It’s a brave person who paints their interiors in black, but the colour – or at least its many subtle shades from the Resene paint palette – is increasingly popping up in living rooms, bedrooms and even bathrooms. Black is smart, sophisticated, dramatic, masculine, moody and urbane.

As with any dark colour, black will make a room appear smaller and more enclosed. It’s superb for a room that’s more likely to be used in the evening, such as a media or TV room, or a bedroom. Well-planned lighting can heighten the effect of black, by casting a wash of soft light over a wall or even diffusing sunlight through sheer curtains.

Not all blacks are created equal. Some have a touch of brown, some a touch of green (Resene Swamp), blue (Resene Bastille) or white (Resene Shark). Ask a staff member at your local Resene ColorShop to decipher the numbered code underneath the colour swatch.

Chalk it up with blackboard paint

The ultimate practical black finish is Resene Blackboard Paint. Paint an entire wall in a child’s room, the back of a kitchen island bench, or frame up part of a wall as a more traditional-style blackboard. Add another dimension by painting Resene Magnetic Magic underneath so you can use it as a magnetic noticeboard as well.

Left: Resene Gravel weatherboards, Resene Double Gravel guttering, Resene Half White Pointer trims. Right: Resene Blackboard Paint walls.

Black started showing up on exteriors a while ago. Resene Bokara Grey is particularly popular for this, as it’s not absolute black and has a delicious touch of coffee-bean brown in it. Black lends a crisp contemporary edge to modern architecture, or a romantic cast to bungalows and cottages, especially when teamed with white architraves and joinery.

Beware! If you’re using dark colours on the exterior of a house, consider using a Resene CoolColour™ version of your colour, which reflects more of the sun’s heat to keep the paint, surface and building cooler.

Resene Nero kitchen walls with Resene Alabaster cabinets.

Resene Nero living room; designed by Suzie Fraser for Simonds Homes.