3 Simple Ways to Use Black Wall Paint in Your Home
My interior paint journey has been a wild one. In our last home, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. And it was obvious. I went with the norm and chose greige for our walls. If I’m honest, I never really loved it. For the kids rooms I went bold and painted one bright orange and the other super bold teal. It’s probably no wonder why they had trouble sleeping. Then, I took a big 180 and fell in love with classic, neutral white walls. Not the cheapy white from my first apartment but a crisp, clean, deep white. And then. I found black. And the black and white together makes me smile. I know the thought of black paint can be intimidating (but caution, it’s also super addicting once you start!) so here are my 3 ways to use black wall paint.
Over time and many projects later, I’ve narrowed it down to two black colors I usually use again and again. These have stood the test of time and work for a variety of projects. While I’ve tried a couple of others, Tricorn Black and Iron Ore both from Sherwin Williams. Tricorn Black is a true neutral black while Iron Ore is more of a blackish charcoal.
1. Color Block Wall
One of my favorite ways to use black wall paint is to do a color blocking type look. I used this technique in my small bedroom which had a bunch of different challenges, including an offset window with the only option for the bed right below.
So? I painted half the wall black! I used Sherwin Williams Iron Ore, so more of a deep, dark gray. This serves a couple of functions: it gave me the look of a headboard and also made the room feel instantly more interesting. It moved your eyes up from the floor making the space feel taller. And the way the light shines on the black is just too good.
2. Black Accent Wall
While it can be intimating at first, a black accent wall is now one of my go to projects. Have a long or narrow space? They can feel kind of ominous or never ending. Our powder room and my office both have this long narrow layout. They kind of felt like boring tunnels.
By painting the back wall on each of them black, I’m basically stopping that floating never ending tunnel feeling. Both spaces now feel grounded and anchored. Curious how to add this design feature in your space? Read How to Choose Accent Walls for more tips and ideas.
3. Painted Fireplace
Ok, I’ve done many a fireplace makeovers. From whitewashing to painting the tiles and surround, give me an outdated fireplace and I will find a way to get it up to speed. Often, that includes using black wall paint for some sort of dramatic effect. Because fireplaces are a natural focal point, I love the contrast. I know it can be a little controversial and I wouldn’t paint every stone surface, but some are good contenders.
Other Ways to Use Black Wall Paint
Of course, there are a million other ways to use black paint around the house. Over time, I’ve used black painted in a variety of ways. Here are some other ideas:
- Painted Front Doors – If one thing upgrades almost any house, it’s a good black front door
- Interior Doors -This is one of my next projects I’m excited for
- Paint Stairways -Did this on the concrete stairs leading down to my basement and made all the different
- Shelves and Bookcases – Painting the back of shelves creates a bold modern, look
- Kitchen and Vanity Cabinets – Never have I loved my kitchen more than when I painted the cabinets black
More Black Paint Colors
While I love Tricorn Black and Iron Ore, there are a few black paint honorable mentions.
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron – this is a lovely deep charcoal and very similar to Iron Ore
- Behr Black Boudoir – very deep and velvety but runs a little purpley
- Rustoleum Milk Paint, Eclipse – a rich, deep matte paint I’ve used for many furniture projects
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this post gives you some inspiration on different ways to use black wall paint. It really is one of my go to materials for home updates because it makes such a difference. So whether you’re painting an accent wall or an outdated fireplace, black paint can work some serious magic! If you’d like to learn more about the paints I use, check out my post on Tricorn Black vs Iron Ore to see a side by side comparison.
