A black accent wall will have a commanding influence on your room. If you don’t know how to highlight or decorate black color, we can help.

Here, we’ll show several black accent wall ideas. Once you understand how black brings out the other elements of a room, you’ll discover how powerful it is.

The color black goes with everything. As a color, it’s a lovely way to change a room’s theme and tempo. That may seem hard to believe, but it’s true. After many years of trial and error by design experts worldwide, take it from them.

However, should you have doubts, there’s only one way to resolve them. Creating black accent walls with black paint or black wallpaper is more than a DIY project, it’s an epiphany.

Dark colors are nice in the bedroom because they create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere and black. You can use it in many different ways and not just on walls but for things like curtains, carpets, artwork and more.

16 Black Accent Wall Decor Ideas

Adding decorations to a black accent wall is almost mandatory if you don’t want it to look overwhelming, flat, and boring. We have a few decor ideas that you might like to try out.

Black Accent Feature Wall

A black accent wall is a perfect example of how Earth tone colors based on brown and various materials and finishes like wood, leather or burlap can make your room a great place. The accents tone down the black accent wall and balance the decor. With a few coats of Sherwin Williams to paint the wall black paint you can watch the magic come to life.

This example of a black accent wall decorated with woven baskets is simple to do and looks wonderful. Check out @hunkerhome on Instagram for more ideas.

Mirror Accent

Even a painted black wall in your bathroom would be enough to bring your space to life. Black can make a space darker if it’s too small. One way to avoid that effect is by hanging a mirror on the wall. That makes even more sense and looks natural in a space such as a bathroom, giving you the opportunity to add a black accent wall without fearing it will have a negative effect on the decor. This design is shared by @saragreencollective.

Home Decor Wood Accent

Wood is a versatile and adds warmth to a space. Here is a perfect example of a great place where you can use a wood accent against a black wall.

The features the black bedroom wall complemented by a wooden headboard and matching nightstand offer an industrial contrast with a rustic flare. The light brown window frames break the flatness of the dark wall. Follow @houseofhanes for more inspiration.

Black Shiplap Wall

You can never go wrong with a black and white combination when decorating a space. It’s a timeless combination of colors and it suits every style. This bedroom is a nice reflection of this idea, featuring a wood-paneled accent wall painted black and minimalistic white walls and a white ceiling to go along with it.

The flatness of the white walls is complemented by the textured black backdrop and this combination of neutral colors is also featured in other forms throughout the room. Check out @mybohemianhouse for more lovely ideas like this one.

Accents Walls

A black wall can stand out a bit too much by its own and to avoid that it’s usually a good idea to add some different elements to the room in the same color. This dining room has black chairs placed around the table as natural light radiates the black wall hue.

The elements combined with the wall, which is the most evident, bring the room together and create a theme for its design. Check out @thegroundedhome for more inspiring posts.

Monochrome Accent Wall

Adding darker colors can help to make a dark wall look more natural and integrated into a room. For example, a black wall in a bedroom can be paired with a dark gray headboard and a couple of nightstands with a dark stained finish.

These elements can all be concentrated on one side of the room while the rest of the space featured lighter and brighter colors. Check out this design shared by @our.cozy.white.home as a reference point.

Ceiling Accent Wall

A simple trick for making a room appear would be to paint trim around the ceiling in a matching color to make the transition from wall to ceiling less obvious. A ceiling provides the perfect opportunity to accent a wall and works well with darker colors like black.

If the room is in an attic or a mezzanine floor and has a low or slanted ceiling, painting one of the walls and the ceiling black can achieve a sleek and stylish effect. You can see that in this beautiful design posted by @designbydama.

Black Accent Living Room Wall

Living rooms offer plenty of room to mix and match. Since the idea is to create an accent wall you have to choose only one. And knowing the wall will be painted black, it could be a good idea to choose a small wall. That way you won’t add too much black to the room but you’ll still create a strong focal point.

Don’t cover up the wall too much or place matching black furniture and other things against it. Some decorations are in order but keep things simple. We really like the fireplace and the warm neutrals featured in this design from @simplyelevatedinteriors.

Black And White Photos

Black can be a perfect background color for a gallery wall. You could hang a bunch of picture frames on it in a grid pattern or however else you like and the frames themselves can also be black to blend in with the wall behind them. That way the pictures will stand out even more and will be the focal point of the entire wall.

This idea can work wonderfully for spaces like hallways, entryways or staircases. We’re feeling really inspired by this design shared by @anthonymichaelinteriors.

