Goth Goes Glam: 16 Ways Decorate with Black

A wide range of finishes pumps up the monochromatic scheme: The metal-plated wall inspired the conical metal art in this dining room designed by Los Angeles-bsed BAM Design Lab (bamdesignlab.com). Shiny black champagne flutes complete the look.

One color can be one-note, so in addition to varying the materials, add in unexpected accents that stand out from the sea of black, such as this armchair's clever upholstery featuring text.

In a mostly black palette, keeping furniture light gives a room balance. The tufted sofa in white was a must-have to up the glam quotient in the living room. The faux concrete media console begged for “the fluffiest rug we could find” to serve as a foil, says one of the BAM Design Lab (bamdesignlab.com) masterminds behind this room.

The design team behind this bedroom originally painted the walls (in charcoal gray, but it looked flat, especially against
the ornate custom headboard frame. Tone-on-tone wall­paper with a raised motif brought the interest they were looking for while
still letting the neo-baroque paper inside the frame shine.

Red plays a supporting role in this guest bedroom but in a small way—just the headboard. With so much drama everywhere else,
a rainbow of accent colors is unnecessary. To match the tonality of the wallpaper, the designers chose a deep berry instead of, say, a cherry red. Design: BAM Design Lab (bamdesignlab.com).

To balance out a somber color scheme, this light-up sign adds retro cheer to the room.

Committed to black? Paint the ceiling. The onyx beams give this sitting room a moody vibe. Dark elements go against all rules of maximizing small spaces. But this 875-square-foot loft keeps itself from closing in by using white shelves, carpet, and subway tile.

More: Get inspired by this chic loft

• Related: Give your kitchen a modern look

Our 2014 Idea House designers stained the kitchen cabinets ebony. The look stays clean and bright with white backdrops and industrial pendants–not to mention the ivory bar stools and matching pup. Gold hardware on the chairs and lighting give an elegance to the space.

Black and cream create a modern, yet cozy living room in this Manhattan Beach home. A dark fireplace and shelving form a bold statement wall. Neutral furniture keeps the hue at bay. Stripes in an oversize rug spread charcoal to the rest of the space.

More: Make your living room a place you never want to leave

This butler’s pantry is black-tie only. Gilded cabinets make the room luxurious against the black patterned wallpaper. Dark accessories and a starry lamp create magic on the countertops. Each element comes together in midnight luxury.

More: Tour the rest of this modern beach house

Decorating a tiny hallway bath in black takes guts. Doing it right like this one pays off. It features floor-to-ceiling subway tile and a painted door. The utility sink gives the room a vintage vibe while adding light to the space with a white basin.

More: See the rest of this Laguna Beach cottage

This bathroom’s all about bringing the outdoors in. Painting the wall behind the sink brought darkness to the naturally bright space. The black makes a nice contrast to the hardwood and emerald foliage.

More: See the rest of this dreamy cabin home

Susan Stella does black and cream well. She uses dark stripes on her cushions without the color overtaking the rest of the room. Midnight framing anchors the walls and matches the banco seating.

More: See more of this Southwestern adobe

Ceramic vessels and an abstract painting welcome modern art into this powder room. The speckled wallpaper, reminiscent of pointillism, uses black while staying light. The bold marble sink pulls the dark elements together.

More: Check out the rest of this modern beach house

Make a creative statement by decorating with black in your artwork. This stairway gallery employs black on cream and vice versa. Silhouettes and shadows like these never go out of style.

More: 15 fresh ways to display your art

While the rest of this house may be colorful, the bathroom brings the black. Penny tile covers part of the wall in a nod to the home’s 1940s origins. In the portrait, a gentleman’s blue shirt and dark-ended pipe echo the midnight wall and blue flooring.

More: Go wild with color with lessons from this Hollywood Hills home