Dark walls, dark room?
It’s the 1st December! Can you believe I have now been writing blogs for a whole year? Hope you find them interesting and enjoy hearing from me each month.
Is your house decorated for Christmas already? When do you put your tree up? We normally set aside a weekend to do ours. We put the Christmas songs on as soon as we wake up, we buy snacky bits and party food, mulled wine (for the adults!) and we make an event out of decorating and then settle down for a Christmas film. As you can imagine, I do double check the tree after and make sure I’m happy with the placement of the decorations!
This year will be a very different one for us, it will be a difficult time but we will try to make Christmas as magical as possible for the children, you don’t get many years of that Christmas magic with them. Instead of a Christmas Eve box, I make my 3 little munchkins a 1st December box which contains advent calendars, Christmas books which I stash away with the decorations each year and their Christmas pyjamas. I also include a Father Christmas letter writing set for them to write their all important list. I leave it out for them on the morning of 1st December to start the day off positively. Saying that, this morning was a struggle to get my children up so they didn’t have much time to go through it. They are definitely struggling to get up with the dark mornings, it was so much easier to wake them up for school when daylight did the work for me!
1st December Box
As the mornings and evenings are so dark it’s got me thinking of darks rooms and dark walls. Do you have any dark walls in your home? I do in my dining area/family room. I do however have a lot of natural light in that room with two sets of French doors and a window.
Do dark walls make a room dark? The short answer is yes. Dark walls absorb more light and can make a room feel darker but also more cosy and who doesn’t like cosy? In the evening dark walls can create a warm, intimate atmosphere. Darker colours reflect less light than lighter colours, making a room feel less bright, especially in areas with little natural light.
Dark walls can be used to create a sense of depth or drama and can be used to make furniture or art stand out against the backdrop. It can have a really positive dramatic impact. The overall effect depends on the amount of natural and artificial light a room receives, the paint's finish, and how you use the colour in your decor.
Darker colours can sometimes make a room feel smaller, but they can also be used to make a large, cavernous room feel more intimate and less vast. Painting the end wall of a long, narrow room a darker colour can visually shorten the space and make it feel wider.
Dark walls paired with contrasting furniture
If you do decide to opt for dark walls here are some tips you could consider:
Consider the finish: A matte or low-sheen finish diffuses light and can give a softer, more luxurious look.
Maximize light: To balance the darkness, ensure you have adequate artificial lighting. Natural light will still play a role, with the tones shifting throughout the day.
Use strategically: Paint a feature wall in a dark colour to create a focal point or balance the shape of a room.
Choose the right shade: Dark colours change dramatically in different lights. Always test a large sample on your wall for 24 hours before committing. It is best to paint a sheet of paper and move the paper to different walls to see how the light affects each wall.
Benjamin Moore have a wide range of dark colours and they also have a really brilliant app to help you see how the colour will work in your space. The high quality of their paint gives great coverage and finish. If you want to see the sample cards in person, head over to your nearest Brewers or have a chat with me as I have their full colour catalogue.
Benjamin Moore colour wall
Are you feeling inspired to give your room a dark colour makeover? If so, please get in touch so I can help you choose the right colour for your space where I can take into consideration natural and artificial light and of course, the room’s purpose. My website is www.sophielawsinteriors.co.uk or you can email me at sophielawsinteriors@outlook.com. Let me make your space a happy place!
I hope you have a really wonderful Christmas. This year has been a real tough one for me and my family and I really appreciate your support and for sticking with me. It really has meant a lot. I’ll see you in the New Year!