How to Use Matte Black in Your Home

If you’ve admired the look of black finishes on lighting pendants, hardware, faucets, and sinks featured in design magazines for the past several years, but haven’t felt comfortable taking the plunge in your own home, here’s some help! Here’s how to use matte black in your home.

First appearing on appliances and plumbing fixtures in 2018, matte black finishes still have staying power. The recent 2021 Design Trends Research findings just released by the National Kitchen & Bath Association confirm that matte black finishes will remain popular in 2021 for kitchens and baths.

It’s not just the elegance and luxury matte black conveys that makes it a favorite among top interior designers; it’s also the finish’s ability to successfully hide fingerprints and dirt, unlike chrome and other polished finishes. Besides its easy maintenance, there’s the aesthetic value. Black is a goes-with-everything classic neutral. Think of the refinement and versatility that the iconic “little black dress” can bring to both formal and casual events and you can see the appeal in the home.

A matte black finish is a style chameleon that grounds every décor style — from Farmhouse and Traditional to Contemporary and Industrial – with a hint of sophistication and glamour. It adds instant richness to every material it is near, from all species of wood, natural stone, and concrete to tile as well as laminate in any color or pattern. 

In short, black goes with everything — and yet it also commands attention. It plays nicely with soft pastels and primary brights as well as its polar opposite, stark white. Plus, it takes on a different look when it’s paired with warm tones like gold and brass versus the cool tones of nickel and silver.

Renowned interior designer Nancy Mikulich of Oasis Home by NLM Design Interiors in Asbury Park, New Jersey, pairs matte black with either Gold or Chrome depending on the ambiance she wants to create for the client.

“If there are black appliance finishes, to me that leans into a more glam vibe, where I would use gold and black,” Mikulich recounts. “It’s heavy. It’s in your face. It’s 1980s Coco Chanel or Thierry Mugler. It can also be extreme Industrial Chic; however, I prefer to think of it as a little black dress with gold chains and pearls.”

Then there are other projects where Mikulich mixes matte black with Chrome. “One of the reasons I use Chrome is because it provides a clean look that’s also inexpensive. With the right design, you can get a lot of aesthetic bang for the buck. It also catches the light nicely and is very neutral,” she explains.

“I currently have a client who is relocating to New Jersey from Brooklyn and asking for matte black finishes,” Mikulich says. “I think there is younger, urban sensibility in seeking out that look as well — they want something Industrial, but clean.”

Matte black is also a welcome update to the ubiquitous all-white kitchens that have been popular for years. “I’m also using black hardware in a current kitchen project. I think it anchors the white-washed floors and walls,” Mikulich states, adding, “If you have a room with all white finishes, ship lap, or gray grout with white tile, then the weight of a clean black line in door handles and faucets is a great balance.”  

If you’re looking to try the look of matte black pendants or lighting fixtures in your kitchens, baths, and other living spaces, you will find plenty of options at LightsOnline.com. Shop the selection of black lighting now!

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Read more:

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• How to Choose a Bedroom Chandelier
• Bedroom Decor Trends for 2020