be to create an accent wall with a fabulous black wall covering. Of course, if you despise the job of removing wallpaper, again, better love that black wallpaper or you're in for a day of steaming and scraping.
SourceYour turn, would you paint your walls black? Do you think they shout "drama" or are they screaming "Trick or Treat"?
I think I'm with you, Karen. I see well designed rooms with black walls that I really like, but I'm not sure I would ever actually do it myself!
ReplyDeleteWhile they look great in certain rooms, I personally find them a little too dark. I'd rather see a navy, charcoal, or dark chocolate wall, but even then I am not sure I'd ever do one in my own home.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about how hard they would be to cover !
ReplyDeleteI love the images of black rooms but I'm not sure I would want to live with it. I do love drama in decorating but you bring up a good point ... at some time we want to change it. Black walls might be as labor intensive as removing wallpaper and having just done that and swearing I would never have wall paper again? Well, I'd have to reconsider the black paint tool
ReplyDeleteFun post.
Pam
I could never do black walls in my own home or recommend it for anyone else. Too oppressive for me. Oh, and not judging either. Have a few "what was I thinking" projects myself!
ReplyDeleteI love the look of black rooms, but wouldn't do it in my house unless the room was very big and very bright - which my house is not. Karin
ReplyDeletei painted the study walls in my last house black. i personally loved the way they looked, and felt like there was enough balance of windows and doors in the space to make it work. also, i was working with a black piano and a pair of large black bookcases that i didn't want to take over the room. the black walls did a great job of camouflaging these items. however, i would be cautious about doing it again. and i didn't have to repaint the walls, either. i actually didn't think too much about how difficult they would be to paint over! yikes.
ReplyDelete6 coats? i think i would have DIED.
:)
I LOVE the look but I don't think I would ever do it....for all the reasons you state. I don't have any rooms large enough to pull it off well though.
ReplyDeleteI love the look too, but would only try it if I had an an extra room to spare (which of course I don't).
ReplyDeleteWe painted the wall holding our fireplace black. Sort of like the accent wall photo you posted. The walls on each side aren't black. I've debated painting a wall in our dining room black, but I didn't and I'm glad now that I changed my mind. Our dining room has very poor lighting and I think I would have regretted it.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could pull off the black wall but I can't imagine ever seeing one in my house. Love the drama but have a feeling I will never have a spot for it. Sure love seeing them in the magazines!
ReplyDeleteI love them! However, just like white walls, I can't imagine how many nicks and dings and smudges these walls would show.
ReplyDeleteI love the drama of black walls. I recently was at a home that used to belong to a very successful interior designer in my home town and the kitchen was black with white cabinets. The new owner said it was that way when they bought it and I believe they've been there a while. Think he was ahead of the trend. It is gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI like "Should it Stay or Should it Go!" I think all of those rooms look amazing with black walls, but it would take a lot of great contrasting trim work, accessorizing and flashy furniture to pull it off. A black wall with nothing else to make it pop would be a major downer.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't live with black as a solid wall color but I love, love, love it in little touches throughout a room. I could live with charcoal though but probably for a short time as I know I would get tired of it. Thanks for the tip on using liquid starch to apply fabric to walls----have you done this and can this be used on most fabrics? I keep thinking of Sarah Richardson's fabric installation on her dining room walls in her farm house. She had the small amount of fabric sent out somewhere for an adhesive backing to be applied for "only" $300! Liquid starch sounds way more cost effective. Thanks, Deni
ReplyDeleteDeni-I have used it to apply fabric to the seat of a chair and to the top of a table as well. I've also used it to adhere ribbon to a wall. The fabric that you use has to have a little weight to it. For example, you couldn't use bed sheets as your fabric. Also, it has to be a washable fabric. A good choice might be an indoor/outdoor fabric.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of black walls. In some cases it can look really elegant but it's too dark and heavy. I really like neutrals and light, beachy colors. Having said that I like little splashes of black in the form of accent pieces, accessories and some black and white photographpy for sure! :)
ReplyDeleteI love the black walls. I think they need to be a small intimate space. Artwork, millwork/molding, and lots of white are a must. Great collection of examples!
ReplyDeletehmmm I never thought about painting over it! I've been wanting to paint a room in our new house a navy blue!
ReplyDeleteSure makes a statement! I love it but it has to be in the right house and right room. I don't think I could pull it off :) Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteXO
I had a bathroom off the kitchen of my old house with a black and white checkered floor. Half the wall was tiled and we painted the top portion black, and hung big colorful travel poster prints on the walls. It was dramatic and perfect for a small space! I bought wallpaper like that wall featured above - with a tone on tone pattern on it - it's gorgeous, but we ended up moving before I could hang it. Not sure I feel compelled to have another black room - but it's certainly interesting and daring!
ReplyDeleteI really don't like black walls. I think they only look good if you really know what you're doing with the room's decor. It's not a color for amateurs!
ReplyDelete