Decorating With Black

By Jackie Dishner, special to HGTV.com
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Look at design magazines, furniture catalogues and showroom displays today, and you're likely to see more than just a touch of black. In fact, the black and white checkered chair taking the spotlight on the cover of Ethan Allen's winter 2007 catalogue — celebrating 75 years of design — suggests black is "in."

Or, maybe that it never went out.

Just like the "little black dress" that's been decorating a woman's wardrobe since Coco Channel unveiled the first version in Vogue magazine 80 years ago, the color black never does seem to go out of style — especially not in the home.

Its uses may alternate among what's popular, trendy or classic. It may transform a room from contemporary to country chic. But as Peter Klick of Harrington College of Design, Chicago, Ill., says, the authoritative hue is still a favorite color of designers. It's bold. It makes the colors painted, perched or paired beside it pop out. Designers love that black conveys a sense of drama. But more importantly, they know its versatility offers an unlimited portfolio of uses — and tastes — for the home's interior.

Sue Aprill, of Aprill Interiors in Canton, Mich., says she frequently uses black, though she has yet to paint a wall in the color. Instead, preferring to experiment with the smaller elements in a room, she uses black in fabrics, accessories and accent pieces.

"It's a grounding color," she says. "It helps break up the patterns, lends a bit of weight to the room, and gives your eye a rest."

Still, the choices depend upon taste, the experts say.

Whether it's a splash of black on an accent wall, whether the color comes from that baby grand sitting in the foyer, or whether the color surrounds a Picasso print over the fireplace — anything can be framed, sheathed or infused in the ebony hue and still look great.

To get a sense of how its elegance can shine the spotlight on your home, here are seven ideas for coloring your rooms in black — and a few reasons that you shouldn't: