These Black Bedroom Ideas Debunk the Myth That Dark Paint Shrinks Your Room
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
Whether you had childhood nightmares or hate struggling to find your way to the bathroom as an adult, you might initially be against dark colors in the bedroom. Black bedrooms tend to get a bad rap, but we're here to prove that black bedrooms can bring the drama without the fuss. Sure, an airy white space can feel crisp and refreshing, but this moody hue casts your bedroom in mystery, coziness, and high-end luxury. The allure of a black bedroom isn't solely reserved for the dark academia trend, either.
Black is a sophisticated staple that instantly brings intrigue when added to an interior via paint or a textile. The dark pigment has countless undertones and variations, so as long as you choose a black that will elevate your bedroom, you're set for a striking makeover. Laura Williams of ATX Interior Design says, "I love using black paint in various areas of the house. In a bedroom, it's an opportunity to have fun and add personality."
There's a common misperception that dark colors shrink the size of a room, but the effect is actually quite the opposite. Even in a studio apartment, a black bedroom can feel vast in size and endless in opportunities to make a statement. Choose black decor, black wallpaper, or black paint—you're free to create an illusion that doesn't hold back on style. To help you rethink the moody hue, we searched high and low for the best black bedrooms from designers who conquered the palette with true finesse. So feel free to go with a monochromatic look or dip your toe into the dark side with an accent wall. These black bedroom ideas are kind to rustic and modern aesthetics and everything in between.
Keep Art on Display
The paneling of the wall creates an enveloping feeling in this soft-black-painted bedroom. The space looks treasured and intentional, an intimate invitation to feel right at home. This specific shade, Farrow & Ball Railings No. 31, allows the artwork and decor on display to stand out for all the right reasons.
Envelop the Walls
Warm up a dark room as Heidi Caillier did here by installing a black grasscloth wallcovering. The striated wallpaper brings even more texture—perfect for a cozy bedroom.
Go for Gold
Designer Alisa Bloom gave this black bedroom an elegant art deco flair. The glamorous gold trim along the walls, windows, furniture, and decor helps break up the black paint. The light coming through the window reflects off every golden detail.
Carve Out a Reading Nook
In the Sacramento home of designer Shavonda Gardner, she makes a case for fitting in a reading nook even if you feel like you're low on square footage. A vintage Eames chair makes cozying up with a book or an occasional afternoon nap worth it. Gardner used an inky paint hue (Caviar by Sherwin-Williams) and personalized accessories to boost her style.
Choose Velvet
Add softness to a dark hue by upholstering the walls in black velvet. For the bedroom of a Dallas home, designer Denise McGaha covered one wall in a Lee Jofa fabric for a relaxing touch. The fabric walls also helps soundproof the room.
Place Your Bed Between Storage Units
Photographer Björn Wallander is constantly abroad and chose to size down drastically from his apartment in Brooklyn into a 350-square-foot studio in a Frank Gehry–designed skyscraper in Manhattan. A mixture of black and brown, this custom Behr paint warms up the space and supports the two storage units on either side of his bed. "When you have a small space, you're kind of forced to be very organized," he says.
Exposed Stone
In this bedroom designed by Hecker Guthrie, the textures are layered on stone by stone, encouraging us to embrace architectural quirks and existing bones rather than trying to hide them. If your home is devoid of those features, choose furniture and decor made of dark-hued natural materials.
Frame a Murphy Bed
Designer Neal Beckstedt gave in to the element of surprise in a pint-sized New York City studio too small to fit even a pullout sofa. Above the bed frame is a black accent wall, and the gridded wallpaper outside the frame creates the illusion of more height and depth. He designed a full-size Murphy bed bed that folds up flush with the cabinets.
Customize the Headboard
If you're a fan of a soft rug underfoot and want the same cushioned feeling for your walls, add textured wall panels. A jet-black hue against white walls will give a pop to your bedroom. "The owner of this bedroom is a fan of werewolves. We found the best way to give her a werewolf bedroom in an elevated and fun yet sophisticated way," says Laura Williams of ATX Interior Design.
Use Oversize Floral Wallpaper
Ryan Turf, president of furniture-and-decor brand CB2, and his wife Jessica, principal of Jessica Turf Design, designed a 100-year-old home in a palette of black and white. This bedroom exemplifies the romance and high-low luxury the pair wanted to achieve.
Matte Black Paint
Go for matte black paint and glossy black trim to play up various finishes in your bedroom. The color scheme of eggplant, mustard, and cream against the black allows the hue to make more of an impact as shown in this space designed by Tali Roth. The overall feel of the bedroom is relaxing, laid-back, and elegant.
Pinstripe Walls
Exaggerate the size of your bedroom with a canopy bed frame that won't get lost in a black and white pinstripe wall. The color scheme is surprising and charming, showing Thomas Loof's finesse for making spaces that are elevated and curated with a collector's eye.
Go Big on Grayscale
Your nighttime routine will feel and look like an absolute dream with grayscale cloud-print wallpaper as the backdrop. The black bedframe and window curtains ground the eye-catching wallpaper while the black photo frames add contrast against the gray. The wallpaper covers the ceiling too so you'll be counting sheep in style
Paint Your Bookshelf
What's a better accent wall than a built-in bookshelf? In this Victorian-turned-postmodern townhouse in Chicago designed by Summer Thornton Design, the black shelves frame the yellow, brown, and gold color scheme beautifully. The French attic aesthetic beams above give the room a cozy alcove atmosphere.
Prioritize Texture
Benjamin Vandiver transported a Brooklyn townhouse back in time with a British 1800s makeover that fit in with his client's businessman lifestyle and fashion sense. It results in a texture-filled space as shown in this bedroom with charcoal gray wallcovering. Vandiver took classic features of a gentleman’s wardrobe—navy, greens, and grays—and added patterns and textures: plaid, ticking stripes, hounds-tooth, and wool flannel to the room to complement it.
Bring in Textiles
Motifs on the wall, bed, and floor fill the room of Shavonda Gardner’s teenage son, a budding artist. Gardener also chose to showcase work by Black creatives in his room. The Ew, David neon sign (a Schitt’s Creek nod) is a conversation piece that Gardner believes every space needs to show your personality.
Total Blackout Walls
You will feel like you're stepping into a room double its original size when covering the walls in black. The white trim, beige floors, and neutral bedding soften out the darkness of black paint. Metallic accents and lighting are the glamorous finishing touches that rival a hotel.
Get Playful
Black can be a fun color to display your favorite things and hobbies. Stephen Shubel created a "moody and eclectic" look in his bedroom by mounting flea market finds to the wall, and adding the Genuine Fake Books wallpaper by Deborah Bowness behind the bed. It is coziness at its finest! Add a large antique bronze mirror on the wall to make it look larger too.
Choose Bold Colors
Black isn't a brooding or intimidating hue when boosted with cheerful pigments to offset it. This room makes a case for showing the dynamic quality of black by inviting a sunny yellow frame, bright turquoise, and royal blue into the color story.
Color Blocking in Black
Try color blocking instead of committing to black walls and ceilings. The black-and-white breakdown of this loft is cohesive and sets boundaries on the purpose of each space so the living area feels separate. There's a flow as you go throughout the space and the bold black lines don't distract from the laidback feel of the bedroom.
Rethink Boho Bedding
The bohemian aesthetic is known for its relaxed vibe, and this room proves that you can have a comfort-first bedroom with black paint. A (mostly) black-and-white color scheme is a fun foundation for experimenting with prints. The bohemian ikat end-of-bed blanket and graphic black-and-white pillowcases tie everything together.
Black Window Treatments
A great start for beginners using deep tones, dark gray walls and black window treatments ground this room perfectly. The dark blue jewel tones in velvet bring more depth to the space. For more of an edge and impact when the light shines from the window, stick with matte black.
Make It Kid-Friendly
Yes, black walls can work in a child's bedroom and grow with them. Brighten up the space with decorative furniture and lively colors in the bedding. Plush toys, throws, and rugs help bring a cozy and youthful feeling.
You Might Also Like
