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Bright colors are not for everyone. If you expect tranquility from the home environment, the black and white interior of the apartment will be the perfect solution. In the article, we will analyze the pros and cons of this classic combination and tell you how to beat it in different rooms so that the space looks organic and not boring.

Creating an achromatic interior

Peculiarities
Design Options
— Kitchen
— Living room
— Bedroom
— Children’s
— Hallway
— Bathroom

Pros and cons

Any color combination will have both fans and opponents — simply because each person has his own tastes and expectations from the interior. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of an achromatic pair.

pros

• This is a classic. Like other neutral colors (brown, gray, beige), white and black will not lose their relevance — this is the base out of trends. At the same time, you can easily dilute such a palette with bright textiles or decor, and then change them at any time or remove them altogether, returning to a restrained range.
• Both achromats are universal and impersonal in a good way. They are not associated with any gender stereotypes, do not cause negative associations. They do not overload the nervous system, like bright red, and do not make me sad, like dark blue in large quantities. Thanks to this, they are suitable not only for any room, but also for any person — for example, such a range will be very successful for a rental apartment.
• They are easy to match. For those who make repairs without a designer, it is often difficult to choose shades and create a harmonious palette. This requires either an innate talent, or a great deal of observation — or better, both. In black and white, you can’t go wrong. The main thing is to choose the right proportions and not overdo it with dark elements.
• Achromatic tones look restrained and at the same time expensive, and together they create a spectacular contrast, which in itself makes the interior bright.
• With their help, you can visually adjust the proportions of the room. For example, adding more light areas will make the space appear larger than it is.

Minuses

• It might be boring. The main claim to achromatic interiors is their facelessness and flatness. But such an effect is created not by specific shades, but by the ill-conceived design as a whole. The perception of space is influenced by many different factors: shapes and silhouettes, materials, lighting, a variety of textures, furniture, decor, etc. If you work well with the interior, it will look stylish and catchy even without bright colors in the palette.

• The choice of colors is limited. It seems that such a decision severely restricts freedom. But you can always add a couple of bright details to the palette for contrast or a local additional color (for example, a shade of gray or natural wood color), as well as focus on clear lines and pronounced textures.

• Both colors are branded. In fact, this can be said about any shade, but the essence — again — is in the nuances. Yes, a dark matte set in the kitchen or snow-white walls in the hallway sound impractical. The problem is solved with the help of suitable surfaces and materials: for example, glass wallpapers of any color are easier to clean and last longer than the cheapest vinyl ones.

Black and white interior of rooms

Consider how to beautifully implement black and white style in the interior of different rooms.

Kitchen

Black walls in the kitchen are rarely done, but the dark set is now in trend. However, it is not suitable for every apartment.

The smaller the footage, the more light tones should be in the palette. If you have a tiny kitchen niche or a five-meter building in Khrushchev, it is better to make the interior almost total white, and use dark details locally: for example, for countertops or an apron, fittings, lamps, a bar counter, etc.

A snow-white set with a dark table top or an apron looks unusual — it turns out graphic and stylish. This technique looks especially good when there is a texture of marble, stone or concrete. If there is little sun in a room, it may look cold. Complement a couple of achromats with a cozy wood texture: it can be a floor, a work surface, a dining table or shelves instead of an upper tier.

In minimalist, high-tech and loft interiors, they often make a monochrome dark set with built-in appliances and smooth surfaces. It looks very impressive, but it is important to remember two things:

• Firstly, deep tones hide the space, and the set occupies almost the entire area of ​​​​the kitchen. Therefore, this design is suitable if the room is not too small, it has enough light and high ceilings.
• Secondly, think carefully about the choice of materials. Matte graphite fronts give a wow effect, but they will have to be constantly washed, and all fingerprints or grease stains will be very clearly visible. If you like the idea of ​​a dark headset, opt for a glossy or semi-gloss finish—or be prepared for daily cleaning.

Living room

A two-tone room with well-chosen finishes, furniture and decor will look elegant and expensive.

