Choosing a dark internal colour pallet for your home

As we all know, good things come in small packages. If you are building a smaller home and you love a dark colour pallet but are apprehensive about creating a sense of confinement, fear not – I have some fantastic ideas to ensure that your home feels expansive while still indulging in your preferred colour scheme.

Firstly, natural light is an important attribute to consider in your home. It can impart a sense of spaciousness and enhances the ambiance. Whether its opting for a glass entry door to invite the morning sunlight into your entry hallway or incorporating expansive windows and doors in your primary living areas, these design choices seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor spaces, elevating the overall atmosphere of your home.

Dark Colours in Bathroom Spaces:

Pictured: Merbau Display Home, Orana Estate

The bathrooms in your home typically rank among the smallest spaces. However, if you’re drawn to the idea of creating a dark and atmospheric ambiance in your bathroom, there are numerous methods to achieve this without compromising on brightness and freshness.

When selecting tiles for your bathroom there is a multitude of options available to maintain a sense of spaciousness. If you’re inclined towards darker tiles for both the floor and walls, consider limiting their coverage to the shower wall and vanity splashback, or installing them halfway up the walls rather than extending them to the ceiling. This approach retains some plastered surfaces in the room, which not only softens the overall aesthetic but also alleviates any sense of confinement, particularly if complemented by lighter paint colours. Another alternative for tiling is having your darkest tiling choice laid onto the flooring and selecting something a few shades lighter for the wall tile.

Lighting plays a crucial role in bathroom designs. Natural lighting using windows or skylights can illuminate the space during the day, while strip lighting at night not only provides a great source of lighting it can also contribute to a captivating ambiance. Coupled with appropriate ceiling lighting, this combination creates a perfectly balanced, moody yet functional bathroom environment.

Dark Cabinetry:

The allure of a fully matte black kitchen is undeniable! It’s a style that many adore, but some hesitate, fearing it might create a space that’s too dim. However, since the kitchen often resides in the open-plan area of a home, it’s an ideal spot to introduce darker cabinetry. To prevent the space from feeling too heavy there are some options to balance this such as incorporating a window, mirror, or tinted mirror splash back, adding an illusion of openness and brightness.

For smaller areas in your home such as the Ensuites, Bathrooms and Powder rooms choosing dark cabinetry can be a hesitation for some. A Fantastic approach for enhancing these areas of your home is by elevating your cabinetry from the ground (floating vanities) this technique can effectively amplify the sense of space within the room and give the cabinetry a minimalist aesthetic, rather than appearing cumbersome and weighty. By implementing this strategy, you have the freedom to select any cabinetry colour that appeals to you, be it deep charcoal, matte black, or rich timber tones. This selection will contribute to achieving a sleek and modern design for these spaces, elevating the overall ambiance and visual appeal.

Pictured: Norfolk Display Home, Minta Estate

Dark Flooring:

An area of concern for many people can be their flooring choice from the entry through to the living, meals & Kitchen spaces. If you prefer darker floorboards, tiles, or carpet, it is important to keep in mind your wall colour. Bright, fresh wall colours can offset the darkening effect of the floor, creating a pleasant contrast. Additionally, opting for larger floor tiles, such as 600x600mm tiles, can create the illusion of a larger space by minimising the number of grout lines compared to smaller tiles.

 In conclusion I hope the tips and ideas mentioned above install complete confidence in your decision to embrace the darker colour palette for your home, fulfilling the vision you’ve always desired.

By Shelley Herbert
Beachwood Interior Designer.