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Features | Back In Black

Moody, dramatic and luxe, black is appearing more frequently in interiors to elevate spaces from the expected to the utterly chic. Here, four designers speak to how they used inky shades of black to create inviting spaces that will stand the test of style. 

Words by Alicia Cox Thomson

Fashionable folks know that if it’s an effortlessly chic look you’re going for, always bet on black. And as it turns out, this applies to interiors, too. Elegant, cool and mysterious, it’s a surprisingly hardworking neutral with unending possibilities. Depending on how and where you’re using it, much like its snowy counterpart, black can vibe with a variety of styles and aesthetics, whether you’re looking to modernize a space or infuse it with a retro feel.

“Black is incredibly versatile. It adds contrast and can anchor a space,” says Elyssa Maldoff, principal designer at Design State interior design studio. “Black works with any style, whether traditional, transitional or modern. It pairs beautifully with warm woods, aged brass and various tones of marble.”

Saturated black walls create a moody cocoon, while rich, veined marble is eye-catching in a small space. If a strong dose of black feels daunting, experts suggest starting with less commitment-heavy strategies. “To dip your toe in, start with small accents: matte black hardware or dark lighting fixtures can all make a big impact. Painting a single cabinet bank or lower cabinets black is a great mid-range move,” says Danielle Nicholas Bryk, principal designer at her eponymously named studio. Furniture is another good first step. Think a bed frame upholstered in alluring black velvet or an armchair in luxurious black bouclé.

Surprisingly, although natural light is definitely an asset in black-heavy interiors, it’s not a requirement. In fact, designers say you don’t need to shy away from embracing a windowless space. “While black can be breathtaking in a large, light-filled room, it can also create an incredibly cozy feeling in smaller or dimmer spaces,” says Bryk. “It’s all about how you balance it.”

Not only will black invite depth and drama to your space, it’s also credited with creating sensations of relaxation, strength and stability. According to the principles of feng shui, a black bedroom will invite calmness and creativity, while a black wall in a home office can help convey power and establish groundedness.

“I find homeowners are seeking spaces that feel personal rather than purely functional,” Bryk says. “Black, when layered thoughtfully, is endlessly chic.”

Dreamy Den 

A den designed for enjoying a well-made digestif, listening to records and reading a good book is just what this client ordered—and received. “The client wanted a home that felt timeless and layered with personality, elevated and transitional with a soulful edge,” says Maldoff, who coated the walls in Benjamin Moore’s Midsummer Night. “The palette [throughout the house] is grounded in warm neutrals with strategic moments of darkness, like the den and powder room, which add pops of drama to the home without losing any warmth.” She selected these particular spaces in the home for a reason. “These rooms aren’t meant to feel expansive. They’re meant to feel exciting yet intimate.”

The room does get natural light, but Maldoff leaned into the darkness to create a space that feels like an intimate getaway all year round—dark and stormy weather only makes this room more appealing. The custom panel moulding adds texture and interest to the walls, a good tip when working with dark colours. “Black walls alone can feel flat. It’s a simple, yet effective way to create cohesion,” she says.

Maldoff brought in cognac leather chairs for comfort and contrast, pairing them with a solid black coffee table to ground the space. “The key is layering—when paired with luxe seating, textured textiles and soft lighting, the space becomes rich and warm.”

The saturated black walls create a cozy, yet subtly masculine character in the den, reinforced by a pair of Mauti Lounge Chairs by Sunpan. Organic Modular Table by West Elm.

Half-Bath Drama

Another spot of richness in this home is the appealingly luxurious half-bath, where Maldoff made a big statement with black-painted walls accented with cream wallpaper and tones of gold. “We used Railing by Farrow & Ball, paired with a bold marble vanity featuring deep blues and purples,” she says. “With no window in the space, leaning into the darkness felt intentional and added depth and intrigue.” 

A brushed gold faucet from Riobel and a cream and gold wall sconce by Hudson Valley Lighting bring brightness into the room, while picking up the warm tones in the creamy Phillip Jeffries wallpaper. “They were looking for something with personality without being trend-driven,” says Maldoff.  

Maldoff broke up the black powder room with cream and gold, using the Curves No. 1 wall sconce by Hudson Valley, paired with Phillip Jeffries wallpaper in 1453 Tranquil Weave.

