Basic principles of creating an interior in a black and white living room

The passion for black and white colors in the interior unites many stylish designers. Whatever your family home is: a small Khrushchev-era apartment, a spacious two-level apartment, a country house or cottage, a central room - the living room can be decorated in the basic colors of dominoes. The current idea of ​​an impeccable combination of black and white colors is distinguished by noble chic, impeccable grace, and original harmony.

Black and white interior always looks elegant and luxurious

The main advantages of using black and white in interior design

The black and white living room is a combination of practicality, versatility and grandeur. The modern interior design of the central room, in which black and white tones intertwine monochrome, has its advantages:

• visual expansion of space;
• the possibility of an original combination with various furniture and interior items;
• the ability to use bright accents;
• sophisticated, refined, noble design and decor;
• creating a welcoming, pleasant overall atmosphere and environment.

A hall in black and white style can be decorated in minimalist, avant-garde, Scandinavian, classical styles, or even in the style of luxurious baroque. A wall, floor, or ceiling can be “dressed” in contrasting black and white colors, and at the same time be in perfect harmony and evoke extremely positive emotions.

Monochrome interior design is best suited for people with a pragmatic mindset

By decorating your living room in black and white, you will amaze your guests and show off your excellent taste.

A living room in black and white can be diluted with unexpected bright accents (furniture, photo wallpaper, tiles, a bright accessory, curtain or tulle of an unexpected shade).

There should not be too many enlivening, colored “touches” in the living room, in order to avoid diversity.

Minimalist style

Black and white colors are the basic shades of a laconic functional design. Features of the minimalist style:

• streamlined rectangular shape;
• combination of contrasting tones;
• use of simple forms;
• free, open plan;
• lack of excessive decor;
• placement of a minimum amount of furniture.

Gray, beige, white and black colors in the living room interior

White and black furniture in the interior of the living room-kitchen

Black and white main color scheme of the apartment

Plain walls, floors, interior items are the basic design principle. The main finishing materials are natural wood, glass, varnished boards. The black and white design of the hall in the style of minimalism involves the choice of strict furniture of a geometrically correct shape without elaborate designs, floral ornaments, or patterns. A small number of bright accents are allowed in the interior.

A modern design option is a white frame of the room and black furniture with light details.

Black and white cozy small living room

Black wall in a large white living room

Creating the necessary lighting for a black and white living room

You think that a room with black wallpaper will look gloomy, gloomy and uncomfortable. Proper lighting will help solve this problem. Depending on the chosen design direction (classic, modern, art deco, minimalism, shabby chic), the black and white interior of the living room can be illuminated by various light sources in unlimited quantities:

• central chandeliers will make the room full and bright;
• spotlights on the ceiling will visually increase the height of the room;
• additional lighting around the perimeter of the ceiling, along the perimeter of decorative shelves or panels will help expand the room;
• table lamps will help illuminate the seating area;
• tall floor lamps with black or white lampshades will illuminate hard-to-reach places;
• wall sconces will add romanticism to the overall atmosphere.

When using a black and white design, it is important to choose the right lighting fixtures

Glass lamps suspended from a suspended ceiling will look good in a modern living room.

When choosing a central chandelier, you can even opt for lighting fixtures in black (or contrasting bright red) color, which will harmonize perfectly with the white ceiling.

Two colors - many styles

There are style solutions that seem to be created to embody black and white ideas. They are very different, but each is perfect for the living room.

The most fashionable:

Photo wallpapers can help out any style, because in addition to standard options, you can always make them to order, giving the interior exclusivity.

Additional decor for a black and white living room

The strict silhouette of a black and white living room can be diluted with various types of additional decor. Properly selected modern textiles, small details, and lighting can make a real “revolution” in any interior. To liven up a room with black and white strict lines, use the following interior decor items:

• pillows;
• tapestries, wall panels;
• carpets;
• paintings, photo zones, photo frames;
• dishes (vases, candy bowls);
• decorative figures made of wood, porcelain, paper, glass;
• fresh or artificial flowers;
• candelabra with candles;
• forged accessories for the fireplace;
• curtains, tulle, curtains, blinds, roller shutters;
• exclusive floor coverings (cast floor with black and white pattern, contrasting parquet or laminate).

A few bright accents will only improve the interior and make it lively and more expressive.

A pattern on a pillow in the Baroque style or a geometric pattern on curtains in the Art Nouveau style will contrast with the strict black and white lines of the walls and ceiling, successfully “echo” the traditional shape of the furniture, and add a touch of romanticism and elegance to the overall design of the black and white central room.

