Look at an old black and white photo: A whole image is created from the contrasts between black and white. Vintage images exude nostalgia and simplicity. The monochrome interior design style is based on these images. Walls, furniture, wall pictures and decorations are kept in so-called "non-colors".
These are predominantly black and white. However, a monochrome room can also be kept in neutral "non-colors" such as gray on gray or in beige tones. The word "monochrome" or "monochromatic" means "single-colored" and refers, for example, to the single-colored design of an image.
A monochrome interior design style is combined with natural materials such as wood and natural textiles. Contrasts are important.Neither dark nor light "non-colors" predominate. A consistent black-and-white decor is timeless and stylish and - when using soft accessories and home textiles - also cozy. A low-stimulus room has a calming effect on our brain.
Decorating monochrome - what you should consider
This means that monochrome decor has a lot in common with minimalism.The colorful embroidered tablecloth from Grandma, the painted mural of a flower meadow, and other colorful elements are replaced by monochrome accessories. This way, you limit yourself to a few selected decorative elements and home textiles in black or white, or optionally in another "non-color" such as gray and beige. Read here how to successfully declutter and minimize.
How to set up your apartment in monochrome:
With these tips, you can set up your apartment in monochrome:
- Contrasts instead of colors: The monochrome furnishing style lives from contrasts. Contrasts set interesting accents even without colors. Contrasts keep the room in balance. Neither light nor dark colors should predominate.You could place your black leather sofa in front of a white wall, on which light pillows and a light knit blanket are placed.
- Properly dosing wall color: A black wall absorbs a lot of light. Therefore, you should paint a maximum of one wall black or dark. With a light wall color (and dark accents), you are on the safe side. If you dare to approach the black wall color, definitely decorate this wall with lighter elements as a contrast - for example with monochrome pictures with a predominant white content or with a chic wall mirror.
- The right choice of furniture: A large black cabinet can quickly appear too bulky and dark.If you're unsure about the color choice for your furniture, light colors are a safe bet. For example, opt for a console table in white or a white couch.
- Here's how to set accents: You can play with patterns and decorate the room with a black and white rug or smaller black elements, for instance. You can complement a white wall with black and white pictures or dark gray patterns.
- Get creative with monochrome decorative elements: Have you chosen black and white striped pillows? Is your rug adorned with a gray and white checkered pattern? You can repeat these patterns in other parts of the room - for example in a decorative figure or in a wall painting. Recurring patterns visually connect the room.
- Monochrome play with metal furniture: If you're not yet ready to commit to a dark leather sofa, you can start to explore monochrome decor with smaller pieces of metal furniture. For example, a black side table or a black metal shelf. Details such as a black metal floor lamp or a round wall mirror with a black metal frame also underline the monochrome style of decor.
- Monochrome rounded off with natural materials: If the pure monochrome decor seems too contrasting to you, you can soften the style with neutral natural elements. For example, with a beige knitted blanket or a coffee table with a wooden tabletop.Even fabrics or decorations made of jute or a seagrass woven basket for the houseplant can soften a too contrasting, black-and-white room.
Our tip: You can also test the monochrome decorating style on a small scale first, without having to part with your mint green sofa and grandma's colorful embroidered tablecloth. So that you don't have to repaint the walls for this experiment, choose a room or an area whose wall color is already neutral.
The hallway or the bedroom is particularly suitable for the experiment. Simply store colorful elements in the cabinets for a few weeks and let the monochrome ambiance affect you. You might be surprised at how calming the monochrome decor is on your mood.
Do you want to decorate your living spaces in monochrome? At
