The Bold Wall Paint Color Bobby Berk Turns To Again And Again

Dark walls make a room seem small, right? That's what conventional decorating wisdom dictates. But, according to design expert Bobby Berk, one of the stars of the Netflix reality series "Queer Eye," that's not always the case. You can indeed use dark paint colors on walls in your space — even black — without regret. In fact, black is one color he uses for bold accents time and again.

In an interview with Glamour, Berk explained his reasoning, saying "Everyone's always like, 'What do you mean black walls? It's going to make the space look smaller. It's going to make it look so dark.' Actually, it has the opposite effect. Obviously, I don't usually go in and paint three walls black, unless it's like a study or an entertainment room. But a black accent wall here and there creates so much depth and dimension into a space, and it actually makes rooms feel larger if it's done right." Here are some tips on using darker hues in your home and how to style the rest of the area to complement the look.

How can dark paint make a room seem bigger? It has to do with giving the space an illusion of depth, which can make it "look like it goes on forever," as Bobby Berk told TZR in a Zoom interview. He's also a firm believer that darker paints "make things look chic," and that's why he keeps going back to his trick of the trade over and over. If one wall is dark, what color is best for the remainder of the room? White is Berk's preference for a perfect balance of dark and light that yields a stylish look.

If black paint is a bit too dramatic for the space you're envisioning, you do have options. Dark charcoal, dark navy, or dark green are all Berk-approved alternatives. "Really dark hues are what I'm going for right now," he shares (via Glamour). Any of these hues work to mimic his space-expanding concept.

So, now you know that balance is the key to painting an accent wall a dark color, but what does that mean when it comes to decorating? "If you go in and do dark walls, dark furniture, and dark floors, then your space is going to look small. But if you do dark walls and you balance it with a light floor, a light rug, and light furniture, that's a way to make a room look way more sophisticated," said Bobby Berk (via TZR). 

If you're thinking you can't live without some color in your life, select neutral furniture and rugs and save the bright pigments for decorative accessories and accent pieces that can be easily switched out (instead of investing in a brightly colored sofa you may tire of sooner rather than later). Not everything has to be super-expensive either. Even Berk admits to picking up great used items off the street when he was living in New York. Don't shy away from mixing high-end decorative touches you can't say no to with thrift store and bargain basement finds when creating your tasteful dark-to-light room.