Dark Walls by Interior Designers in Oxfordshire

Are you still wondering whether to go to the dark side in your home? Perhaps these gorgeous rooms by Oxfordshire-based interior designers will convince you.

Whether you go for charcoal, grey or navy, there’s no denying that dark walls can look beautiful in a home. Dark walls can have such a dramatic effect when used properly, and it works across styles – from classical to contemporary.

In a small space, dark walls can make the boundaries of the room disappear, making it feel bigger. On the other hand, a deep-toned backdrop can give a larger room a snug feel, making it a more cosy place for relaxing in.

So how do you go about living with dark walls? Here’s some inspiration on how to do dark walls in style from our panel of interior designers in Oxfordshire.

1. Go all in

Give your deep-toned room a finished look by painting joinery in the same shade as the walls. Also, consider painting architectural features such as doors, and architraves and skirting boards in the same dark shade as your walls to give your room a dramatic, designed finish.

In this North Oxford family home, the interior designers – Element Studios – have cleverly painted the bespoke built-in bookcases to coordinate with the adjacent wall. The result is a visually dramatic and contemporary look to what would have been a very traditional room.

You can see the rest of the house here.

2. Add some colour

For a modern and smart look, co-ordinate dark walls with coloured accessories at the cool end of the colour spectrum like yellow, green and turquoise. Pick from the cool end of the colour spectrum, and you’ll be able to add a variety of hues for an interesting layered look.

When this living room needed to become cosier, Oxfordshire-based Flippa Interiors painted the walls with Farrow & Ball Hague Blue, a light warm grey ceiling and grey deep pile carpet. Teaming the dark blue with teals, greens, greys and accenting it with yellow and brass. The overall feeling was spacious and welcoming.

3. Soften it up

A dark room doesn’t have to be bold and dramatic. Use accessories in gentle shades to give the space a softer feel. For example, a pale lilac sofa and mauve textiles will look elegant against the grey walls.

To add a soft edge to this bedroom, Han & Hall – an Oxfordshire-based mother-daughter interior design team – accessorised the room with patterned cushions and throws. The mixture of timeless natural textures and patterns helps soften the space.

The result is a classically inspired bedroom with understated elegance.

4. Simply stay single

If you don’t want to paint your whole room in a dark shade, you can still bring in deeper tones. Pick just one wall and turn it into a moody feature to contrast with lighter surfaces elsewhere.

By painting just the back walls, what was previously an unloved white blank canvas was transformed into a calming, welcoming retreat for guests in this coastal guest bedroom design by Field & Co Interior Design.

The coastal accents help to add a touch of serenity whilst the rich dark blues used on the feature wall and cushions ensure the room is suitable for all genders to enjoy.

5. Create complete contrast

Choose a strong palette of colour to provide contrast to other rooms around the house. For this family home in Oxfordshire, Interior designer Louise Holt opted for dark walls in the Family Room to provide a complete contrast to the lighter-coloured walls of the Drawing Room.

The result is a more contemporary and relaxed feel to the room; a place where the whole family could be together. The design is completed with a focus on natural materials and textures – with pieces selected and commissioned from a number of British craftsmen – to complement the contemporary seating of the room.

You can see the rest of the house here.