Home decorators are often counseled to avoid dark colors in rooms, chiefly because dark colors are thought to be "robbers" of light. But that is not always the case. In some instances, the use of dark colors can infuse a room with a lively spirit that lifts it into a bright mood. There are several strategies for using dark color that will not make the room feel at all like a cave.
Instructions
1. Consider all the potential sources of light in a room, not just the windows. Not all rooms in a home will be exposed to sun throughout the day, regardless of the number of windows in the room. If the room you want to paint in a dark color has few windows, or long periods of the day when the windows are in shade, augment the light with wall and ceiling-washing floor lamps with upwardly pointed shades. Place one of these "wall-washers" in each corner of the room for best effect. Halogen lamps produce a more sparkling light than incandescent or compact florescent (CFL) lamps, but they consume more energy. Also, halogen floor lamps can present a fire hazard because of their high temperature, so be careful where they are placed.
2. Modify the color of any artificial light source. The key here is to choose the "color temperature" of the bulbs in any lamps carefully. Pump warmth into the room with warmer light-bulb tones. Even CFL lamps come in several colors, from coolest blue to sunny yellow to a faint pink hue. For a dark-colored room, avoid the cool-colored lamps and those advertised to provide "natural" light. Even "full-spectrum" or "natural" lamps are too cool for a dark-colored room. Traditional tube-type florescent fixtures can be warmed with yellow-toned bulbs or yellow theatrical gel material inserted into the fixture lens cover.
3. Choose a dark but warm color. Avoid the blue side of the color wheel if possible. Dark olive greens, chocolate browns, and both wine reds and deep cherry reds have a built-in warmth that will make a living room feel cozy. A purple color can impart warmth if it leans towards the red side of the spectrum like certain eggplant hues. In general, any color that has red or yellow in it will seem warm to the eye.
4. Break up cool colors with warm highlights. You can minimize the cooling effect of a deep blue, purple, or charcoal wall color by painting trims with a warmer cream-colored tone. Add warmer accessories to the room through furnishings, art, and accents. Even a room painted black can be saved by a hefty portion of warm off-white furniture, pillows, lamp shades, and a large painting in warm colors that is lit with a halogen spotlight.
5. Give the eye a refuge. Paint three walls of the room with a dark color but paint the fourth wall with a warmer tone. For example, if a deep midnight blue is your dream, paint three walls in that color but paint the fourth "accent" wall with a butter-cream tone to introduce warmth.
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