FROM OUR EDITOR

The first time I saw a room painted all in black I was in my early 20s. The glamorous mother of a university boyfriend had coated the walls of her small dining room with a dark chalky hue and balanced it with crisp white crown moulding and trim. I was awed by how surprisingly bright and inviting the space was, as if the black walls allowed the rest of the room to shine – colours seemed to have more depth and wood tones appeared richer. The trick was in all the natural light that flooded the space: There was a wall of windows on one side and then two open doorways connecting the area to a sunny living room on one end and an allwhite kitchen on the other.

Since then, I’ve periodically come across black rooms – and not always in a teenaged boy’s ode-to-the-Rolling Stones man cave! But with the variety of paints and decorating techniques out there, not to mention the rise of sites like Pinterest that offer everyone a window on gorgeous design all over the world, it’s no surprise to me that today’s designers and homeowners have become more and more empowered to use black walls to define a space. Of course, there’s no question that painting a room in a moody raven’s wing tone takes a skilled hand – no decorating endeavour is more daring, but when it’s done successfully, there’s also none more elegant.

When the Style at Home design team was compiling the best baths in Canada to feature in this issue’s special section (see “4 Spa-Worthy Bathrooms Bursting with Panache, page 86), one thing we kept seeing was the use of black – not just in fixtures, but in trimmings, tiles and wall paint as well. We’re thrilled at how these rooms have pulled off this risky colour and how the confidence to use black has led to spaces with new dimension and drama. We can’t wait to hear what you think. Let us know at letters@styleathome.com.