1 colour 9 ways: how to be bold with black

From full-on feature walls to soft accents and subtle touches, discover nine ways to banish your fear of decorating's darkest shade.

1. Keep it in the shadows

Work black into your scheme without raising eyebrows by sneaking it into your soft furnishings. A paisley print here, a gentle geometric there – warm it up with some soft greys and guests will be none the wiser.

2. Luck of the draw

Add a delicate hint of black by putting pen to paper and sketching yourself an intricate backdrop. Alternatively, let someone else do the hard work for you and opt for an illustrated wallpaper. Easy-peasy.

3. Border control

Tread lightly with simple hints of black. Try it around picture frames, rugs and cushions to give a neutral scheme some edge – quite literally.

4. Pack a punch with pattern (just the one, though)

Go dotty for stripes and work black into your scheme with one hit of pattern – this bold fabric is all you need to show you're confident with colour. Bam!

5. Not-so-Sirius Black

The dark arts can be fun, too. Just team this moody hue with warmer colours and work it into a chic chevron pattern, for an art-deco-inspired scheme with plenty of pizzazz. That's right, pizzazz.

6. The writing's on the wall

Don't just make a decorating statement – ensure your choice is a practical one with chalkboard paint, for a striking block of black that's easy to digest. Bon appétit!

7. Don't get left in the dark

Lighten up! Hints of metal, soft stripes and a canary yellow chair keep this look modern, without detracting from the black statement pieces.

8. No kidding

Black's not for babies? Wrong. Add sophistication to a children's scheme with bold stripes, modern monochrome and a peeking bunny rabbit – this Scandi-inspired scheme is proof that black can work just about anywhere.

9. Set the scene

Be dramatic and paint a statement wall a deep shade of charcoal. Add depth with streamlined storage pieces and keep the look bright and modern with a simple monochrome palette. Caution: not for the faint-hearted.

Liked this? Check out our ultimate guide to colour

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