The Daring Design Choice Joanna Gaines Wants You To Embrace Instead Of Avoid
Choosing paint for your interior can be tricky. After all, you don't want to choose a paint shade that could devalue your home. You don't always have to be daring when it comes to color and design, but there is one choice that Joanna Gaines, who is known for creating amazing color schemes in homes, encourages people to try somewhere in their home: dark paint.
If you've been wanting to bring a little drama, embracing black paint doesn't have to be scary or turn your home into a Gothic mansion (unless that's what you want!). In fact, Gaines supports incorporating darker shades, and explains that balancing them out is what helps keep moody paint colors from becoming too overbearing. The good news, too, is that, unlike a tattoo, paint is fairly painless to remove — even black paint. Consider this your sign to stop avoiding the dark paint trend and take Gaines' advice to welcome it with open arms!
There are a variety of reasons why darker shades actually benefit a room or home. While lighter colors embody open and airy vibes, bold and moody tones introduce a very welcoming, cozy attitude. Think of comfortable cafes, bookstores, or restaurants that feature darker hues: These all exude an inviting atmosphere thanks, in part, to inky shades. However, Gaines has several tricks to keep your dwelling from leaning too heavily into the dark side, so you can still get all the drama without feeling like you're living in an abyss.
Don't be afraid to go bold
While Gaines suggests homemakers avoid white on white on white as a design trend, she seems to wholeheartedly encourage adding a bolder color to your walls. Once you finally decide to take the plunge and paint your walls, how do you ensure that your space still offers a modern, accessible, engaging ambiance? Gaines reminds readers to always consider everything else in the room "like the flooring, rug, and furniture." As mentioned before, these factor into how the dark paint interacts with the room.
When deciding where and how to incorporate black or other dark paint shades, it's important to consider the other elements of the room or space. Look around at the existing furniture, ceiling, and floors, and determine how they will match with either a moody accent wall or all of the walls in an inky shade. Gaines explains in a Magnolia piece, "Even bold shades can be balanced out by the other elements in your space." To balance your intense walls, try to find pieces that will complement them. Natural woods, lighter neutral fabrics and textiles, and even mixed metals can elevate a dark paint so that it feels less oppressive and more modern.
Balance your darker shades with natural elements and pops of color
If you really want to go for a "wow" factor, Gaines suggests trying a matte black paint. During one project, she painted an accent wall with this option, and then brightened it up by using a white graphic rug with black accents, white paint on the surrounding walls and fixtures, and lighter woods for the furniture. It made for an open, welcoming space that still provides a touch of drama without feeling overwhelming.
Look for textiles that feature a little bit of the dark shade you used on the walls, but have other complementary colors, too. The more creams, beiges, and whites you bring in, the more you will find the room gets brighter. Bold pops of color work with inky shades, too, but these will pull the decor into a more dramatic sphere. Too much could make the area feel heavy. Instead you'll likely want to accessorize with soft, buttery light neutral pillows, wood tables and shelves, and gold embellishments in the form of lamps and fixtures to balance out your dark paint shades.