5 Paint Colors That Go Well With A Black Couch
While black was once thought of as a particularly taboo and eclectic color to include in home décor and interior design, it is actually one of the most on-trend hues in recent years and is a great way to bring any living space to life by adding a tasteful and sophisticated touch of uniqueness.
If you are intrigued by the idea of incorporating black into your home but worry about such a dark, bold color overwhelming the space, there are plenty of beautiful ways to use it in tasteful ways that will help elevate your house instead of shrouding it in darkness. Incorporating a black couch into your living area is an expert-approved way to give your living area a splash of the midnight hue — and because black is such a classic and timeless neutral, the paint color options that you can pair with your black furniture are endless.
Because it is one of the most versatile colors to utilize in any aspect of interior design, designer Briana Nix tells The Columbian that black works well with all interior design aesthetics. So, picking out the right paint hue for your living space to pair with the black on your couch can help ensure the color best represents your personal design style.
1. Contrast it with white
If you want to add a bit of sophisticated drama to your living room, pairing your black couch with some type of white paint is one of the best ways to make a statement. Incorporating accent colors into your living space from such contrasting ends of the spectrum is a striking and bold way to add a touch of modern sophistication to your home. That is why Designing Idea says a black couch against a white-walled backdrop — or even an off-white backdrop if you don't like the look of a stark white — is a great way to make your black couch the focal point of the room.
Creating contrast through the use of color to highlight your couch is a simple design concept and yet looks so thoughtful and intentional when used to showcase your timeless and sophisticated style. Designing Idea also suggests elevating the space even further by adding a white fur area rug, white vases, and black and white art and photo frames as accents to play up the contrasting colors even more and add a greater level of visual interest and dimension.
2. Spice it up with bright red
If you aren't afraid of color and you want your living space to reflect your fun personality, pairing your black couch with a splash of crimson red on the walls is an expert-approved way to breathe a striking new life into your space and let your vibrant personality shine. Upgraded Home defends the bold color combination, saying that while the vampy color palette is commonly associated with goth culture when designed thoughtfully and done the right way, red and black can work together to make your living space feel ultra-modern. This combination is also a popular color scheme to use in spaces with an oriental design aesthetic.
The black and red color fusion has been used in design for decades and has survived every fad and trend along the way, which Homedit credits to the way the two hues work together to bring a sense of harmony and balance to a space. While red is commonly associated with passion, fire, and life, black acts as a grounding force to balance it out visually, which tends to be naturally well-received aesthetically.
Painting even just a single accent wall in a bright red hue is enough to add a beautiful splash of pigment to your space, and when paired with a black couch, the accent color can truly be elevated to the next level.
3. Accent it with dark blue
Black paired with dark blue colors like navy and cobalt adds a chic, modern touch to any space — which is why accenting your black sofa with a midnight blue paint hue can add subtle drama to your living room while still remaining stylish and timeless. According to Upgraded Home, blue is the most popular non-neutral tint, and painting your living room with a dark shade of the hue to accent your black couch is an excellent way to add a regal touch to your living room and leave you feeling like royalty.
Since these colors are both so dark, a black couch with deep blue walls can tend to darken your space too much — especially if you also pick up these hues in other accent pieces of décor throughout the room. To avoid a living room that is devoid of light, Real Homes suggests incorporating white accents into the space to brighten it up and create a welcoming atmosphere without sacrificing any of the drama that the darker colors provide. White trim, whitewashed brick, a lighter wood color on the floor, and some white décor accents like throw rugs and pillows are all excellent ways to brighten up the space.
4. Reimagine neutrals with pastel pink
While black is not commonly thought of as a soft color, by offsetting your dark sofa with a soft pastel color like pink, you can blunt some of the inherent boldness that black adds to your living room while still ensuring your space is fashion-forward and stylish.
And while some ultra-saturated shades of pink like magenta and fuschia cater to a bolder design aesthetic — particularly when paired with an equally bold color like black — a lighter shade of pink creates a soft, nurturing, and tranquil décor. According to New Idea, an old rose shade of pink would go wonderfully with the darkness of the sofa, creating a calming space. While the pink is also in a darker shade, the black won't allow it to wither into the background; instead, the combination enables both colors to shine.
Though pink is often unjustly written off as a girly color, blush and pastel pink tones are becoming more popular in modern design since they are subtly saturated enough to be used as neutral. Soft pink can be a wonderful compliment to artwork and other materials and is a more intriguing alternative to beige.
5. Spruce it up with sage green
Like black, sage green is a color that is known for being incredibly versatile, which is why the two work so well together in design. And while black is usually thought of as being a strong tint, Livingetc says the natural and earthy tones in a mid-tone green shade like sage can help balance it out by warming up the space with some subtle, natural color, making it feel super cozy and inviting.
According to Sarah Cukerbaum, principal designer at SLIC Design, sage green and black can be a really effective color combination to utilize when decorating a home (via Livingetc) because the sage keeps everything feeling clean and fresh, while the black keeps it futuristic. And because this green shade is so versatile, it is often used as a neutral color, though Dianne Decor says when paired with a more traditional neutral, like the black on your couch, it instantly transforms into a beautiful accent color.