Black is Back: 5 Ways to Rock The Season’s Hottest Trend

by Carlisle Homes

It’s bold, sophisticated and oh-so-forgiving – here are 5 ways to work black into your interior.

Black is the must-have colour of the moment, cropping up in kitchens, bathrooms and living areas in some of the most fashionable homes across the country. It’s a surefire way to add elegance, depth and drama to a space, and it works a treat here in Australia where our homes often receive an abundance of natural light. What’s not to love?

If you’re tempted to go to the dark side, here are five ways to go about it.

1. A statement benchtop in the kitchen

Channel a sophisticated and seductive vibe in the kitchen with a sleek, black benchtop. As an added bonus, this forgiving shade will also hide a multitude of sins, such as stains, marks and dust, making it a great choice for busy family homes.

A kitchen benchtop is one of the hardest-working surfaces in your home, so whatever you choose should be durable and easy to maintain as well as good-looking. A benchtop in Caesarstone ticks all the boxes – it creates a beautiful and luxurious look, plus it’s easy to clean, stain-, scratch- and crack-resistant and, unlike natural stone, requires no sealing.

Caesarstone comes in a variety of finishes so you can create a layered, textured look alongside your joinery, flooring and tiles. The options include polished, natural (which is lightly textured), concrete (giving you the tactile feel of smooth concrete) and rough concrete (for a coarse yet easy-to-clean surface) and more.

On-trend black features prominently in their latest collections. Take your pick from pure black and ones interspersed with veins, flecks and other nuances that create added interest in your kitchen. Highlights include Jet Black™, a seamless black that works beautifully in monochromatic kitchens; Vanilla Noir™, a classic black with white veining; Empira Black™, which captures the nuances of dark, natural stone; and Black Tempal™, which features delicate white veining against a black background.

You’ll never want to return to a boring all-white kitchen again!

2. Black kitchen joinery

Up the ante with joinery in a dramatic, inky tone. You can prevent the look from veering towards the gloomy by seeking out a nuanced black finish with touches of brown rather than a pure black. A dark timber finish will give you added texture and depth. And remember – black can throw many different colours, so it’s always a good idea to view your chosen finishes under different light conditions and alongside the other finishes in your kitchen before you commit.

Keep the look simple and contemporary with floating wall cupboards and floor-to-ceiling cabinetry with flat fronts and minimalist handles. And be sure to add in good lighting to make the room feel warm and inviting (and so you can see what you’re doing during food prep!)

3. Add luxe to a bathroom

Many people will shy away from black in the bathroom, thinking that it will make the room feel dark and gloomy. But when done right, black can make your bathroom feel chic and sophisticated, elevating it to a real feature within your home.

Simplicity is the key to making the look work. A high-contrast black and white palette will never date; consider a black bath or vanity set against a white-tiled floor, or add a round mirror with a fine black trim to a white-tiled wall. Up the luxe factor by adding in a luxurious Caesarstone benchtop in a marble-look finish.

A textured, feature wall of black tiles in the shower will instantly draw the eye, while matt-black tapware and shower fittings set against pale timber or earthy neutral joinery look sleek and contemporary.

4. Introduce pops of black

Love the idea of black but don’t want to go all-out? Try introducing pops of black to your interiors with furniture and accessories. If you’re feeling brave, opt for a charcoal modular sofa or armchair in the living room (as an added bonus, dark upholstery is less likely to show marks). Short on storage? A built-in joinery wall in a dark textured woodgrain laminate will make for an eye-catching feature and solve your storage woes in one fell swoop.

If you’d prefer to start small, opt for a coffee table or console with a matt-black frame or legs, a display of inky glassware on a floating shelf or artwork in slender, black frames.

To soften the look, say for a family room, level out the black with upholstery in pale, neutral tones, a soft, textured rug in an earthy shade underfoot and a medley of lush, indoor plants. Or, go the other extreme and up the drama by combining black furniture with other dark tones such as burgundy, grey or navy in rugs, cushions and window treatments, all in sumptuous fabrics such as velvet and silk.

5. Create a feature wall

The idea of black walls might seem a little scary, but don’t dismiss it outright. A black feature wall in the living room, hallway or dining room can be surprisingly effective, particularly as a way to showcase art or photographs, which will pop against an inky backdrop. A black-painted wall is also a great way to make a wall-mounted television visually recede into the background.

Or use black in the bedroom; create a moody and cocooning feel with a feature wall behind the bed in a textured, inky wallpaper. For maximum impact, contrast it with light-coloured bedding and simple, sculptural light fittings.

If you’re concerned about all that black dominating or darkening your room, balance it out with white on the ceiling and the surrounding walls. You can also add relief to the space with blonde timber furniture and floating shelves, glossy white and metallic decor pieces, and plenty of natural light.