Facelift Of An Old Space Using Dark Colours

In cases when you are not in a position (financially or for any other reason ) to undertake any renovation of a dated space in your home, than giving a fresh coat of paint always is a good idea.

Sometimes, only a coat of paint paired with some stylish details may transform the most dated space into a chic and current place you will love and enjoy.

The evidence of what I just said above is this kitchen project which I completed last year, and which I just didn’t have time to share it so far.


The kitchen is part of an old apartment building in the central part of the city where my Studio space is located. The white kitchen cabinets and the dining set are about 30 years old and were in constant use as part of the daily life of a family of four, with a lot of guests frequenting daily. The cabinets and the dinning set were left in their original state and we only did some editing by removing some parts of furniture and accessories and painted the walls and windows.

Although the kitchen is functional as it is, of course now it is not being used for cooking meals. What is cooked in this kitchen though, are interesting and creative ideas for every project that is lined up for action. This space has become a great place to start the work with a cup of coffee, for meetings to schedule the daily or weekly activities, and for small breaks during the work.

The main feature which made a lot of difference in this space is the dark paint we used on the walls. I wasn’t afraid of using dark paint in this space as it is filled with LIGHT and the white cabinets reflect the light making it bounce on the walls and giving the space a light filled feeling.

Light and lighting is a very important aspect to consider when using dark colours in a space.

When using dark colours the main thing to consider is that dark colours absorb the light, whereas the white reflects the light. Therefore, it is important to BALANCE the dark colours with the white ones, so in this case the white kitchen cabinets, the bench and the rug are doing just that in this rather dark coloured kitchen.

Pops of living coral colour cushions on the dark vintage chairs add the needed contrast as well as a sparkle to this space.

When working with dark colours in an interior another thing to consider is the CONTRAST that can be infused with different finishes, textures, accessories with interesting forms, as well as with pops of colour. White zebra vases placed in a faux marble tray with a gold finish edge, some faux and real apples, as well as the pops of colour using greenery and decorative pillows are used as the contrast in this makeover.

By using contrasting items in a dark coloured space you make the light bounce throughout the space and accentuating the decorative objects used in the space.

This was a super non costly makeover but with a great impact to this space. The only items purchased for this makeover were the roller shades and the paint, which I helped to be apply on to the walls.

So, it is time to reveal how this space looked BEFORE:

And the happily AFTER:

Are you intimidated to use the dark colours in your living space? I bet you are and once I was too; but understanding the lighting, balance and contract that you need to consider when using dark colours, you will gain the needed confidence to apply that dark colour on to your walls.

If still not sure how to achieve the balance and contrast when using dark colours, we are more than delighted to help. Contact us through our website, social media FB fun page BESA GM Interiors, Instagram @besagm and e mail besagmblog@gmail.com and we will be glad to help you with your next project through consultation or other services as needed.

Thank you for checking this post.

Besa