The ethereal magic of black

Often considered drab and boring, black can be truly magical. Mala Ashok tells you how to make it work for your home by complementing it with neutral shades of cream, beige and white.The idea is to make the shade less overpowering, yet appealing.

We never tire of extolling the virtues of neutral colours in our decor as they are classic and never go out of style. Considered a safe choice, its shades of white, beige and tan are subtle, calm, soothing and easy on the eyes. But wait, aren’t we forgetting something? Yes, there is one major problem with them. If you love colours, you will find these particular shades drab and boring. But hey, who said they have to be dull and lifeless? There are various ways in which you could liven up your space with these neutral shades, especially when paired with black. Here are some guidelines to help you nail the neutral decor look:

First and foremost, bring in black in a major fashion into your home. This is the only neutral colour that isn’t bland and gives an edgy and exciting appeal. Play around with accents in black, such as print fabrics or furniture to make the white, beige or tan shades in a room look more interesting. But remember, don’t overdo the black decor. How does one know how much black to infuse in any space?

There’s a solution. Designer Patrick Flynn suggests mixing the darkest and lightest of shades of black for a truly beautiful result. For example, a sleek, shiny, black dining table or coffee table conveys drama and elegance. Remember, decor does not involve just walls or floors, your furniture, lamps, and throws – all add to the look and black can play an important role in all of these. The trick with using black is that you need to use it sparingly. You don’t need an entirely black wall or a solid black sofa. You could just use print fabrics that include black. Most designers agree that there’s something about a fabric when it is grounded with a little bit of black in it...it
becomes chic.

Formal vs casual
Another decorator trick to infuse your room with black is to have black metal
accents on light fixtures. If you can’t find the right kind in a store, you can take up a DIY project and make your own lamp.

Consider a black lampshade on a lamp with a brass metal base. To make this unique, throw in a black-braided electric cord. But if you feel this is too formal for your taste and your decorative style is more casual, you can still make black work. Black
doesn’t have to be uptight. Distressed, rubbed finishes can make a piece of black wood furniture feel really beachy and yes, really casual.

Another way to make black less overpowering is to use it on lighter materials. Glass, wrought iron and even wood look great with black finishes. This takes some of the weighty look from them. So, what you have done by adding black is made the look more intense, while making the black less intense.

Beige and black can look wonderful together as long as you use the right shades that complement each other beautifully. The aversion that people have for beige is because of the yellowish, flesh-toned hue that used to be popular. The trend now is to stick with sand tones that have a lot of white if you’re going to work with beige. The absence of yellow makes the colour much lighter and sandy.

New combinations
Another way to make beige work is to use a mix of pale grey and beige. Think of it as “greige.” Greige is a good alternative to white and is very pleasing. It’s warmer than a true white or ultra-white colour. This removes the clinical, sterile, hospital room feel.

If beige doesn’t appeal to your senses, you can go in for the classic combination of brown and black. These colours when paired together, can make a neutral room look fabulous. Just imagine classic leather riding boots. That will give you an idea of how sophisticated this pair is. For an added dash of drama, you can throw in some cream shades and you will instantly transform your home into a classic and elegant space.

Who doesn’t love the timeless appeal of black and white combination? Invest in some classic prints like checks, plaids, and gingham in black and white colours for a chic look. If this particular combination comes across as too contrasting, you could go in for a mix of charcoal and brown.

Art is a great way to use neutrals in a one-of-a-kind manner. Modern abstract pieces in vivid colours can be mixed with traditional oil portraits. Black and white pictures are the rage right now. So, capture all your wonderful memories in black and white and frame them to adorn the walls of your home for eternity.

Remember, the sky is the limit where black is concerned, and black in your home decor, indeed, looks ravishing.