Interior Design Questions and Decorating Tips

Black Bedroom Furniture Sets

Q: I just purchased a Florentine black bedroom furniture set for my master bedroom. I am happy with it and thinking about using gray, white and black in the bedroom.

My problem is I already have black leather couches for my living room. There is a beige carpet throughout the whole apartment. I'm just wondering what other colors are suggested to go in my living room if I have a black leather sofa and loveseat. I wanted to do something vivid and alive in the living room, especially because I live in Florida. Is it too late, as I already have the black leather couches?

A: Not to worry. With a little design sense, a little money, and a good eye, it's never too late to redecorate.

As it happens, our Magic of Color column this month addresses how you can use black to its best advantage by setting it off against another color, in this case, a pale but bright green.

Because you're in Florida, you may be drawn to more "Floridian" colors, such as pinks, pale greens, and turquoise or other blues. And any of these – or a combination – could work with the black leather furniture.

Whatever other color you choose, start by thinking of the sofas as your base, off of which you'll play the other colors. Whatever you pair with black will create a striking look; it's just a matter of choosing the color that best reflects your taste and creating a pleasing bedroom interior design.

Consider the wall color carefully. You could go for a look in which the beige of the carpet predominates, and paint the walls a slightly darker beige that verges on brown. Then, add accent pieces in various shades of brown. This could create a sophisticated look, especially if you use high-end linens and cottons.

If you choose the beige-brown-black combination for your bedroom, consider also the fabrics for the accents. A few throw pillows in a rough linen, or in heavy unfinished cotton, silk-screened with African designs, will give more depth to the room.

With this palette as your backdrop, you can add in a few splashes of color, which will really call attention to themselves. Choose a line-up of red glass vases, or add just two bright green throw pillows.

However, you may want to go with something more colorful, as the bedroom will also feature the black furniture. You could paint the walls a bright Floridian color, and add accents that reflect and complement that color. This will give the room a decidedly more casual look than the beige and brown scheme.

toile

In the bedroom, you could use fabrics in a toile design. One way to bring color in would be to use a black and white toile for a chair seat, and a bed skirt in the same pattern but in red and white. The red and white will work nicely with the black bedroom furniture. Add red and white curtains in the same pattern, and then offset these with a wide red and white stripe somewhere in the room.

If, by the time the black bedroom furniture is installed, you feel overwhelmed by the black, you could undercut it by just going with a blue and white toile in the bedroom, which would go nicely with the Florentine look of the furniture.

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