DESIGN WITH DARK COLORS

Use designer Kim Hoegger’s tips for bringing dark colors into your farmhouse.

BALANCE. Dark cannot exist without light and vice versa. “When I’m using darker colors I also balance them against lighter, brighter colors,” Kim says. “When I chose those dark cabinets, I knew that I had to balance that with a brighter white.”

DEPTH. Painting all of her walls in a warm, bright white was the catalyst for creating beautiful pops of dark color throughout the house. But Kim used myriad darker shades to create variation and depth in the design concept as well. Dark gray, black lacquer, brass and iron pull the eye in different directions and engage visitors in the visual whole.

EASE. Using dark colors often feels intimidating. But Kim’s advice? Go for it. “Imperfection grounds us and makes us feel more at home,” she says. The ‘perfectly imperfect’ accents we bring to a design are what truly makes a house a home. And if you decide you don’t like something, you can always change it.