Kapiti News

Black makes a comeback

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There was a time when black walls were mostly the purview of goth teens and indie cinemas.

But the colour has been quietly cultivatin­g a broader following among designers and homeowners who want a cozy, enveloping ambience that’s still got theatrical flair.

Bedrooms, libraries and bathrooms clad in inky or charcoal tones can be relaxing retreats.

If you’ve got loads of windows, the colour helps frame exterior views.

And if the space is mostly walls, black creates a cocoon-like setting that can showcase a collection of objets d’art, vibrantly patterned rugs and furniture, or meditative warm woods and textures.

Laboratory-white kitchens are also yielding ground to kitchens dressed in dark hues.

Houzz.com editor Mitchell Parker said black is having a moment in the cooking space.

“Our community of homeowners is embracing a heavy dose of dramatic colour with large swaths of black range hoods, island accent colours and full-on, all-black cabinetry.”

Shannon Wollack and Brittany Zwickl of Studio Life.Style wanted to add a little more punch to their kitchen.

“The kitchen’s all-black palette, infused with a large slab of black-and-white marble and bold brass accents, warms and fills the space without feeling too heavy,” Wollack said.

LG, GE, Kitchenaid, Bosch, Frigidaire, Smeg, JennAir and others are offering suites of charcoal-black appliances with either a matte or satin smudge-proof finish. And there’s black cabinetry, countertop gadgets and cookery as well.

Designer Mark Zeff and his wife, Kristen, have a home that celebrates black in several ways.

The exterior is half-white, half-black. Inside, black serves as a narrative thread for large design elements including a floating fireplace, a stained pinewood wall in the master suite, and a glass wall in the shower. Punctuatio­n is added with black cowhide rugs, curvy Bibendum chairs by Eileen Gray and Eero Saarinen Womb chairs.

“Black has properties that make it ideal for interior design, it’s calming to the eye, it’s elegant and it underscore­s organic beauty,”Mark Zeff said.

“Because of the use of black, our home appears to hunker down and stay closer to the earth, like a natural landmark.”

“We also like that black can paradoxica­lly open up a smaller space when applied as a paint, to make a room feel much larger than if white is used,” Kristen Zeff said.

“The illusion is achieved by tricking the eye into not knowing where a room ends, by disguising the edges.

“We wanted to create a space that’s calming and cozy. It’s dark, but it has an ethereal feeling.”

Dee Schlotter, PPG’s senior colour marketing manager, says using black on feature walls, interior surfaces and furniture serves as an anchor to neutrals, patterns and mixed materials, and provides a solid, classic element in any room while creating a sense of space and quiet. Her colour team liked the hue so much that they chose Black Flame as PPG’s 2018 Colour of the Year.

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