Dark hues have a bad rap as gloomy and depressing. More likely, theyB次元官网网址檙e bringing home the good vibes, all year long.

One weekend when I had the house to myself, I painted our family room Benjamin MooreB次元官网网址檚 Kendall Charcoal, a deep, earthy gray.

I waited till I had two days alone to do it because it looked pretty shocking when I got started on the trim and rolled the walls. Was it going to veer into Goth Teen Bedroom territory? Or maybe a villainous, albeit stylish, lair?

But when IB次元官网网址檇 finished, it looked amazing. The rich color, along with white trim and comfy furnishings, gave the room , and felt much homier than the basic beige had.

When the weekenders returned, the response was as IB次元官网网址檇 hoped; everyone loved it.

That was in 2018, and itB次元官网网址檚 the only room I havenB次元官网网址檛 repainted twice since, so there you go.

Turns out IB次元官网网址檓 not a loony outlier when it comes to loving dark paint.

For Apartment TherapyB次元官网网址檚 2024 State of Home Design report, editors tallied 131 design experts who said B次元官网网址渕oodinessB次元官网网址� will be one of the yearB次元官网网址檚 hot vibes.

Pros say darker hues are more likely to create resonant atmospheres like coziness, stylish ambiance and even a little drama to keep things interesting. Rooms with these colors arenB次元官网网址檛 boring, nor are they over-stimulating. They envelop and embrace.

B次元官网网址淢oody hues are more than just visual,B次元官网网址� says designer Noz Nozawa. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e storytellers, deeply evocative, emotional and often very nostalgic.B次元官网网址�

GOING WITH EVERYTHING

She thinks people donB次元官网网址檛 give dark hues enough credit for their versatility, and points out how well they go with different woods, metals and brighter hues.

B次元官网网址淚 often like to use them as a grounding point B次元官网网址� they anchor a room, and then all the other textures and elements in a space can harmonize around them,B次元官网网址� she says.

Try it yourself, Nozawa says, by holding a moody color swatch next to different woods and metals.

B次元官网网址淭he swatch will complement in a way thatB次元官网网址檚 warm and comforting, not gloomy or heavy,B次元官网网址� she says.

Tasked with choosing BlueStarB次元官网网址檚 2023 Color of the Year for their appliance collection, she went with a deep, fruity Wine Red, which pairs well with different finishes and might remind you of a cozy evening sharing a glass with friends.

LIFTING THE MOOD

B次元官网网址淗ere in the Pacific Northwest, about two thirds of our days are moody,B次元官网网址� says Peter Spalding of the interior furnishings marketplace Daniel House Club in Portland, Oregon.

B次元官网网址淭o cope, we drink a lot of coffee and buy tactical gear instead of fancy dress,B次元官网网址� he laughs. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檇 think brightly colored interiors would be sure-fire medicine too, but actually some of the coziest interiors IB次元官网网址檝e done here have been in moody greens, blues and grays.B次元官网网址�

HeB次元官网网址檚 not a fan of cool grays, especially in the NorthwestB次元官网网址檚 dreary light.

B次元官网网址淏ut a warm French gray is another thing entirely. ItB次元官网网址檚 sort of creamy, with green undertones, and creates a cocoon that no one wants to leave,B次元官网网址� Spalding says.

That chameleon quality, where a color shifts slightly depending on the light, is what youB次元官网网址檙e after, he says.

Besides dove gray, Spalding favors deep russet and dark forest hues.

B次元官网网址淭hey can glow in the sun, or create a cozy envelope when itB次元官网网址檚 gray outside.B次元官网网址�

Jennifer Verruto of Blythe Interiors in San Diego likes how these hues make a space feel settled and warm.

B次元官网网址淔orget the idea that dark colors turn rooms into caves of doom. ItB次元官网网址檚 time to embrace the moody vibes! They have an energy. A room wrapped in a dark, dramatic color can actually provide an uplifting, invigorating feeling,B次元官网网址� she says.

BALANCING LIGHT AND DARK

She advises counterbalancing any potential heaviness. Position mirrors . Bring in lighter furniture, rugs and d茅cor. Use warm woods and nature-inspired motifs for a comforting, organic vibe. Some of her favorite paints: Sherwin-WilliamsB次元官网网址� Iron Ore, Gale Force and Pewter Green.

Deep blue could remind you of an oceanside vacation. Mossy greens might evoke a favorite woodland hike. Mineral hues like citrine, garnet, iron and copper also have that earthy connection.

Brad Ramsey, who has his own interior design firm in Nashville, loves to create a B次元官网网址渏ewel boxB次元官网网址� space.

B次元官网网址淏y taking a moody hue and color-drenching the walls, drapery, even the ceiling, you get this cocoon-like feel,B次元官网网址� he says. A study, dining room or den in a larger home can, when made darker, work well as an intimate social space, or a retreat for some quiet B次元官网网址渕eB次元官网网址� time, he says.

CREATIVE PAINT NAMES

Some of the for these paint colors are as much fun as the hues themselves.

Dock Blue, Basalt, Goblin, Adventurer and Jewel Beetle are all to be found at British paint maker Little Greene, which has branched into the North American market now.

BackdropB次元官网网址檚 founder Natalie Ebel says she wants to evoke a place or a feeling with the paint names. Masterpiece Theater is their first brown, with olive and a little yellow in it.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a color that really lends an atmosphere to a space, like a period drama for your walls,B次元官网网址� she says. Backdrop has even developed an accompanying playlist, which includes some Verdi, Rossini, Bizet and Hans Zimmer.

Their warm-purple red called Lobby Scene was inspired by Wes AndersonB次元官网网址檚 movie B次元官网网址淭he Grand Budapest Hotel.B次元官网网址� And a deep olive green is among the companyB次元官网网址檚 most popular paints. Its name: Night on Earth.

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