Where Black Still Works

Last week, I opened my Architectural Digest magazine and found an artist’s home decorated almost entirely in black and white

She said and I quote “Grahic black and white talks to me, I don’t know why it just calms me”. Then she said it had become her signature.

So then I said out loud in a reel on instagram, Well, I know WHY, because it’s been hardcore trending for the past 10 years!!??!!

When we see an aesthetic everywhere for long enough—in magazines, showrooms, restaurants, new builds and Instagram—it starts to feel less like a trend and more like our own personal taste.

Familiarity becomes preference.

And it could be possible that black and white has been her signature long before the trend arrived. But here is my opinion:

A signature is what remains after the trend has moved on.

And then it became an Instagram reel because apparently I still have some feelings about the black-and-white trend, haha.

For years, I was yelling from the rooftops about black windows, black faucets, black hardware, black lighting, black shower frames and black accents being installed in every new build and renovation.

Not because black itself is bad. Because black had become the automatic answer to every design decision.

Need a faucet? Black.

Need cabinet hardware? Black.

Need windows? Black.

Need a chandelier? Also black.

That is unfortunately NOT a considered design plan. It is often simply a trend package.

And because so much of that black was being installed as a fixed element, I knew homeowners would be living with the hangover long after the trend had peaked.

Well, the shift is now unmistakable.

In my eDesign department, we regularly hear from homeowners who want to avoid the stark black-and-white look. They are moving toward warmer woods, softer contrast, richer colour and more nuanced finishes.

But this does not mean every black element in your home must immediately disappear.

Black is not dead. The “black on everything” default is.

Here is how a little black can still be timeless and beautiful.

1. A Classic Black-and-White Floor

A traditional black-and-white mosaic floor will always be a yes in the right bathroom or entry.

Why?

Because it looks exactly the way we expect a classic floor to look. It has historical context. It is not trying to be the newest or most unusual finish in the room.

This was the main bathroom in our bungalow. The black-and-marble mosaic floor was repeated in the leathered black countertop.

At one point, I painted the walls a vibrant green. Later, I changed them to this blue.

But notice that the plumbing fixtures, hardware and sconces are a softer silver finish. I did not repeat black on every small element simply because there was black in the floor.

This bathroom could be painted almost any colour, and the floor would still work.

And by the way, adding colour is one of the best ways to update a modern farmhouse room suffering from an overdose of black and white.

2. A Quiet Black Countertop

A simple charcoal or black countertop can be elegant and grounding, particularly in a kitchen with stainless appliances, which usually already contain some black.

Grifon

The important word here is quiet.

Choose a honed or leathered surface without dramatic white lightning-bolt veining. Plain and simple is the essence of a timeless hard finish.

Soapstone, honed black granite or another subtle dark surface can create contrast without demanding to be the star of the kitchen.

3. An Architectural Line on a Staircase

A little black in a staircase—perhaps a handrail, slim metal spindles or dark stair treads—can create a sophisticated architectural look.

In my house, I had the stair treads painted black to relate to the metal spindles. Refinishing the treads to match the existing wood floors would have been enormously expensive because the work had to be done by hand.

Here, the black has a job. It creates continuity and contrast.

It is not simply another tiny black element sprinkled into the room.

4. One Piece of Black Furniture

When I first moved into this house, I had so many decisions to make, I bought an hour with a celebrity designer I admire to get a fresh perspective on my living room, he told me I needed a black coffee table.

At that point, I was so allergic to the black trend that the thought had not even occurred to me.

But he was absolutely right.

The black coffee table created contrast with my yellow sofa and repeated the black stair railing nearby. It gave the room visual weight.

This is the difference between using black deliberately and installing it automatically.

5. Black in Patterned Textiles and Accessories

Patterned rugs, drapery, pillows, art and accessories are the easiest places to repeat a touch of black so that a larger black element feels connected to the room.

A rug containing a small amount of black might relate to a black coffee table. A narrow black band on a drape could make existing black windows feel more intentional.

And because decorating is less permanent than glued-down finishes, this is where you can experiment.

I recently saw a clever treatment for dressing black windows and had AI recreate the idea so I could show you.

When “A Little Black” Becomes Bitty Black Everywhere

This is where rooms go sideways.

One black element can provide contrast.

But then someone decides that the black faucet requires black cabinet pulls. The cabinet pulls require black sconces. The sconces require a black-framed mirror. Then we add a black shower frame, black towel hooks and a black ceiling light.

Each choice seems harmless on its own.

Together, they create bitty black punctuation in every direction.

The room starts to feel harsh, flat and predictable—and it immediately dates itself to the black-and-white trend of the late 2010s and early 2020s.

A black faucet does not require every other small metal element in the room to be black.

In fact, that relentless matching is often what makes a room look more builder-basic rather than more custom.

What If You Already Installed Too Much Black?

f you’re standing in your kitchen or bathroom right now feeling like you went a little overboard, please don’t panic! It was such a huge trend.

The good news is that these are “small ticket” items.

You can gradually swap out that black faucet for chrome or polished nickel, or change those black cabinet pulls for classic knobs. These are amazing for covering holes from builder boring pulls on everything.

It will immediately soften the look and make your home feel more custom. And don’t forget to paint the walls and cabinets a pretty colour. Transformative.

So yes, a little black is still a good thing.

But black is no longer the automatic answer—and frankly, it never should have been.

Are you team “No More Black” or are you keeping a few classic anchors? Let me know in the comments!

Planning a New Build or Renovation?

Trends tell you what is currently available.

A proper design plan tells you what actually belongs in your house.

Shop my Essential Tools: Grab my Neutral Colour Wheel to identify undertones and see the four gradations of useful whites.

My New Build and Renovation eDesign consultations give you an intentional, coordinated plan before expensive finishes are ordered and installed.

Related Posts

A Tour of the Black Accents in my Home

What Everyone Should Know About Black

Why We Love the Black and White Trend