Sunday 17 September 2017

Trends – Dark and Dramatic and How to Work It

Dark and Dramatic dining scheme

It’s no wonder that I’ve been bowled over by the new campaign images of the Autumn collections at M&S. I’ve been getting more and more fond of dark interiors and these couldn’t be darker. And there are so many things that are not dissimilar to things I already have at home. Black pillar candlesticks. Check. Gold dipped glasses. Check. Gold Cutlery. Check. In fact go have a peek at my recent black and gold table setting post. If you haven’t already seen it. And that black dining table, with curvaceous black legs and pale wooden top. HEY. Didn’t I paint my dining table black this summer?!  So forgive me for feeling that I can pass on a few tips about how this dark and dramatic trend can be worked.

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Dark and Dramatic Living Room

Add Pattern

Matt black on its own could tend to look a little bit drab. Adding a monochrome pattern into the mix provides a focal point and gives the eye somewhere to rest. This Hendrix Chair (£649, shown here in Scritti Charcoal) contributes just the right amount of interest without detracting from the overall black on black theme. Even the subtle pattern of the black parquet flooring as the light hits it adds interest too.

Dark and Dramatic dining room

Add Warmth

There are a lot of things in the interior design toolbox that will add warmth. Of course any of the metals [1] will lift a black scheme. Gold also adds the desired amount of glamour. Dark rooms can look gloomy after dark and they need some metal to reflect light and add some sparkle. Wood [2] adds warmth in a different way. The wooden top of this Clarendon Dining Table (£899) looks wonderfully tactile. You just know you are going to want to run your hands over it. The styling team have also added silk chair covers to echo the exact shade of the table top. And don’t forget other organic materials [3], flowers, fruit, plants, and in this case, a vase of budding twigs.

Dark and Dramatic and black on black

Add Reflective Items

To balance the way that such a dark scheme can absorb all light, you need to add some reflective materials to bounce it around again. Glass is perfect. As are crystal chandeliers and large statement mirrors. The latter needn’t just hang on the wall. Place mirrors on the table as placements and they will add interesting impressions, as well as reflecting back the flickering candlelight. This Clarendon Display Cabinet (£1,199) is definitely on my wish list and the perfect excuse to add more gold and glass.

Dark and Dramatic at M&S

Add Interest to Walls

Matt black walls need lots of interest to stop them looking dull. Artwork, mirrors (see previous tip), mementos, photographs. Whatever suits the scheme and feeling that you are trying to create.

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from Dear Designer http://deardesigner.co.uk/trends-dark-and-dramatic-and-how-to-work-it/

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