No Place Like Home

KAREN WIGHT

While the Little Black Dress is a wardrobe staple, I consider a few

little black accents around the house just as fundamental. Black is

timeless, provides a nice contrast with any color and can enhance most

home styles with its inherent drama.

Years ago, I was shy about using black. Maybe it’s a case of getting

older or just being more comfortable with a bolder look, but using black

in a decorating scheme doesn’t scare me at all anymore.

In fact, black figures prominently in most of the rooms in my house.

My husband thinks it’s a “she turned 40” thing, but I disagree. I think

it takes a certain kind of confidence to do black and once you have

crossed that line, it’s easy to use black with conviction.

If you’re ready to take the plunge into the black abyss, start with

something simple. Black lampshades are an easy place to begin.

Somehow, a black lampshade dresses up the room.

Black shades, whether they are on sconces, chandeliers or lamps, can

take your light fixture from plain to elegant. Black lampshades come in

all shapes, sizes and materials. An extra design element that you get

with a black shade is the inside lining.

Black lampshades with gold lining or a gold-and-black tortoise paper

are stunning and add an unexpected element of interest wherever they are

used.

Another great place to unleash your darker side is with the finish on

your furniture. An old piece gains new vitality with an ebony stain.

Black spray paint can give your outdoor furniture a new sophisticated

lease on life. Using a black frame on a piece of art gives it new drama

and importance.

The human eye likes color polarity. Black certainly fulfills the quest

for contrast. Black accessories on a coffee table, on a side table or on

the wall gives a room visual interest and is a great foil for the other

colors in a room.

Most traditional homes have white woodwork and white moldings. Even if

you use adventuresome colors on the walls, black can make your white

paint stand out and give the color in your room extra energy.

Now for the caveat: a little black goes a long way. Too much black and

you’ll feel like someone out of a Madeline L’Engle adventure, moving into

different dimensions in space and time. I’ve learned this lesson the hard

way.

I have a black built-in china closet in my dining room. It looks great

-- so good that I wanted to add black to the kitchen without a complete

paint redo. I settled for black paint on the cupboard backs.

This was not one of my better decisions. It gave me a very eerie

feeling when I looked into the cabinets and couldn’t see a tangible wall.

I felt like I had black holes in the cupboards, which was not the look I

was going for. Out came the gold-green paint, and the black voids became

a bad memory.

On the other hand, I have had great success with giving old furniture

new life and I have black to thank for it. I have bamboo outdoor

furniture that was in need of a major overhaul. I tried stripping the

sealer and the stain but the results were very lackluster.

Old and gnarly I can deal with as an outdoor look (let’s call it

patina), but pathetic and tired didn’t fit into my vision.

After a trip to the hardware store and armed with eight cans of black

matte spray paint and some sealer, these sofas looked new and, if I say

so myself, very chic.

A few new cushions and these garage sale finds are a focal point.

Black just works where any other color would pale in comparison (pun

intended).

Survey the house and add some flair, character, and panache. Black is

not just a basic. Black is a one-two punch that can turn an ordinary room

into a sensational masterpiece.