When it comes to interior design, few color combinations can express luxury as much as gold and black. It’s the go-to choice for those who want to add a touch of elegance and sophistication to their homes without having to go overboard on other design details.
Still, there’s a right way to execute this color combination. Too much black can easily make an abode look gloomy while piling up on the gold accents can quickly turn into borderline tacky. Want to make sure that you hit the sweet spot when using this color theme?
Here are a few tips that can make sure you don’t turn ‘luxe’ into a ‘faux pas’.
1. Choose your shine wisely.
High-shine gold accents, when not applied well, can easily make any space look overbearing and loud. If you want to make gold the dominant theme of your home, go for pieces with burnished, oiled, or aged finishes. Subdued tones like this will still add a warm look to your interiors without actually assaulting your eyes.
If you really want to go for gloss, it’s better to add just one signature piece with a high-shine finish. A shiny chandelier or a vase with this color theme is usually enough to light up a black and gold-themed home.
2. Pile up more on the black.
To better understand this, think of this analogy: black stands for sophistication while gold represents luxury. You don’t really want a home that screams ‘rich’ and ‘money’ loudly. What you want is a combination that says ‘I’m luxurious, but I have good enough taste to not brag about it.’ Use the black tones as your base that can ground all the gold accents you’ll introduce to your design.
3. Don’t be afraid to use other colors and play with textures.
The problem with using too much black is that it can easily make your home design look heavy and gloomy. To balance everything out, introduce other neutral colors into the mix. White is always a sure choice because it adds a touch of airiness and clarity into the combination without exactly breaking the luxurious theme. Using other textures like a sheep fur rug or shapes like geometric patterns on your pillows can also stop your overall theme from coming off as too flat and two-dimensional.
4. Consider the location.
When applying this color theme, always take the time to consider the function of the room you are designing. For example, a lot of interior designers will suggest going a little easy on the black and gold for spaces like the living room since they’re one of the places that see the most activity in your home. Going a little too dark on this place can drag down the whole vibe of your abode so it’s the perfect spot where you can introduce lighter color tones to inject more life to it.
Your bedroom, however, is a safe space where you can go as dark as you want since this is where you’re supposed to wind down and relax. A gold accent here and there is usually enough to keep it from looking too heavy to the visual palate.
5. Use gold wisely.
The role of gold in an interior design theme is to add a punch of luxury, so it makes sense to choose the right pieces in this color. If you want to get the maximum impact of this hue, go for interesting accents that can keep your gaze longer than usual. A gold plate centerpiece in your dining table or a fancy coffee table accent in this solid color are good examples. Again, the key is to go for pieces that can have the most visual pull rather than just going for gold everything.
6. Use the right lighting.
No matter how well-executed this color combination is, the design will fall flat if they’re not supported by the right room lighting. Yellow light is the best bet because they bring out the warmth of the gold and keep the blacks from coming off too visually heavy. Flat white, on the other hand, can make everything look tacky. It can also wash out the natural glow of the gold. Just make sure to keep the right balance of white and yellow—too much of the latter can also underwhelm the impact of this color combination.
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