We’re going to make a statement here that you may not agree with, but has to be said. If you spend just five minutes scrolling through home design feeds and 2021 trends on Pinterest, you’ll understand. Here goes...

Okay, that was bold. We’re happy to get that off our chest. What we mean is, having entirely white kitchens or entirely white walls or entirely white spaces is OUT! Or at least it’s on its way out. There are still people out there holding onto this trend for dear life, which we totally understand… it’s hard to let go sometimes, especially when the look is so clean, simple, and peaceful.

As white walls, kitchens, and spaces fade away, interior designers and homeowners are making room for color. Not just any old color though. Many are venturing into the realm of being bold and playing around with dark shades. And, guess what? It’s working! Dark wall colors add a sense of sophistication, grandeur, and heritage that strikes the perfect amount of design savvy and balance. We’ve seen it for ourselves while working with our interior design partners and those self-proclaimed interior designers that have loads of design knowledge.

Let’s reflect on this new “going bold, going dark” trend with some of our favorites from Pinterest. Maybe you’ll be inspired to take the leap into exploring new colors too - we sure are!

Not sure about you, but here at Tandem Arbor, we are living for rich greens right now. We are seeing green being used in various ways in kitchens, on walls, and in decorative pieces all over the ‘gram and we can’t get enough. Farrow & Ball’s Calke Green wall color is the perfect mix of rich and traditional, inspired by the breakfast room at Calke Abbey.

This deep sage is great for small, intimate spaces, such as offices or studies/libraries, and pairs well with darker wood tones. It feels royal, stately, and at the same time, possesses the calming effect that green shades tend to.

Are you convinced of this bold, dark trend yet? If not yet, you will be soon.

If you want to hold onto your precious neutrals and earth tones, you can still do so! There are plenty of earthy colors in dark shades as wall colors. Take Beach Grass by Bauwerk Color for instance. This sophisticated, rich, warm color creates a feeling of comfort without sacrificing design.

Wondering where it is best used? This shade works well in bedrooms as it brings a sense of tranquility and calm. Beach Grass is not any old earth tone, it is elevated and we are thoroughly obsessed with it.

We love a good grey moment, especially the one pictured above. These homeowners painted their guest bedroom Down Pipe by Farrow & Ball and we are swooning. It is the perfect amount of mood for a guest bedroom and is a wonderful backdrop to the artwork. In creating this color, Farrow & Ball was inspired by the color used to paint downpipes and gutters, but wanted to spin it for interior use as “a dramatic lead grey”. We have to say, it is a success! This dark hue is fabulous, bold, and dramatic.

Blue is making a comeback as a paint color of choice and we are so happy about it! In the right shade, blue has the ability to be moody, but also create happiness. The kitchen above is painted in Hicks’ Blue by Little Greene Paint & Paper. It’s an ode to the rich colors used in English kitchens and brings with it a sense of light and cheer. We love the bold use of it on the cabinets and the walls - we’re taking notes, are you?

Yes, that is eggplant on the walls and yes, we believe ISPYDIY expertly mastered using it in this cute little bathroom. This purple-ish shade is another one created by Farrow & Ball named Brinjal. It creates a warm, yet inviting and highly-sophisticated finish to any room, but is commonly used as a feature wall - hence why ISPYDIY only used it on half the wall. It was made for bathrooms or hallways that need an added oomph and will have artwork displayed.

There is so much more we could share, but we’ll stop there as sometimes inspiration in small doses is best. Are you now convinced that white walls aren’t the only way to go anymore? We are… and happen to be whipping out our paintbrushes as we’re typing this. In all seriousness, interior design trends come and go - some so fast that we don’t even get a chance to try them out - but we hope this one sticks around for a while. We love to see our clients have fun with color and really test their design limits. Designing and decorating your home is meant to be fun and an experiment in a way. Here’s to empowering each other to go outside of comfort zones and go bold, go dark!

If you want to go bold and dark with your furniture, reach out to our furniture specialists! We’d be happy to assist you in bringing color to your home via high-quality, custom pieces.