Black & White Is the New Black for 2017

Colour is so passé – well not really, but black-and-white themes are classically chic and making a comeback in 2017.
What we really love about BWs is that they can be incredibly easy to put together for any part of the home, be it the bedroom, kitchen or dining area. It’s also fairly simple to find pure blacks or pure whites in furniture, drapery, paint, wallpaper, flooring (typically linoleum, tile or marble), carpets and other accents.
Here are some cool tips to help you add black-and-white to your home’s interiors:

1. Introduce industrial elements

Famed for black-steel track lighting, some industrial décor pieces go well with BW themes. It isn’t just the outer casing that makes for chic overtones, but the actual spotlight itself that adds the right kind of illumination to such a contrasting two-toned scheme.

2. Don’t equalise the colours

There needn’t be an equal amount of blacks to whites; it is not an exact ratio of colours. Instead, one colour can be more dominant with the other simply accenting its hue in the background. Mostly white décor with a hint of black is best for smaller spaces as the lighter tone opens up the area while the reverse is true for more expansive spaces.

3. Add Bits of Colour

Nothing makes colour pop more than backgrounds of grayscale or BW. Intense reds, blues and even shades of yellow can look unexpectedly amazing when set against ‘uneventful’ tones. You can also mix materials and hues to warm up cold BWs, for instance; more rustic furniture like deep brown leathers go great with darker concept black-and-white décor.

4. Showcase photography

Ditch colour-rich paintings for the time being and opt instead for artsy photographs, posters, motif prints and portraits in BW (even sepia) to enhance the ‘modern’ look. Other art and décor pieces that work well with the scheme are metallic sculptures, geometric shapes and black or metal-rimmed mirrors.

5. Cool it on cold materials

Overwhelming blacks with white accents can be a cold look to pull off and thus incorporating black woodsy furniture or going with darker linoleum floors may be a better option. If you do opt for cold tile or marble with mostly black décor, try adding your white element in the form of a plush carpet to achieve the BW look and to add warmth.

6. Include patterns for energy

BWs while cool, stylish and chic can lack movement and vigour at times. To up the energy, try phasing in these colours with louder patterns and motifs. It’s a stylish way to liven up and avoid a gloomy look, especially if you are also catering to the youthful members in your household.

If you are thinking about more comprehensive updates for your home in the coming year, don’t hesitate to tell us about it. We can match you with top designers and architects that’ll bring your big plans to life. Drop us a line to request for free quotes today!
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