COLOURS OF INTERIOR DESIGN

Black - Neutral or Accent?

By Neha Sawhney

A question from one of my design interns that got me thinking. After some contemplation I realized it’s the only colour in entire spectrum that is used as both - sometimes to paint all the walls in a room so that other accents can pop and sometimes as accent to highlight a focal point or a feature in the room.

Black was the first pigment used by artists in pre-historic times and also the first ink used for printing texts, and today there are more than fifty shades ranging from deepest dark black to Iron Black, and from Day’s End to Midnight Black.

Photo by: Neha Sawhney

In this powder room design, I decided to use black as accent and designed the vanity wall with black tiles laid in herringbone pattern. Do you notice how glossy tiles add glamour instantly? I went further and added black pendant lights over the black wall, which is usually an uncommon thing if you go by design rules. This added texture and layers along with mystery since the pendants are there, yet not there. Another interesting trait of black is that it can be paired with any metal - be it chrome, brass, gold or bronze. Thus I used copper for mirror and vanity frame. Lastly, the flooring had to have some black so that it all could be tied up beautifully.

It’s interesting how black holds varied meanings for different people and cultures. For some it’s darkness and evil while for others its elegance and sophistication.

There is a popular saying in the world of interior design “every room can use a touch of black” and that is SO true. When a client tells me they love black, it almost instantly makes me jump with joy. I use the opportunity in all possible aspects while designing their spaces.

Photo by: Neha Sawhney

Coming back to using black in interior design, I want to share another project where I got to use black abundantly. The furniture, light fixtures, wallpaper, feature wall, basically everything was black except walls, floors and ceilings. There is certain calmness about black furniture and lighting fixtures that puts you in a zen state and makes you quiet by creating a barrier between itself and the outside world.

As I write this, I am getting present to a revelation. We all see colours through the black pupil in our eyes! All colours come together to make black, and pupils disintegrate every single colour in its own entity to show them to us!

Underneath this black hood is light. After every dark night, is a bright day. Hiding under the mystery of black, is something beautiful. Black is the end, but the end always implies a new beginning. When the light appears, black becomes white, the colour of new beginnings.