What is important to consider when designing a black and white living room:

• To make the space harmonious, first of all consider the ratio of the elements of the palette. If you distribute them in equal proportions, the interior will seem too colorful.
• In most cases, it is better to choose a light shade for decoration: snow-white, pearl, ivory. The undertone depends on the amount of sun in the room, its size and overall style. So, for example, for scandi, eco or classics, it is better to take warm creamy shades. And for minimalism, loft and contemporary, a snow-white finish is suitable.
• The ceiling should also be made light. Paul — in any shade. It can be light gray, cold graphite, brown or beige.
• Doing absolutely all the furniture in the living room black is not worth it. Let it be the largest items: sofa, chest of drawers, wall, table in the dining area. And for the rest, use transitional shades of gray or beige.
• But if you are not afraid of bright and bold decisions, then you can do the opposite. For example, make a dark accent wall and put snow-white furniture against its background. The result is a graphic and non-standard composition that immediately attracts the eye.
• Also, do not forget about the decor — it can be in the general range or, conversely, accent. Use a variety of textiles to add texture and comfort, vases and figurines, paintings and posters. Stucco work will fit well into such a duochrome space: moldings, cornices, pilasters, etc. Moreover, such decor is suitable not only for classical styles, but also perfectly complements modern trends, whether it be Scandi, contemporary or discreet minimalism.

Bedroom

The black and white interior of the bedroom will help you relax after a busy day and give your eyes a rest from the abundance of colors.

In this room, the approach to design should be different: it is important not to compensate for the lack of bright colors in the palette with contrasting combinations and pronounced geometry, but, on the contrary, to soften the atmosphere as much as possible.

To do this, use:

• Smooth outlines of furniture, rounded lines, curved silhouettes.
• Tactilely pleasant textures: wood, natural fabrics, multi-layered textiles. A good option is a bed with a soft frame or at least a headboard.
• A couple of pots with live plants.
• Multi-level lighting with local lamps that give a subdued soft light, or lighting around the perimeter of the floor or stretch ceiling.
• Shades of gray and beige in addition to the main palette.

Children’s

For a nursery, this combination seems inappropriate to many, because the interior in a child’s room should be bright and cheerful.

But the achromatic range should not be gloomy at all. In addition, in the nursery, it can be supplemented with bright accents, warm wooden textures and themed prints. For example, stars on wallpaper or curtains, polka dots, a small abstract or geometric pattern look very cute (this technique is especially often used in the Scandinavian style). Another good option is art painting or stylized photo wallpaper. They can depict a variety of subjects: fairy-tale motifs, space, city outlines, sketch sketches, drawings of cars or aircraft, silhouettes of your favorite characters.

And in the nursery is the place for the slate board. It can occupy the entire wall or some part — for example, in the area for creativity. Also, slate paint is applied to the flush-mounted door leaf: this solves both the issue of decoration and entertainment for the child.

Hallway

Most often, standard non-staining colors are selected for the hallway: gray, beige, khaki, brown. But it is absolutely not necessary to be limited to them.

A contrasting two-tone combination will look original and impressive, and a few tricks to make it more practical:

• Suitable materials. Choose high-quality washable wallpaper, paint or decorative plaster for decoration. It is important that the material is not only not afraid of moisture, but also wear-resistant and withstand repeated contact with household chemicals. Porcelain stoneware, quartz vinyl or tiles are best suited for the floor.
• The same goes for furniture. It is better to cover natural wood and upholstery fabrics with a protective varnish and impregnation, respectively (if the manufacturer has not done this, you can handle the task yourself).
• Use ornaments — they hide surface imperfections and pollution. Of course, you still have to clean up the hallway, but against such a background, stains of dirt and dust will be less noticeable. The smaller or more contrasting the pattern, the better.

bathroom

Despite the fact that the bathroom is usually small in size, you can safely experiment with its design. For example, make a black ceiling, choose a bright pattern for the walls or floor, put accent plumbing.

The main thing — follow the basic rules when designing a bathroom:

• Observe the proportions in the palette: the main color should be 60-70%, the second should be 20-30%, and the accents should be up to 10%.
• If you want to make the bathroom visually more spacious, choose a light base and local dark details. For example, snow-white or cream tiles on the walls and black plumbing.
• If dark tones are the main ones, consider sufficient lighting, and also use mirror and glossy surfaces that will additionally reflect light and add air to a small room.