Monday Color: Matte Black

Few could avoid the buzz of "black friday" last week. From the onslaught of promotional discount emails from every major retailer to the abundant news coverage, it seemed like the event of the year! I'm happy to say the only cash I shelled out last Friday was for a tank of gas.

But with the call of "black friday" in my face at every turn, I decided to pay an anti-tribute by featuring Black in today's Monday Color Post, but with a commitment to featuring only independently manufactured small-scale products after the beautiful inspiration rooms. Not a single Target product anywhere in sight. And because I've already featured the color Black, I'm focusing on its softer, gentler counterpart: Matte Black.































1) From an Apartment Therapy post on black kitchens, I'm smitten over this combination of Matte Black and tons of rustic wood.

2) The Matte Black walls in this room are soothing when paired with this much white and an abundance of nature-inspired elements.

3) Spotted on The Design Darling, these Matte Black paneled walls also get a shot of energy from lots of white and natural materials, with an extra dose from various reflective surfaces.

4) Matte Black is even an option for wallpaper lovers, as seen in this room found on Apartment Therapy San Francisco.

5) & 6) Although starkly different, I love both of these black-walled kids rooms from Oh Dee Doh equally: (5) a artistic minimalist approach and (6) one with lots of color and fun themes.

7) A daring black grasscloth-covered office from Desire to Inspire.

8) Mila Table Lamp in Black from Canvas.

9) For an inspiring round-up of Matte Black painted furniture, head to this Remodelista post, which includes tips on the best low VOC, acrylic latex paint to use on such a project.

10) A 20" x 30" map of the United States in hand-drawn white type on a matte black background (from Little Owl Designs on Etsy).

11) I love how black chalkboard paint modernized this old globe and gives it an interactive, wanderlust appeal to (found on The Stir).

12) Kontextur Tissue Cover in Matte Black, from Design Public.

13) An unbelievably affordable Matte Black Nightstand Cabinet from Aspen Country.

14) Large Carafe from Calypso Home.

15) Blu Dot's powder coated steel Totem Bookcase in Black, available at The Future Perfect, is the ideal size for storing vinyl records or large art books in a small unused corner.

Monday Color: Black

The only black in my house is the ink in my printer and Pilot Precise pens, and one, yes one, recently purchased 'little black dress'. I extracted the color from my wardrobe completely sometime late in my time as a Manhattanite, when I looked around one day and became aware of the sea of black I was commuting on the subway with, walking the sidewalks with and eating at the cafes with. Eschewing black was how I was going to be different.

And frankly, since my darker angst-ridden teen years came to an end (thank god!), black has just simply failed to express the cheery, resilient, nature-loving optimist inside of me. However, I've dabbled in black from time to time in my design career, and have started to lust after it a little more than usual recently. I thought this newly piqued interest in black at least deserved its own Monday Color post.....and maybe a hanger or two in my closet again someday.






















Images above:

1. Even though I used this nursery in an archived post about yellow, the impact clearly comes just as much from the black wall and black dresser as the cheerily striped ceiling.

2. Black takes on a fresh and modern personality when bright white furniture and accessories are contrasted against it, like in this little girls room.

3. As a pre-teen, I had a mostly black room. My parents let me select my furniture (black lacquer bedroom set) and color palette (gray, black and deep red!). Yes, it was the 80's but my parents should have really seen all this as a more of a sign. If I could go back now, with my design experience intact, and make myself a somber pre-teen hideout, this is the black room I would have created.

4. This guest room seems to have perfect ratios of black and cream, pattern and solid, intriguing art and languid softness.

5. and 6. Animal print, taxidermy, velvet and expanses of deep black seem like inseparable combinations in both of these inspiration rooms from www.hometrendesign.com

7. For a fashionable dose of black and texture in any room, this Gloss Black Faux Crocodile Folding Room Divider seems erroneously billed as a "high quality commercial business office partition" on Amazon.com.

8. A collection of flea market gold frames have never looked better (image from Apartment Therapy).

9. Black and white block printed textiles (like this comforter) feel equally old worldly and modern.

10. Black makes this basic side chair sexy (Bent Wood Chair in High Gloss, from Brocade Home).