Dark hues have a bad rap as gloomy and depressing. More likely, they91裸聊视频檙e bringing home the good vibes, all year long.
One weekend when I had the house to myself, I painted our family room Benjamin Moore91裸聊视频檚 Kendall Charcoal, a deep, earthy gray.
I waited till I had two days alone to do it because it looked pretty shocking when I got started on the trim and rolled the walls. Was it going to veer into Goth Teen Bedroom territory? Or maybe a villainous, albeit stylish, lair?
But when I91裸聊视频檇 finished, it looked amazing. The rich color, along with white trim and comfy furnishings, gave the room , and felt much homier than the basic beige had.
When the weekenders returned, the response was as I91裸聊视频檇 hoped; everyone loved it.
That was in 2018, and it91裸聊视频檚 the only room I haven91裸聊视频檛 repainted twice since, so there you go.
Turns out I91裸聊视频檓 not a loony outlier when it comes to loving dark paint.
For Apartment Therapy91裸聊视频檚 2024 State of Home Design report, editors tallied 131 design experts who said 91裸聊视频渕oodiness91裸聊视频� will be one of the year91裸聊视频檚 hot vibes.
Pros say darker hues are more likely to create resonant atmospheres like coziness, stylish ambiance and even a little drama to keep things interesting. Rooms with these colors aren91裸聊视频檛 boring, nor are they over-stimulating. They envelop and embrace.
91裸聊视频淢oody hues are more than just visual,91裸聊视频� says designer Noz Nozawa. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e storytellers, deeply evocative, emotional and often very nostalgic.91裸聊视频�
GOING WITH EVERYTHING
She thinks people don91裸聊视频檛 give dark hues enough credit for their versatility, and points out how well they go with different woods, metals and brighter hues.
91裸聊视频淚 often like to use them as a grounding point 91裸聊视频� they anchor a room, and then all the other textures and elements in a space can harmonize around them,91裸聊视频� she says.
Try it yourself, Nozawa says, by holding a moody color swatch next to different woods and metals.
91裸聊视频淭he swatch will complement in a way that91裸聊视频檚 warm and comforting, not gloomy or heavy,91裸聊视频� she says.
Tasked with choosing BlueStar91裸聊视频檚 2023 Color of the Year for their appliance collection, she went with a deep, fruity Wine Red, which pairs well with different finishes and might remind you of a cozy evening sharing a glass with friends.
LIFTING THE MOOD
91裸聊视频淗ere in the Pacific Northwest, about two thirds of our days are moody,91裸聊视频� says Peter Spalding of the interior furnishings marketplace Daniel House Club in Portland, Oregon.
91裸聊视频淭o cope, we drink a lot of coffee and buy tactical gear instead of fancy dress,91裸聊视频� he laughs. 91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檇 think brightly colored interiors would be sure-fire medicine too, but actually some of the coziest interiors I91裸聊视频檝e done here have been in moody greens, blues and grays.91裸聊视频�
He91裸聊视频檚 not a fan of cool grays, especially in the Northwest91裸聊视频檚 dreary light.
91裸聊视频淏ut a warm French gray is another thing entirely. It91裸聊视频檚 sort of creamy, with green undertones, and creates a cocoon that no one wants to leave,91裸聊视频� Spalding says.
That chameleon quality, where a color shifts slightly depending on the light, is what you91裸聊视频檙e after, he says.
Besides dove gray, Spalding favors deep russet and dark forest hues.
91裸聊视频淭hey can glow in the sun, or create a cozy envelope when it91裸聊视频檚 gray outside.91裸聊视频�
Jennifer Verruto of Blythe Interiors in San Diego likes how these hues make a space feel settled and warm.
91裸聊视频淔orget the idea that dark colors turn rooms into caves of doom. It91裸聊视频檚 time to embrace the moody vibes! They have an energy. A room wrapped in a dark, dramatic color can actually provide an uplifting, invigorating feeling,91裸聊视频� she says.
BALANCING LIGHT AND DARK
She advises counterbalancing any potential heaviness. Position mirrors . Bring in lighter furniture, rugs and d茅cor. Use warm woods and nature-inspired motifs for a comforting, organic vibe. Some of her favorite paints: Sherwin-Williams91裸聊视频� Iron Ore, Gale Force and Pewter Green.
Deep blue could remind you of an oceanside vacation. Mossy greens might evoke a favorite woodland hike. Mineral hues like citrine, garnet, iron and copper also have that earthy connection.
Brad Ramsey, who has his own interior design firm in Nashville, loves to create a 91裸聊视频渏ewel box91裸聊视频� space.
91裸聊视频淏y taking a moody hue and color-drenching the walls, drapery, even the ceiling, you get this cocoon-like feel,91裸聊视频� he says. A study, dining room or den in a larger home can, when made darker, work well as an intimate social space, or a retreat for some quiet 91裸聊视频渕e91裸聊视频� time, he says.
CREATIVE PAINT NAMES
Some of the for these paint colors are as much fun as the hues themselves.
Dock Blue, Basalt, Goblin, Adventurer and Jewel Beetle are all to be found at British paint maker Little Greene, which has branched into the North American market now.
Backdrop91裸聊视频檚 founder Natalie Ebel says she wants to evoke a place or a feeling with the paint names. Masterpiece Theater is their first brown, with olive and a little yellow in it.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a color that really lends an atmosphere to a space, like a period drama for your walls,91裸聊视频� she says. Backdrop has even developed an accompanying playlist, which includes some Verdi, Rossini, Bizet and Hans Zimmer.
Their warm-purple red called Lobby Scene was inspired by Wes Anderson91裸聊视频檚 movie 91裸聊视频淭he Grand Budapest Hotel.91裸聊视频� And a deep olive green is among the company91裸聊视频檚 most popular paints. Its name: Night on Earth.
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