Are you a lover of colours? You may be a fan of all things pretty and pastel but once you walk into a home with black or white interiors, you’d surely, absolutely fall for it. There’s something about these classic shades that looks so clean, sleek, and chic.

But if you worry that black-and-white designs can be so monochromatic and boring, remember that black and white are the most flexible colours that you can mix and match with other tones, materials, or furniture pieces. It is the timeless quality that makes them perfect for graphic prints and patterns, trendy or vintage finds. It is perfect for wood or metal. It can stand the test of all these design possibilities.

Black and white are the best colours in modernising your interior design. You just have to know what look you want to achieve.

Here are ways to modernise black and white designs:

Paring down to a minimum
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Photo courtesy of Bloglovin’ via Pinterest

Black and white are basic colours, making them perfect for minimalist home designs. Minimalism, a trend in urban dwellings, involves sticking with bare necessities. It is the design advised for small homes that aim to create the illusion of a bigger space.

Imagine a white brick wall with a black leather couch against it or black chairs adorning a white dining table. Imagine a bathroom with a black accent wall and a white bath tub rested against it.

If you are a fan of minimalist designs, black and white are your best bet. They are clean and classic. White easily paves way to an airy room with so much visual space, while black provides the balance. Black-and-white interiors should not look cluttered and therefore, living within the bare minimum is a nice touch.

The metallic touch

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Photo courtesy of Cassandra LaValle via Pinterest

Classic against a classic—that’s how things are going to look if you modernise your black-and-white condo wall with warm metals. Yellow metals like brass, bronze, and copper look very classy with black and white tones. Warm metals truly stand out when placed against monochromatic tones.

Take for example industrial home designs, where a rusty floor or table lamp would shine amid a sea of black or white. In the kitchen, white or black kitchen cabinets with bronze knobs or a sparkling white sink with warm metallic faucets would look elegant and lavish. A copper-toned chair against a black wall would certainly be a showstopper in the living room. A mirror framed in bronze has Hollywood glam written all over it.

Going modern with vintage pieces

Image credit Bricolaje Facilisimo

Photo courtesy of Bricolaje Facilisimo

You’ll never go wrong with timeless vintage pieces. Mixing them with black and white will just make everything look more classic and enduring. Armchairs with vintage fabric can provide a beautiful contrast. A wooden dresser from a vintage store could be a nice touch to a white bedroom. Vintage pendant lights that hang midway from the ceiling could make a black or white dining table look like a five-star restaurant.

Vintage pieces made of wood can also exude nature in your space. You can even go granny chic by modernising your space with old china, porcelain jars, updating an old rocking chair, and so on. In modernising your living room home, you don’t need to look too far for stylish urban accents.

Play with geometry

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Photo courtesy of COCO+KELLY via Flickr

Modern dwellings are very big on lines and shapes. The good thing about using black-and-white in interior styling is that they provide the perfect combination for bold geometric patterns. Examples include a lamp that almost looks like it has a robotic hand for a stand, unusual pendant lights, an irregularly-shaped centre table, a sexy chaise lounge or a geometrical décor or fixture.

Moreover, black and white geometrical patterns can be embraced in any interior decor styles. Geometric pattern is a classic trend that has endured throughout history.

Dash of colour

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Photo courtesy of Dust-jacket Attic via Pinterest

Achieving a modern interior design is made easier with black or white walls or interiors. This is because you can do anything with it. You should not worry about the colours being too safe or boring because you can always sprinkle a dash of colour into your space.

A pop of red would easily stand out in a black or white background. Orange throw pillows on a black or white couch or a red centre table on a white rug will surely spell elegance. A quirky portrait hanging from a white brick wall or an odd tall floor vase in a corner would surely grab attention. A potted plant or a long-stemmed sunflower would provide a fresh perspective of the space. A dash of colour in a monochromatic setting are worthy conversation starters.

Pairing with patterns

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Photo courtesy of COCO+KELLY via Flickr

Matching black-and-white designs with patterns can modernise any space. Designer Jeff Lincoln said architectural solutions such as a patterned floor or striped wallpaper “give black-tie panache to small spaces.” Glazed black tiles in the kitchen provide a good graphic backsplash that makes the space more interesting. Bold black-and-white stripes in your bathroom would look really chic with a white tub in it. Graphic walls and patterned carpets and rugs define a room better. These dramatic details make a space truly urban chic.

If you think black-and-white designs are a dud, it is time to think again. Black-and-white interiors are timeless and provide a canvas for all design possibilities. Do not limit your imagination in terms of interior design and dare to be exciting. Incorporate contemporary designs with timeless black or white elements to achieve classic but equally chic design for your home.

Guest Post By

Jeanette Anzon, Blogger

AdventureDweller.com