Moody Mudroom 

As the daily entry point for a busy family with two young kids, this mudroom needed to be function-forward. The clients favoured a cool and chic monochromatic palette throughout their Toronto new build, working with principal designer Jaime Polan Zimmerman of JPZ Interiors for two years to bring their black-and-white vision to life. “This is actually the only room that we did drench in black everywhere. It’s quite dramatic,” Zimmerman says. “I feel like the mud room is the perfect spot to be more fun and bold, because you’re not sitting in there and hanging out.” 

Located off the garage and connected to the first floor and basement, the mudroom is a drop-off zone for all the family’s outdoor accoutrements. The all-black space looks cool, of course, but it has its practical uses. Zimmerman upholstered the bench in “a black, vinyl fabric so it can withstand most mess, and if it gets wet or anything, it’s easily cleanable,” while brass knobs and hooks by Emtek provide open spots to hang coats and umbrellas. “There’s not really any brass throughout the house, but because we did all-black millwork, we needed the hooks and cabinet knobs to warm it up,” she says.

The walls and cabinets are painted in Benjamin Moore Onyx in a matte finish for easier maintenance—the lack of reflective surface means smudges and fingerprints are harder to spot. It’s a room that will evolve as the family’s needs change, but it will never feel dated. “You can never go wrong with black,” Zimmerman says. 

The tongue and groove panelling was also painted black for a cohesive, monochromatic look throughout the space. Touch latch doors pop open to reveal wood shelving inside, creating a subtle contrast.

A Kitchen With Edge 

A matte black hood vent, paired with honed marble on the counters and backsplash, is just what this client needed after living for a year with a sterile, all-white kitchen that lacked storage, says Sam Tibshirani, founder of Sam Tibs Studio. “She wanted subtle drama, and she wanted the space to feel edgy and unique to her,” she says of her client. “It needed to be super functional, but I wanted to go moody and bolder with the finishes.”

Tibshirani designed the hood vent herself (along with the media console in the living room) out of cold-rolled steel coated in a waxed finish for a matte, industrial look. “The client previously lived in a hard loft, so she had this real love of industrial style, and I tried to bring in that utilitarian character.” Adding to that industrial vibe, as well as fulfilling the functionality memo, is a rolling ladder made from white oak and the same black cold-rolled steel. “The client had always wanted a rolling ladder in her dream closet, but the closet wasn’t big enough,” she says. “I thought, ‘Why don’t we do it in the kitchen?’ The ceilings are 11 feet high, and the cabinets that go to the ceiling would be totally inaccessible without a four-step ladder.” 

On the whole, the space is a study in tones of black and how they can work together in varying degrees of darkness. (Yes, mismatched blacks are a thing and they work.) “The Noisette Fleury marble has gorgeous veining that kind of looks like lightning. It’s the kind of surface that feels like a landscape, which is just stunning,” says Tibshirani. The kitchen stools, by Croft House, have sturdy black iron legs and plush ivory cushions that pick up the veining and create an inviting spot to watch the chef at work.

Matte black steel and rich marble introduce surprisingly different shades of black, yet both add drama to this industrial-inspired kitchen.

A Rousing Restoration

“This kitchen was the anchor point in a much larger restoration project—one that encompassed restoring the entire home after a fire,” says Bryk. “The space speaks volumes about the owners: confident, creative and unafraid to deviate from the expected.”

The black cabinetry, by Hays Woodworking, emerged from a desire to create something grounded and dramatic, she says. “The cabinetry gave us a gallery-like backdrop for the stunning Calcutta marble island, the moody stonecut [by Canadian Inuk artist Kenojuak Ashevak] over the sink, and the patinated brass.” The custom, unlacquered brass counter, shelf and integrated sink by North American Metalcraft, paired with the .25 Collection faucet by Waterworks, brings a warm glow to the space, balancing out the black. Unlacquered brass has no protective layer, so the metal tarnishes and darkens with usage, gaining that gorgeous organic patina from touch over time. 

“I wanted the kitchen to feel both luxurious and tactile,” says Bryk. “Black cabinetry signals a shift away from uniformity—it’s bold but timeless. I think we’ll continue to see black used more in kitchens, especially as part of a larger move toward soulful, character-filled interiors.”

The unlacquered brass .25 Collection faucet in this kitchen will patina over time, picking up more of the black tones from the lower cabinets.