The following color shades, which most successfully combine with the strict constancy of black and white, will help make the monochrome interior of a black and white living room original and exclusive:

• red, burgundy, pink and burgundy will make bright energetic accents;
• green, emerald and turquoise will add freshness to the interior;
• yellow, orange and brown will create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort;
• blue, cyan and gray will add a touch of sophistication, serenity, and soften the transitions between polar opposite domino colors;
• beige, milky, ivory, cream shades will help avoid variegation and give the interior a feeling of calm and spirituality.

Introducing bright and rich shades into the interior will radically transform the perception of a monochrome palette

Double advantage

By choosing a black and white design for the main room, the main advantages will be:

• Stylish, fashionable look: sophisticated, sophisticated or graphic, laconic, but definitely not losing its relevance over time.
• Ability to create an environment that is dynamic or relaxing. The latter quality is especially valuable: monochrome interiors do not create strain on the eyes and free up the home space as much as possible from additional information flows.

To realize a combination of key advantages in your living room, just follow simple rules:

• Dominance of one color. The same proportion will create a vague effect and will not attract attention.
• Let the furniture take the main interior position. At the peak of popularity, complex forms, with non-standard graphics, perhaps somewhat pretentious elements, but against the background of monochrome they acquire a special sound.
• Numerous curved lines and contours, even smooth ones, add dynamics: they are visually tiring and certainly do not contribute to relaxation. The goal for the living room is coziness and tranquility: it can be achieved only by the ratio of a small number of purely black and purely white objects.

Tips for choosing furniture for a black and white living room

A black and white living room requires a special selection of furniture. It is quite natural that the furniture should correspond to the chosen style of the room (classic, Scandinavian, art deco, modern, minimalism). Most often, designers prefer black pieces of furniture (cabinets, sofas, armchairs, cabinets, shelves). This is due to the fact that light furniture on a black and white background looks more vulgar, catchy, and quickly attracts and distracts attention. Too much saturation with black can be depressing, so dark furniture against a light background of the ceiling and walls is considered the ideal combination.

The classic solution is black furniture and white walls. The best option for a small living room

When choosing furniture, you should take into account the advice of experts. The furniture design of a black and white living room should:

• maintain a unified theme regarding shapes and geometric lines;
• harmoniously combine pieces of furniture of various sizes and dimensions;
• correctly combine tint solutions;
• correctly combine materials and textures (natural wood, leather).

White furniture looks chic against the background of black walls and floors, but quickly gets dirty

If necessary, using individual pieces of furniture (sofa, corner sofa, shelf along the entire height of the room), you can zone the living room.

Art Nouveau style

Transforming the living room in the modern direction involves the use of natural finishing materials. Distinctive style features:

• predominance of white color;
• dark colored wooden flooring;
• functional furniture;
• soft smooth lines of interior items;
• use of plant and natural ornaments;
• decoration with mirrors, glass surfaces;
• minimum amount of textiles.

Black and white living room decor in Scandinavian style

Black and white apartment interior

Black and white wall in a small living room

Decorating a black and white living room in the Art Nouveau direction involves using light shades for the ceiling and walls. It is recommended to give preference to paint, liquid wallpaper with plant patterns. A stylish option is black upholstered furniture with metal and glass inserts.

Practicality and functionality are a feature of modern design. Therefore, the interior should not be oversaturated with decorative attributes and textile products.

Fashionable black and white living room in art deco style

Brown, black and white colors in the living room interior

Decorating a black and white living room

Recently, monochrome color combinations in the interior have become incredibly popular. The living room in black and white captivates with its severity and simple lines, laconicism and restraint. To ensure that everything is perfect and pleasing to the eye, you should adhere to some design rules.

Tips for finishing the ceiling

The most correct design solution for a room with black wallpaper is a light ceiling, which will help make the room taller and more spacious. A dark ceiling will be appropriate and relevant exclusively for a large, spacious hall with huge panoramic windows providing a large influx of natural light.

A black ceiling is appropriate where the style of the interior requires it

Another successful ceiling option is geometric patterns of complex or simple shapes in black on a predominant white background.

Modern technologies and an abundance of finishing materials for the ceiling expand the field of activity of designers:

• wallpaper of various types;
• painting;
• plaster;
• stucco elements;
• stretch ceiling;
• dropped ceilings;
• plasterboard structures;
• glass structures.

For a small living room, it is better to choose a white ceiling color

Floor finishing tips

Many interior designers agree that a dark (black) floor will give the living room solidity, nobility, restraint, and complete the image. If the ceiling is low and decorated in white, the natural color scheme for the floor will be a dark color.

When choosing a black and white combination, you must immediately decide which color will be the main one and which tone will play a supporting role

The flooring materials you can choose from are:

• tiles;
• marble;
• poured floors;
• wooden parquet;
• laminate;
• linoleum.

