There are four bedrooms in the new house. Two on the garden level and then two more on the floor above the living room/dining room/kitchen. It made sense for us to be on the same floor as the girls (who will all be sharing a room for the next couple years at least). The bedrooms on the garden level are pretty large and equally sized, but we decided to use that floor as my office (since that floor has an outside entrance) and the other bedroom on that level will be my sister Heather’s, who’s living with us currently.
The upstairs bedrooms share a bigger, nicer bathroom, which is good, but one of the bedrooms is majorly smaller than the other. There wasn’t even really a choice for us – it makes way more sense for Michael and I to take the small bedroom and to let the girls have the huge 20×15 bedroom. That way there is plenty of room for them to spread out and play. Hopefully the toys will stay mostly upstairs in their room!
So our little ‘master’ bedroom (ha!) is proving to be a bit of a challenge layout-wise. There’s no closet. Or rather, the head of the bed is in the original closet. So we’re going to add a wall of Pax units. There’s also a large hall closet that we can use for additional clothes storage.
I’ve been thinking a lot about painting the walls of the room black. There’s just no getting around how tiny this room is (it’s about 9 x 11 — EDIT: I just double checked the measurements and I was off. It’s about 8×13. Eesh, that’s so narrow!), so I’m just going to work with it and play up the coziness aspect. I’m telling myself (and Michael) it could end up being really restful.
I’m planning to install a lot of new moulding everywhere in the house, including the bedroom. I’d paint the moulding black too though and I think the dimension will be really cool. I’m hoping with a light rug and white bedding/curtains, and oversized artwork, the mix could be just right with the dark walls.
Lonny
I never jumped on the black walls bandwagon a couple years ago, but I’m sure a few of you did. So I have a question for you: Do you still like your black walls? And did you paint them flat or glossy? I’m thinking high gloss or even lacquering might be really nice in our tiny room…
Elle Decor
High Street Market
I have dark gray almost black walls in my tiny Brooklyn brick-brownstone bedroom. The cozy factor is awesome!
I went with high gloss, but that was a mistake. Since the building is old, the walls are very uneven, with all kinds of bumps and irregularities. Thanks to the high-gloss paint, these lovely bumps and nicks and old paint drips catch the light in a not-so-lovely way. Wish I had gone with flat.
I have a very small bedroom in my apartment with a big window, so I felt pretty confident going dark in that room- admittedly, not black but a very deep terracotta. It gave the room such a great, cozy feeling! It stopped feeling like a closet and started to feel like A Room. The personality more than made up for any lack in square footage. I would also suggest sticking to a satin finish paint. I tried going glossy but its very cold for a bedroom.
Last year while my husband was overseas I painted a feature wall in our open plan living room matt black (with blackboard paint). When he came home he was too jet-lagged to complain. He came to accept it and after a few days even complimented me on it. We've had it for nearly a year now and I still absolutely love the black – you can style it in so many ways and anything looks great with it. I'd thought black would be a fad but I really think its here to stay for a long time. I had to rush so did one quick coat then another almost straight on top. It does show marks easily; and it does close in the space, but it adds so much drama and style to the room I won't be changing it for quite some time, if anything I'll be adding more. Go for it! Warmest wishes Sarah PS. On one of Nigella Lawson's cooking shows she wakes in her 'bedroom' which has black wallpaper with white flowers on it – it looks incredible.
black beauty, high gloss or flat – how can you go wrong.
personally, i love it and might have a problem ever waking up in the morning.
pve
I painted the walls in my tiny office a semi gloss dark charcoal. The moment I was done I was disappointed. I think this is a go big or go home kind of situation – I should have gone with a darker color and did flat or high gloss. That room is just so blah now.
BTW – The first photo with the neon orange table is hot.
My husband and I painted our bedroom chocolate brown (gloss) a few tears back. At first we really liked it, but after about six months it just became too cave-like. The dark color and glass also highlighted every flaw in our walls which wore on me over time. Just my two cents!
i have a bedroom that is painted a flat dark charcoal. i agree with the first comment unless your walls are perfect i wouldn't go high-gloss, you'll just start to notice every imperfection. In that bedroom we also have the pax units with the mirror doors, and that helps a ton reflecting the light from the windows and making that small room fell a lot bigger :) i am sure what ever you decide it will be stunning!
Black will be the perfect backdrop!
I have very dark charcoal walls in my bedroom which both my husband and I love with our white furniture and bedding and gold accents. I'd be nervous about high gloss unless the walls are perfect though. It shows every bump and imperfection. As much as I'd love to, I couldn't get away with it in my 100+ year old house. I'd probably lie there every night going crazy with the state of the walls! But I'm nuts that way! It is a fantastic look though.
I had black walls (Benjamin Moore's "Black Horizon", which was great) and loved them for about a year and a half (A long time for me :))! They contrasted so nicely with lighter furniture, and everything had really nice lines against them. the only reason I painted over them, was because I was craving something new. My bathroom walls are still black now, and have been for about 2 years. They are really starting to show dust really easily, so I think the glossy look is a good idea.
