When it comes to choosing a colour scheme for your interior design, it’s natural to gravitate towards bright and light in a bid to open up the space and give the illusion of a bigger room. But, a room can still look elegant and stylish with a darker colour scheme, with a few tips and tricks.
Here’s how you can choose moody hues for your interior design.
Why you shouldn’t shy away from darker colours
Dark colours instantly add glamour to a space, and they’re the ideal way to create a cosy vibe which makes them well-suited to living rooms and bedrooms where you may want to relax. Surprisingly, most people will choose brighter or paler colours for smaller spaces, but if you’re limited on space, darker hues can actually be really effective at giving the illusion of more space. There’s no better way to create an atmosphere and a signature style that’s truly unique.
How to use darker hues in your room
Going against the grain and implementing a darker colour scheme in your home can be daunting if you’re used to brighter or softer colours, but there are several ways you can incorporate darker hues without it feeling cold or overwhelming.
These are a few ways to get the style right without it feeling oppressive.
Be inspired by nature
Nature can be a great form of inspiration for darker hues, and you can create a moody interior without immediately leaping to blacks and navys. If you want to dabble with darker colours but not make the design feel overwhelming, choose cocooning tones in softer colours such as burgundy, emerald, and earthy browns. These evoke the same cosy vibe that dark colours can create minus the harshness, so think about deeper tones that come from nature for a soft yet enveloping feel.
Mix textures
Texture can help to create a more layered space with depth and interest, especially when you’re using darker colours. Consider pairing glossy black furniture with deep charcoal coloured rugs or throws, or contrasting a matte painted coffee table with ceramic vases. Get creative with combinations for furniture, decorative pieces and textiles to add dimension to your home.
Play with pattern
One of the easiest and most effective ways to liven up darker interiors is with pattern, whether it’s stripes and geometric shapes or something more abstract and rustic. For example, think about the classic monochrome chequerboard floor – it’s simple but popular and the reason is that despite being black and white, it feels fresh and clean. If you choose a dark interior colour scheme, think about how you can incorporate patterns, such as with art on the walls, flocked wallpaper or with the textiles such as a patterned rug or cushions.
Brighten up any room with greenery
Dark interiors can quickly become dull and cold if you don’t balance them out, so brighten up the room with beautiful spots of greenery and lush plants. Most flowers and plants contrast with dark colour schemes brilliantly, adding pockets of freshness and brightness to what can otherwise become a bland space. Greenery works well in every room, with certain house plants thriving off humid temperatures in steam-filled bathrooms. If you don’t have a green thumb, however, even a few well-placed vases of fresh flowers can work wonderfully, and can easily be changed out every week or so.
Show off your personality with a gallery wall
Photos are an excellent way to add personality to your home and if you choose colour carefully, it can tie darker interiors together perfectly. Pick a theme and create a gallery wall that adds a narrative to the room and creates a space infused with character. You may choose to create a gallery wall of dark and moody nature photos that you have collected from various spots to evoke memories when you look at it, or why not create a bold, graphic-inspired monochromatic collection of photos in different sizes that you’ve taken yourself for that personal touch?
Go matte
Dark colours and matte finishes are the perfect pairing, and it can soften the look to make moody hues feel less imposing and more comforting. It’s also a finish that works for all surfaces, so you can create a cohesive look with ease. Matte finishes, whether it’s painted woodwork or fabrics, bring a luxurious, velvety feel to any room. And, if everything is painted in the same finish, from doors and frames to skirtings and window frames, then the whole decor will tie together nicely.
Match the walls and woodwork
It may seem like the natural choice to contrast your woodwork and walls, usually choosing white against coloured walls. But, choosing the same colour for both can actually be really effective, particularly in smaller rooms as it blurs the lines between the edges of the room, so the eye can’t distinguish the dimensions as easily. This makes the room feel larger as there are no distractions. From floors and ceilings to walls and skirting boards, pick a colour and go bold. From there, you can add pops of colour and visual interest with decorative elements.
Dark colour schemes are sophisticated, elegant and visually interesting – if they’re implemented in the right way. The trick is to veer away from simply painting everything black. Choose your colours from the deeper end of the colour spectrum, such as purples, blues, greens and browns, which will evoke the same cosy ambiance without feeling as stark. You can then accessorise with texture, pops of fresh contrasting colour and pattern or imagery to add personality to your home.
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