The Darkroom Answers
Light! More light! Usually, people who want to paint their rooms are advised to paint them in a light, neutral color. This can work if you like neutral colors, but if dark saturated color is your passion, you can do a lot with it on the walls of your home.
Black is the ultimate neutral. Surprisingly, black walls can be a great alternative to the usual white or beige that most people think of when pondering a neutral wall scheme. With the right lighting and furniture accents, black walls can be dramatic and sophisticated. However, care should be taken to illuminate the room with light furniture and decorations. Consider pairing black walls with colorful accents like red, teal, purple, and lighter shades like pink, baby blue, and lilac to draw attention.
Brown is an understated color that can bring saturated warmth to a room and serve as a backdrop for almost any color accent. A chocolate brown wall is ideal for showcasing brighter colors while adding a bit of color to the room’s design. Combinations of chocolate brown and blue have been popular recently, but chocolate brown works really well with reds, yellows, and greens.
Red is a color that has long been used sparingly in the wall palette, except for red brick fireplace areas. However, a deep, dark red can bring a sophistication and elegance to a room that is hard to beat. Burgundy is a great color to put on the walls and goes well with many colors and textures. A good dark red pairs well with black (but not too much!), white, antique browns, and cooler color accents.
Blues have long been part of the wall palette in its lighter shades. However, a deep royal blue can be a wonderful wall color when paired with white, yellow, and other light-colored accents, furniture, and décor. Blue panels can also provide a significant amount of color without being flashy or glaring.
Greens are also a common wall color in its brighter varieties. However, a forest green can be understated and soothing to the eye. Paired with browns, yellows, and creams, darker greens can provide a stylish solution to your walls.
Purple is somewhat difficult to wear for a room, as the color straddles the line between warm and cool. Some of the darker purples, like aubergine (aubergine), can work well with a variety of colors. Deeper purples, like royal, can be more of a challenge to blend so the purple doesn’t overwhelm the room. Light greens, creams, rich reddish browns, and yellows can provide great contrast to a purple room.
The ceiling and floors can offer some contrast, especially if you’re worried your darkroom is too dark. Light colored ceilings and floors can give the illusion of height that dark walls accentuate. Another method of contrast is to paint the walls in different colors. One wall can be used as an accent wall and painted a dark/light color, depending on how dark/light you want the room to be. Two-tone walls also provide a way to use dark colors without making a room too dark.
Don’t be scared by dark colors! They may require a bit more attention to accents and dark/light combinations than your average light wall color, but they can make a room bold and unusual. Getting to the dark side, in this case, isn’t all bad!