Dark Wall Paint Makes Us Want to Hibernate

Designers are trading in stark white interiors for rooms that are much moodier.  There are many ways to pull off dark wall paint and the trick is in the details. If you’re looking for a little extra sophistication, a dramatic change in color might be right for you.  Learn how to blend tradition and trends with finesse.

Dark Wall Paint Inspo

We’ve always had a fancy for nooks and making your kitchen just as cozy as a cafe.  Select the perfect piece of art as a focal point and match your dark wall paint to one of the deep colors displayed there.  Find a vintage (or vintage-inspired) portrait of a random person and let it do all of the talking.  Blues and greens tend to change dramatically throughout the day so do a couple of swatches on the wall before you commit.

Safe Space

One of the best places to add bold punches is in bathrooms or powder rooms.  Dark wall paint can feel a little overwhelming to beginners so best to start small.  You don’t even have to go all-in if you’re feeling timid. Select a section of the bathroom for your paint experiment and see where it goes from there.  This is a gorgeous way to highlight graphic tile.

The Right Kind of Drama

If you’ve been following our Feng Shui articles, you know bedrooms should be peaceful and relaxing.  We love dark wall paint that is as close to black as you can get without losing the color.  This promotes rest and meditation, which will both give you a generous health boost.  We love using linen bedding in warm shades of red or orange to add extra drama.

Set The Stage

If you are still loving your white interiors, think about how you are displaying art.  One wall with a few coats of dark wall paint can help showcase art and collectibles. Think about adding an easy background that will make your carefully curated gallery wall really pop.  The overall effect doesn’t detract from the white vibe, it just frames a section more interestingly.

Old + Mouldy

If you live in a home with lots of moldings, lucky you!  Extra bright rooms with plenty of architectural details can certainly benefit from dark wall paint. It helps close the space in and creates a cozier atmosphere than stark shades of white.  This is especially beneficial for rooms that have small adjacencies like sitting rooms connected to them.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

For our kind-hearted and generous maximalists, let your paintbrush follow your eyes.  Dark wall paint is just as suitable for ceilings and can help hanging light fixtures take center stage.  Covering a room from head-to-toe in dark colors can help all of your brighter decor pieces stand out in a fresh new way.

Nix on Buyer’s Remorse

It’s important to remember that you can always go back to light paint whenever you choose.  Knowing how to transition dark wall paint back to light can make the jump feel less scary. Just use a grey-tinted stain-blocking primer. This will seal the dark color and protect it from bleeding into the new coat of paint.  Your next coat of paint can be white and it will hold perfectly.