A Q&A with designer Danielle Myers
Welcome to our Black & White Week, our homage to the Indy 500 coming up on Sunday.
I want to kick off the week with a Q&A with Danielle Myers of Elle Designs in Indianapolis, who talked to The Design File about how to decorating with black and white.
Here's what Danielle had to say:
Question: Black
and white decorating seems to be timeless. Why can it be used in so many
styles.
Answer: Using
a color palette of black and white transfers to a variety of design styles and
feels: Contemporary, traditional, transitional, even shabby chic.
With so
many pattern choices available in wall covering and fabrics, black and white
can appeal to many design enthusiasts and become timeless. With a design based
on black and white colors, it is easy to change the look and feel over the
years without having to redo the entire design. This can be done through adding
different accent colors, or placing a bold piece of artwork on the wall.
Q: What makes a black and white room successful?
A:
A black and white room, needs to have a good balance of both colors. For
example if using a heavy damask patterned wall covering in both black and
white, your furnishings need to be bolder statements of solid colors. This will
provide a contrast to your background.
Also,
a little bit of greenery in a room (see photo from Pottery Barn above left) will soften the edges and put that lasting
warm, inviting detail in the room. Don't forget your metals -- brushed nickel
or shiny nickel provides a reflective material while yet allowing your black
and white color scheme to still dance around the room.
Q: How should a home decorator approach creating a black and white room? What
are the keys to making it work?
A:
Some tips on approaching a black and white color scheme: Evaluate your room.
Can it absorb a bold black color on the walls? Is there natural light in the
room? What is your ceiling height? Is there opportunity to introduce an accent
color?
Q: What accent colors work well with black and white?
A:
Some pops of color that make a bold statement are lipstick red, marvelous
magenta and seaweed green. For a subdued pop of color, try a pale pink,
tantalizing turquoise or even a lovely lavender. All of these accent colors
would allow for some color relief in the world of black and white.
Q: How important is texture and pattern in making a black and white room work?
A:
I think texture and pattern become the most prominent factors if you are just
designing with black and white (see photo above right; image by Chendra Cahyadi). The houndstooth pattern paired with a sultry
black leather pillow, and a hint of a white boa feather. These appeal to sense
of touch, and they make you want to reach out and feel them. It is key to have
a variety to allow for the black and white not to get to heavy and weigh your
room down.
Finally,
in any design appealing to all of the senses - See it, Touch it, Hear it,
Smell it
Addressing
all of the human senses during the design process is key to a successful
design.
Have
fun and don't be afraid to experiment.
