How To Use Lighting And Textures To Add Interest To Dark Interiors

Today we’re going to tour three interiors that illustrate how to use lighting and textures to add extra interest to dark decor. Dark decor can be bold, dramatic and seductive, but it can also fall flat and be downright depressing if you don’t get it right. The trick is to send a little current of excitement though it, which can be achieved by pulling texture out of those walls, and lighting them up oh-so perfectly. There are countless ways you can do this, and this little trio of tours has a good handful to show us. Check out smart black slatted panels, stunning stone feature walls, and some drop dead gorgeous lighting installations.

Visualizer: Stephen Tsimbalyuk

With an area of 65 square metres, our first home was designed for a young couple located in Reykjavik, Iceland. The interior speaks of cool professionalism, wrapped up in a dapper grey package. Grey slats cut down the living room wall like a pinstripe suit.

The slatted wall is lit at one end to exaggerate the abrupt change between a smooth plaster wall and the textured section. A sleek black square coffee table is set down on a heavily textured rug.

Opposite the sofa, a rugged stone feature wall undulates the length of the living room, climbing toward a mountain range outside of the windows. A flat screen TV floats in front of the rock face.

A unique dining table hangs from the ceiling of a small dark kitchen diner, surrounded by four black dining chairs in the shadows.

In place of candles, a tiny fireplace burns openly in the centre of the fascinating dining table set.

The burning hoop of a modern dining pendant light adds to the glow in the grey dining room.

A grey L-shaped kitchen wraps around the dining area.

Recessed lighting diffuses over the adjacent rock feature wall.

Slatted cabinet doors line the longest wall of the kitchen, throwing a mysterious shuttered effect over the kitchen paraphernalia within.

The mountainous feature wall treatment is repeated inside a dramatic grey bedroom design, lit from the top and the baseline by recessed LED strip lights. The warm white glow accentuates every peak, pit and roll of the rock face.

A bedside lamp adds to the illumination of the impressive bedroom accent wall, as does a beautiful bedroom pendant light by an ensuite bathtub.

The bespoke black headboard design runs the full width of the bedroom and ensuite bathing area, where it becomes a shelf for fresh towels.

On the opposite side of the room to the black bath, there stands a unique black pedestal basin, and a shower enclosure behind tinted glass.

The floor of the wet area is tiled in large format grey slabs.

A rustic side table is cut from a rough tree log.

Entry to a backlit walk-in wardrobe is made via the washbasin area.

A double workspace features a desk that is in the same vein as the dining room table.

The workstation is suspended from the ceiling, which keeps the floor space looking incredibly open.

The floor plan reveals the location of the separate WC just off the bedroom.

Visualizer: Stephen Tsimbalyuk

We take a trip to Paris for our next apartment tour, where we find grey living room decor spliced with wood effect wall panels.

The small lounge leads straight onto a formal dining room, where the walls are mostly overtaken by windows. Heavy grey drapes gather at the edges of the glass, brushing at the wood laminate floors with their hem.

A grey kitchen peers through an opening on the other side of the room. The walls around the wide doorway have been painted in a matching shade to create one solid cohesive volume.

Three lamps burn brightly along the black dining pendant light. Behind, a wood panelled wall is lit from one side to accentuate a clean transition from grey paintwork.

Handle-free units keep the small kitchen looking sleek and streamlined. Soft lighting gives it a welcoming vibe.

Flooring changes from wood to tile in the hallway.

Recessed spotlights illuminate the walkway.

In the master bedroom, a headboard feature has been created with a high panel and some recessed LED strip lights.

A glass closet opens up on the opposite side of the room to the window, reflecting the light and the view.

Custom fit closet systems flank the walls of the walk-in wardrobe.

The sliding glass doors allow the daylight to enter the closet, but ceiling spotlights brighten the clothing selection process.

In the shade of a grey bathroom, a tiny niche burns brightly.

Anthracite towel rungs hide out in a shadowy corner.

A backlit panel supports a wall hung toilet.

Towels and a rattan laundry basket jostle beneath a made-to-measure vanity.

Visualizer: Hi Light

High contrast monochrome decor fills our last home tour, which is enlivened with lush green plants. The indoor greenery is a reflection of the homes special location amongst the trees. Glossy black walls reflect daylight from the windows and the forest panorama.

Stunning wirework pendant lights cluster over the white sofa, creating a light canopy.

Lantern pendant lights emit a soft diffused light in the dining room, above a glossy white dining set.

More plants give their texture to a minimalist white galley kitchen design, where their leaves and tendrils overspill from a bespoke built-in planter along the ice white countertop.