Modern manufacturers offer original solutions in the field of poured floors, which allow not only to effectively complement the interior, but also to zone a hall or living room.

To maximize space expansion, you need to focus on light colors

Wall decoration tips

A fashionable transformation of the walls in the hall, made in black and white colors, can evoke various associations, feelings and emotions:

• gradient shades (the idea of ​​using tones of a different palette for wall decoration from white, different shades of gray, to black) are suitable for a living room with low ceilings and windows on the north side;
• a vertical pattern in the form of an ornament or stripes of a monochrome combination can visually make the ceilings higher;
• a horizontally directed pattern or pattern will contribute to the visual effect of “spreading walls”;
• the use of contrasting colors in a checkerboard pattern depends on the scale of individual fragments, their location horizontally or diagonally;
• author's, exclusive photo wallpaper on one of the main (central) walls of the hall will create a feeling of 3D reality, making the room unique and original.

Contrasting stripes on the wallpaper, located vertically, will visually raise the ceiling of the living room

A variety of modern materials and technologies are used to decorate walls: wallpaper, painting, plaster, fabric drapery, plasterboard structures.

Oblong walls should be painted in neutral colors to make them less noticeable.

Rules for decorating a monochrome interior

A black and white room in an apartment or private house looks as if it came out of old photographs. Monochrome solutions are actually quite emotional, although non-standard. Many are afraid of such an environment, or rather they are afraid of getting a boring, gray, faceless room.

In fact, contrasting design simply cannot be boring, especially when interesting design techniques are used.

• The use of black floors in a black living room interior is, of course, unlikely, but very interesting for a white setting . The dark floor covering, the same dark furniture and the impeccable white finish of the walls, ceiling and cabinets look harmonious. The result is a contrast that goes from bottom to top. When combining the living room with the kitchen, you can include a black tone in the apron of the work area, which will become a connecting link in the contrasting composition. The choice of coating is not limited: matte wooden materials and glossy self-leveling floors look elegant.

• A black ceiling in the living room interior is another interesting solution . Typically, a glossy stretch ceiling is used to implement it. A matte canvas will absorb a lot of light, so it will overload the decor. Of course, sometimes this option is used, but gloss remains more preferable. The black ceiling in the hall looks like the night sky, and the spotlights look like stars. Against such a background, a lush chandelier with many small bulbs, the light of which will be reflected in the glossy surface, also looks luxurious. A living room with a black ceiling will be gloomy if such a color scheme floods the entire surface. It is optimal to use the canvas as part of a multi-level structure, especially in its shaped inserts that decorate the room or follow the contours of a certain area in the room.

• A black wall in the living room will be an accent if the remaining surfaces are painted white . In addition to this technique, accompanying touches are appropriate, but in the amount of one or two details - the floor and/or part of the ceiling, a sofa, a coffee table, a black and white painting behind the sofa, armchairs, a pattern on the carpet, floor lamps, chairs in the dining room, if it combined with the hall. By the way, in the interior of any living room there is always an obligatory black spot - a TV, the screen of which fits harmoniously into the contrasting palette.

• A black chandelier in the living room interior is another unusual object for any setting . In combination with a couple of other details, such a lamp will fit into a white room even in the smallest room. Models complemented with metallic details in a silver shade will look lighter. Such products look stylish and elegant, although not everyone decides to decorate a room in this way.

Of course, there are no rules for decorating a living room in black. Despite the gloominess of this range, it has the right to be liked and therefore used in different interiors. Only when choosing a contrasting palette for a small room is it worth painting a large area white.

Photos of examples of the finished interior of a black and white living room

A room with black wallpaper (photos of various options are presented in accordance with the chosen style of the room) can be decorated in different ways.

Neoclassical style in a black and white living room

Neoclassical style is a modern classic that embodies the fashion trends of several European styles at once, manifested by:

• in spaciousness and the absence of unnecessary decorative elements;
• in clear and straight shapes, silhouettes, lines;
• in the predominance of white over black;
• floor finishing - parquet, laminate, natural wood in dark colors;
• in the decoration of the walls - the predominance of light, options with small and discreet ornaments are possible;
• the ceiling decoration is exclusively white;
• furniture finishing uses light, natural materials.

Black and white living room in neoclassical style is a classic through the eyes of modernity

Neoclassical monochrome is not suitable for the halls of Khrushchev-era houses, since it requires more free space.

Neoclassicism is perfect for decorating rooms in studio apartments and living rooms in country houses

Minimalism and black and white living room

A hall in a black and white minimalist style is the most relevant solution for laconic, discreet people. Distinctive features of the minimalist direction:

• abundance of rectangular shapes;
• the presence of contrasting accents;
• large free space;
• open plan;
• minimum amount of decor and furniture;
• lack of ornaments, designs, patterns in the decor;
• walls, floor and ceiling are plain without patterns or designs.