Flat black would soften it a bit I think!! I LOVE black walls…
I love the idea of painting the room black – so chic!
I think the only way to get the cozy feel you desire is through flat paint. The gloss will reflect everything like crazy while the flat will hide the true dimensions of the room. I'm sure it'll be great once done, can't wait to see it.
I love black bedrooms! Our guest bedroom is TINY – 8 x 14 and i painted it all black, including the floor. its super cozy and i have gold sconces and a white and gold painting that really pop against the black. Also, we have a rustic diy raw wood desk from old floorboards in there – the mixed textures look great!
I agree with Eva though – DONT do high gloss unless those walls are perfect! My boss just did a black bedroom too but painted the trim high gloss – that looks amazing. Can't wait to see what ya do!! -Boo
Hi there. I just painted my girls room chalkboard in black with white everything. I love it and often hang out in there while reading or with my two other little girls. I love the matte look but glossy sounds fun too. I have a picture on my blog. http://rockinrices.blogspot.com
Good luck.
I can't wait to see what yours will look like. I'm about to paint one black wall in my bedroom and the rest a soft light gray. I chose the matte route, since my walls are not in perfect condition.
My idea is that when I enter there is interest with the black wall, but when I wake up then I am surrounded by calm light color.
As for dust on the walls, I don't mind dusting one wall every couple of months.
I'd go with high gloss and embrace the highlighted wall imperfections. The "decay" element of the walls would be dramatically contrasted with shiny picture frames, soft white bedding, clean lines of furniture. Sexy!
We've got black and dark gray here and I prefer the eggshell finish we have on the black over the semi-gloss we have on the gray. Like the others said, the dark semi gloss shows every imperfection.
Love it! Most of these pics seem to have a good source of natural light that balances the dark room, so it might be good to be sure that your wardrobe WON'T cover your one window. Can't wait to see what you do!
I have black walls in our bedroom. My husband and I LOVE them. I think they're super sexy and cosy. We used flat paint since we live in an older home and the walls are not perfect. I decorated the room with lots of whites and creams, but would like to add some colorful art. Thanks for posting such great inspiration pics!
I love black walls! It's very dramatic.
Go for it! We painted our guest room a dark navy. (BM Hale Navy) and used lots of white accents and I love it! It's dramatic during the day with lots of natural light and so cozy at night.
If you'd like to see it, here's a peek.
I painted my small office a very dark gray (gray by BM) in eggshell. Our walls are textured down south so I couldn't go with gloss, it would've looked weird. I really love the color. While painting I was super nervous about how dark it was but once I got my light pink bamboo dresser, gold vintage chandelier, and bright accessories it looks great! I've had it for over 6 months now and see no signs of tiring of it.
I think black looks better on smooth walls. Otherwise it can look a little crack den. And you need to be neat in black. Otherwise, again: crack den.
And 9×12 is tiny? How long you been in NYC, girl?
http://rockinrices.blogspot.com/2012/06/chalkboard-room.html
Sorry, I didn't give the exact info of the black walls that I love. Take care
I had dark navy walls in my bedroom in the apt that we just moved our of. I loved them & miss it! The room was super tiny and the dark paint made it feel much larger! The building was old with uneven walls, so I ended up using satin to try to hide imperfections. The dark color really seemed to make all my accessories pop. Can't wait to see all the projects in your brownstone jenny!! Your so inspiring!
You once posted about my black kitchen for the campaign cabinet that I have in there. I am happy to report that I still love my black walls. I used Black Onyx by Benjamin Moore, and opted for flat paint to balance the many reflective surfaces in the kitchen including the stainless appliances, glass front cabinetry, and shiny black Silestone counter-top. It has remained one of my favorite painted rooms with no itch to change it!
I want to go dark with walls SO BADLY, but our overseas situation prevents it. If it were me, though – as much as I love a high-gloss situation, I'd go soft for a bedroom. Maybe some high gloss or lacquered bedside tables.
The PAX units might be glossy, too???
Regardless, it will be fantastic!
Oh & in case your interested the color was mercer blue by eddie bauer from Lowe's:) looks a bit darker on the walls than on the chip.
I painted my home office walls high gloss black when we first moved in and it was DEFINITELY a mistake. Our home was built in 1959 and it showed every single bump and unevenness on the walls. I changed it to flat a year ago, and it's much, much better. I'd now only use high gloss paint in a newer home (or an old home with new sheet rock).
Jenny – i love the idea! I just painted my guest bathroom an almost-black color and love it. I love a moody space :)
I would totally recommend BM's Baby Seal Black if you are looking for a slightly off-black or obsidian black. It's been a dream to use in a space with little natural light.
In our last house we had BM Iron Mountain on the walls and we loved it, so in this house we painted our kitchen/dining in the same color. We used satin, but glossy would be awesome. I say go for it!!
