SATURATION

You've probably noticed a lot of dark walls creeping onto your feeds. I think one of the most notable trends this year has been the addition of color back into living spaces. I'm not talking greys and neutrals. I'm talking deep, dark, beautiful color. Saturated hues are dramatic and emotional. Beautiful deep greens, bold navy and blacks on walls are making emotional statements and romancing rooms. This moody statement requires a big commitment. Here are 5 design and styling tricks to help you fearlessly take the deep color dive.

GALLERY WALL

Deep and dark make a great backdrop for a gallery wall. Think of it like the final frame. Use the contrast as a design element to enhance your art wall. A nice way to balance out a dark wall is by using white mattes to frame the art prints or by choosing light pieces to contrast against it. Mixed metal and natural wood frames offer warmth, deep patina oil paintings provide a rich depth, white mattes on art prints and photos offer a white light bounce off the dark wall. Playing between the contrast between light and dark are the secrets to embracing the dark wall in the ultimate gallery wall pop.

RICH TEXTURE

What goes with saturated color? More saturated color, intense textures, warm rich natural leathers, and nap fabrics such as velvet, velveteens and cords. The depth and intensity both subdue a dark palette and create a dancing light effect, a color bounce. Even in the darkest of monotone rooms, the textural differences and depth of color in certain fabrics provide subtle energetic drama shifts that move the eye.

Antique leather couches, honey colored hides, vintage club chairs with slight wear. It's a leather love story. The saddle inspired colors available in leather are the perfect warm gold tones to offset the dark greens and moody blues making over walls lately.

Velvet is an easy accessory to enrich a rooms palette. Easy options are floor to ceiling velvet curtains (THINK GOLD) and velvet tassel pillows. Velvet sitting chairs and couches are the NEW NOW in terms of upholstery trends and easily found at all price points. Gold velvet is always my go to. I don't think velvet comes in a better color than gold or deep green.

WARM WOODS

A bright warm wood floor is the perfect friend to a dark and moody paint palette. The mid tone golden hues such as 'early american' and a 'golden oak' stain work well. Dying to try a herringbone mitered wood look a la all those french interiors you pin? It's the perfect compliment to a rich hued wall. Think warm and rich. You can bring in the wood element with natural wood unpainted furniture, think antique secretary or a classic wood french farmhouse dining table. I'm loving turned leg vintage style office desks in natural woods. Any patina, mixed woods or wood trim detailing I'm swooning over. Bring in a vintage turn of the century antique mirror. Natural deep toned stained moldings or full wall wood paneling can be accented and highlighted with dark deep moody walls. There are no rules.

Mixed patinas, reclaimed and natural. A perfect pair with a deep bluey charcoal wall. VIA PINTEREST.

Natural oak moldings against a deep blue wall. Stunning.  VIA PINTEREST. — Natural oak moldings against a deep blue wall. Stunning. VIA PINTEREST.

BOLD MONOTONE

HEAVY METAL

Bring on the coppery colored metals, the bronzy deep sheens, the Brassy brights. Metallic contrast is a great way to soften and brighten dark walls in the most beautiful, symbiotic way. It looks aged and rich and subtle, but the shine and soul gets to co exist without being BLINGY. Metallic Light fixtures, brass mirrors, furniture legs, copper trays and accessories are the easy peasy way to bring on the bling without turning up the cheese. In small spaces like bathrooms, spring for brassy bling on plumbing fixtures or wall mirrors.

PLACE AND PALETTE

I think there are some homes that want this deep rich experience, they call for it with their Craftsman moldings and Victorian paneling details. Their naturally higher ceilings and architectural details are cooly highlighted by a hard monotone palette. Modern homes can also play in this trend. Sometimes a small space such as a bathroom or even a dark gallery wall or kitchen cabinet design can look modern and moody with a palette such as this.

For more inspiration imagery, check out our Moody Hues Board on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/realestatedork/

DESIGN NOWNESS- MOODY HUES.