Black and white minimalism is suitable for both large spaces and small rooms

When choosing minimalism, make one or two bright accents so as not to overload the interior.

Minimum furniture and decor, maximum order and space

Scandinavian monochrome living room design

As you embrace the Scandinavian style, be prepared to implement some must-have details:

• exclusively natural materials for finishing;
• functional, simple form of furniture, preferably white;
• dominance of white color;
• minimum number of bright accents;
• a variety of diverse decor and design elements;
• a large number of devices for artificial lighting;
• the possibility of zoning the living room (dining area, area for relaxing and receiving guests); presence of a fireplace.

Scandinavian minimalism is exactly what lovers of warmth and space need

Various elements of additional decor (vases, paintings, panels, flowers, figurines) can be placed in an arbitrary, chaotic order, without adhering to the rules.

The main features of a Scandinavian interior are simple, cozy and comfortable

Black and white avant-garde living room

The design rules for a black and white living room in the avant-garde style are most popular among young interior artists and are based on the following postulates:

• possibility of functional zoning for convenience;
• many bright, but contrasting (without smooth transitions) accents;
• bold experiments with shapes and textures;
• use of non-standard furniture;
• wall decoration - bold combinations of vertical, horizontal patterns, stripes, unusual and colorful patterns;
• use of a variety of finishing materials (metal, wood, glass, plastic).

Avant-garde style is based on contrasting combinations and extraordinary design solutions

Avant-garde is characterized by the absence of smooth transitions and halftones, only sharp transitions from anthracite to snow-white.

In this style you can give free rein to your fantasies and create a unique and inimitable interior.

Chic black and white living rooms in Art Nouveau style

To transform your living room in Art Nouveau style, you should adhere to the following design rules:

• predominance of light colors;
• elite decor in the form of mirrors, glass;
• ceiling design - white color, possibly hand-made stucco;
• floor design - black wooden coverings;
• wall decoration - preferably light color, with stucco, floral patterns, drawings;
• some furniture and textiles, preferably black, with metal and glass inserts.

A large chandelier, decorated with clear glass or crystal, will add elegance and chic and will play the role of a central element in a black and white living room.

Modern Art Nouveau prefers rich contrasting shades

Paintings or photos in black frames are suitable for decorating the walls of a living room in the Art Nouveau style.

When choosing any option for decorating a room in black and white, do not forget that the contrast of white and black sharply reveals all the irregularities, curvatures of the walls, ceiling, and floor. Dust and dirt are clearly visible on the black and white surface. In houses and apartments where there are small children and pets, this type of interior design for a hall or living room will not be a very appropriate and practical option.

And the last rule for a central room with black and white decor: black should not be more than 50%, since this color can negatively affect a person’s well-being and mood, and increase the likelihood of stress and depression in people of any age.

Additional tips and tricks

• Be careful that the percentage of white does not exceed fifty percent. Otherwise, it may provoke depression both in you and in your family members;
• Don't be afraid to experiment. You can create either a bold, contrasting color scheme in the living room, or vice versa, soft and calm. Flexible creative frames make it easy to change design style. To do this, just change the decorative elements. For example, change the texture and color of vases, tablecloths, candlesticks and other small but catchy elements that create the overall picture.

Westwing Shopping Club is a popular virtual guide to the world of interiors. If you consider yourself a creative person, ready to create unsurpassed design masterpieces, then welcome to our website.

Patterns, ornaments and drawings

Like any other wallpaper, black and white wall coverings can come in a variety of designs and patterns. They can be divided into two categories: black patterns on a white background and white patterns on a black background.

Black patterns on a white background

White wallpaper with a black pattern for walls is the choice of those who love sophistication and sophistication.

Such wallpaper is suitable even for small rooms, since the predominance of white will help visually expand the room.

White wallpaper with a black pattern will look best in the interior if you use it on a certain small section of the wall or divide the room horizontally with it. In this case, the lower third of the room is decorated with wallpaper with a predominance of black, and the upper two thirds - on the contrary, with white wallpaper with a dark pattern.

Attention! Remember that the larger the black pattern and the more densely it is located, the closer the wall will appear, which means the smaller, more cramped the room itself will look.

A combination of plain wallpaper and wallpaper with a pattern will still be a relevant and original solution. This can be white or black wallpaper as a background, or patterned coverings.

White patterns on a black background

A white pattern on a black background is a very unusual, bright, even somewhat glamorous option, and therefore it must be used very carefully.

Thanks to such wallpaper, the room will already look bright and contrasting, so you will have to get rid of the remaining small details. It would be better to decorate one wall or some area in the room with such wallpaper. It is better to choose textiles and accessories in light, neutral tones.