I didn't do black, but I've done deep dark navy blue, and I really like it in small or retreat-ish rooms. Art looks fantastic against it. ANd almost 3 years later, I still like it.
Love these images. Agree with you on using a dark color.
Happy Tuesday.
Teresa
xoxo
OK – black. I haven't painted a room black, but I painted all of my upstairs intetior doors in gloss black. Maybe it's because they're door and have beveled rectangles, but these doors are so hard to keep clean looking. Even the ones the children don't use much. They show every little finger print and dust particle. They looked kind of glamorous and stylish, but they just weren't practical for us. I've just started repainting over them… after about 2.5 years.
I LOVE black walls. Painted a bathroom Black Fox by Sherwin Williams. It was a warm black b/c it has a touch of brown in it. I went with Satin. Flat shows too many scuffs, Satin does not. I am currently renting or there would definitely be a black room in my house. :-)
Go for it. I painted my office walls a dark navy blue in a gloss finish and am so happy with it. You can definitely see every flaw in the wall which doesn't bother me at all, but it could make someone crazy if they're into a flawless look. If that's the case choose flat paint or skim coat first.
Our old 1947 home had peach tile with black accents so I painted the walls gloss black and LOVED it. Our bedroom was a very deep navy blue as well. I went for a semi gloss and, again, we totally loved it.
Hi there! I too live in a Brooklyn brownstone- we originally painted our bedroom walls a dark gray in high gloss but quickly changed it to a true black in matte. Going full on black made such a difference- it felt much cleaner and less muddy. And the flat matte was an absolute necessity- older homes have walls too lumpy and uneven and the gloss showed every.last.one. I'm obsessed with our black walls, you'll love them too, I'm sure!
Hi Jenny! I painted the walls of my tiny bedroom (about 10×13) a glossy jet black and I LOVE it! It's been a few years now and I still think it's beautiful. Definitely gives the room some glamour and is obviously very cozy!
We painted our office "Francesca" by Martha Stewart. It's a very soft black, and we chose to go with a flat finish. The trim is a glossy bright white, and the floors are pale oak. Couldn't be happier with it! Everything in the room really pops. The room still feels very open too. The flat paint hides all the flaws and sort of soaks up the light in a velvety way. We used another dark color in satin paint in our bedroom, and all you can see is every bump, lump, ding, and every other imperfection in the wall. If you want a lot of drama and glam in the room, and your walls to be the feature, gloss would be the way to go. If you want the room to seem more cozy, and have your furniture and decor to stand our more, definitely paint with flat.
Thank you all for your feedback! I agree that glossy is probably not the right way to go here. I'll only consider it if we have to cover the window with the Pax unit. I think the gloss will help the room feel less cave-like. But if we have any natural light, I'll definitely opt for flat. I'm going to do a post on my favorite black paint colors, but I really love Martha's Francesca too, JD! Definitely in my top three choices!
xx
I painted my bedroom Benjamin Moore's Kendall Charcoal based on Jenna Lyon's old bedroom. I think it's one of the best decisions my husband and I have made in the apartment yet. Can't say enough how much I love it!
Here are some photos: http://www.75thandsedgwick.com/2012/05/jewelry-organization-revealed.html
Aaaah I LOVE this look! I've been trying to decide for the last couple days what color to paint this little nook/extra room in our bedroom. Basically I just have a desk there and I'm loving the look of black with gold frames on the wall! So sophisticated! I'm thinking I'll paint it black thanks to this post! I'm in love. Thanks once again for the inspiration. I've used SO many paint colors/choices that you've shared before on this blog and I love them all. Can't wait to see all your house renovations/projects. Congrats!
OMG, I love love LOVE a dark wall, especially in a bedroom! I've done this in a couple of places I've lived and it's beautiful. You walk in and immediately feel cozy and a little mysterious! And everything pops more vividly against it. Big fan.
Anyway, I found that flat was more calming than glossy. Best of luck with it!
G
I am in love with our black walls in our hallway! Even though they are chalkboard, I am really itching to paint more walls in my house black! http://jennyjohnstoninteriors.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-first-diy-project.html
I would think a matte finish would be best. Glossy, lacquered seems like it would be best on paneled walls or cabinets.
You show some great picutres here for inspiration. Here is another one you might like too. http://pinterest.com/pin/104216178847536826/. like many of the pictures you show, I think its the contrast between the black walls and lighter furnishings that make it work.
I say GO FOR IT!
YES YES YES! Oh please yes. It will look FANTASTIC. If I were doing it, I'd cut it down the middle and do semi-gloss or an eggshell finish. A hint of shimmer more than flat, but without the extreme sheen of lacquer.
If I were you I would have a playroom for the girls and keep all their toys and books there. Let them have the smaller room where they will sleep keep their clothes. You and your husband deserve the larger room as a retreat for yourselves. Think about it!
Love that you are thinking about painting the walls black! Could look great with whites and large artwork as you described!!
Sarah M. Dorsey Designs