Mix it with a bright and vibrant color

As we mentioned in the beginning, black is a color that helps to highlight the other nuances around it. You can use that to your advantage if you want to add a more vibrant accent to a room. A black accent wall can help to bring it out even more by creating a dark backdrop and contrasting with it.

For instance, you can add colorful window treatments, artwork or, in this case, matching curtains and bedding to give the bedroom a cozy and chic look. Check out @dandyinreallife for more ideas.

Use lighting to highlight texture

Textured walls like this one look even better when accent lighting is used as a highlight. This black bedroom has a beautiful stone texture with a clean frame around it and the LED band at the top puts an emphasis on this particular section while also serving a practical purpose. This interior design by studio Architology shows how subtle details can completely change a space.

Add diversity through texture

There’s something very elegant and refined about a black-based interior decor and this is beautifully highlighted in this interior by studio aEa – agence Engasser architecture. This living room has a simple palette and uses natural light to give it an extra burst of flavor. Black, grays and white, it still doesn’t lack character. The secret is in the different finishes and textures that help black on black stand out.

Color The Accent Wall

In some cases, clustering an accent color to a single area of the room can make a space great. However, there are times when a more varied technique is better. Here you can see black surfaces on sections of two adjacent walls.

One wall is painted black while the other is white with black furniture and shelves that take up most of the surface. That prevents the walls from standing out more than the other and gives the room a balanced and harmonious look. This design is from Studio Wok.

Multiple Accent Walls

Rather than limiting the use of color for one accent wall, why not have two or more walls painted black. However, that can add a gloomy feel to your space if you don’t have a strong natural light source.

To prevent that from happening this stylish dining room has a white border all along the top which brings the ceiling down and a white wainscoting for the bottom section with white furniture against it. That brightens up space and breaks the connection with the dark-stained wooden floor.

Black Tile Accent Wall

Painting a wall is not the only way in which you can add color to it. Tiles are a practical option for areas such as the bathroom. Check out how elegant this one designed by Four Brothers Design + Build looks with the white marble.

The white tub and sink and the black subway tiles mixed with light gray grout as a way to highlight the pattern they create. This mix makes the room appear bright and airy and the neutrals are perfect for a guest bath.

Do Not Hide The Accent Wall

If you’re going to make a design statement with a black accent wall, keep it visible. Do not hide the wall behind furniture, doors, and other things. The same rule also applies to the bathroom.

You can install black tiles in your shower. If you did this, a glass enclosure would be ideal. What looks great in the example is how the black is complemented by beige cabinets with matching countertops and a wooden floor. (image from pixcelcraft).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

What Does A Dark Accent Wall Do To A Room?

Dark colors read as receding from the viewer, so the accent wall visually enlarges the space.

Will A Black Wall Make A Room Look Smaller?

It’s a misconception that dark walls shrink a room. Dark wall colors do not make a room look small just like a light color will not cause the room to look larger.

What Is The 60 30 10 Decorating Rule?

The 60 30 10 decorating rule is a popular decor rule that helps create a color palette for a space. It states that 60 percent of the room should be a dominant color, 30 percent should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10 percent should be an accent.

Which Wall Should Be Painted Dark?

Paint walls opposite windows a cool, dark color to absorb light in too-bright rooms. If you want a brighter room, paint a dark color on the window wall with lighter colors opposite to reflect light back into the room.

How Much Darker Should An Accent Wall Be?

As a good rule of thumb, paint the accent wall the same color as the other walls, but two shades darker. If you don’t feel comfortable going wild with color choice and placement, this route tends to be foolproof.

However, a light accent wall in a darker room can work, but it’s riskier.

Are Black Walls In A Master Bedroom Bad Luck For Marriage?

It’s widely believed that orange represents divorce, as the color is forward-thinking. As long as you don’t paint the entire room black, then your marriage won’t be threatened. Black is arguably the best accent color for you home.

Decorate Black Accent Wall Conclusion

When we’re talking about a whole room, there’s much to be said for a stunning black accent wall. Not every room can achieve this, so choose wisely before you begin. When tackling home décor colors with paint, Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams have what you need for your own home.

Even if you’re decorating a small space, and you want to add some drama, black shiplap might do the trick. If mid-century modern is your goal, most people feel the perfect place to start is the family room. Designate a feature wall, design around that, and watch what happens.

Black wallpaper is a popular option, but it doesn’t have the same staying power as black paint. For a black feature wall, for example, in your living room.