Black is a color to take seriously. It adds drama and depth, and if you paint a house black you send a message that you're not afraid to be noticed. But it's a high-maintenance color (compared with white). Is black paint the best best choice for a facade? Read on (and then tell us what you think in the comments below):
Pros:
Black is Beautiful
There's no denying the drama and authority of a black house. It makes a strong visual statement and, like a black dress, needs minimal accessories to complete the look.
Above: A black Victorian facade in San Francisco needs nothing more to dress it up than a single succulent, a multi-branched euphorbia next to the front stoop. For more, see 11 Traditional Houses Gone to the Dark Side.
Basic Backdrop
Black is a good foil for green. In a garden or against natural surroundings, black will recede and focus attention instead on green foliage. This enables the eye to draw better distinctions among different shades of green. Yellow-green leaves and blue-green leaves appear more varied and layered against a black facade or fence, making plantings appear more lush.
Above: A modular summer cottage by Danish architectural firm Lykke + Nielsen sits in a forest north of Copenhagen. See more of it at Pre-fab Perfection: An Instant Summerhouse from Denmark.
Blank Canvas
Black—like white and gray—is a neutral color and contrasts well with many other materials, textures, and hues.
Above: Black trim and windows creates a dramatic contrast to a brick facade on a Brooklyn townhouse by architect Ben Herzog. For more black-painted trim and black factory windows, see Hardscaping 101: Steel Factory-Style Windows and Doors.
Above: The facade of filmmaker Derek Jarman's black seaside cottage in Dungeness, Kent is lightened by sunshine yellow trim. For more of this garden, see Garden Visit: Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage at Dungeness.
Above: Derek Jarman's cottage. Photograph by Brother G via Flickr.
The yellow trim lightens the mood of Jarman's black facade to create a backdrop for a seaside cottage garden.
Cons:
Faded Beauty
Sunlight fades dark colors faster. On the exterior of a house, black paint will blister and peel faster than a light color. This is because black paint heats up and cools down (expanding and contracting more than a light color) as it absorbs more rays from the sun. (One way to mitigate this problem is with conscientious preparation before painting. The biggest cause of blistering and peeling paint—of any color—is water seeping beneath the surface. Thoroughly scrape and sand a surface before painting to prevent that problem.)
Above: We asked architects to reveal their go-to shades of black paint. For the full list, see Paints & Palettes: Architects' 8 Top Black Paint Picks.
Blemish Booster
On a surface, black accentuates imperfections. Any blemish, chip, gouge, or flaw on an exterior wall will draw more attention if it's painted black.
Above: On the other hand, if you want to emphasize textures—such as the grooves in siding or the trim pieces on a facade—black paint will "outline" the layers. Photograph by Grant K. Gibson.
Above: Black on black on a Victorian house in San Francisco with identical trim and body paint color emphasizes the architectural detail of elaborate moldings. For more, see 11 Traditional Houses Gone to the Dark Side.
Hothouse Effect
A black house will absorb more heat from the sun than a white house. A white or light-colored house will reflect more rays, keeping indoor temperatures cooler in hot summer months.
Above: White (and other light colors) will reflect rather than absorb the sun's rays. For a list of architects' favorite shades, see 10 Easy Pieces: Architects' Favorite White Paint Picks.
Dark Shadows
We have strong cultural and historical associations with the color black. It reminds us of Halloween, deepest night, and the Salem witch trials. By painting a house black, you are making a strong statement (and may scare the neighborhood children).
Above: The Black Rubber House in Kent by architects Simon Conder Associates. For more, see 10 Modern Houses Gone to the Dark Side.
Shades of Gray
Is gray a compromise color? Depending on whether you choose a brown-gray or a blue-gray shade of paint, you can create a warm or a cool mood. By pairing a gray body paint with black trim, you still can signal "dark" intentions while avoiding many of the drawbacks of black (for instance, gray will absorb less sunlight than black).
Above: Painting the body gray (and the trim black) is another way to create a dramatic facade. Photograph via Addison Strong Design Studio.
Above: Our 10 Favorite Shades of Gray Paint run the gamut from warm tones to cool.
Above: With dark gray body paint, white trim, and a glossy black door you can achieve a moody intensity. See the color palette our paints expert Stephanie Dorfman came up with in Curb Appeal: Picking a Perfect Paint Palette for a Dark Facade.
Above: A shade of gray with brown undertones will look warm on a facade. Stephanie explains how to pick a warm gray in A Perfect Paint Palette for a Dark Facade.
For more ways to use black paint to great effect on a facade, see:
- Front Door Fashion: 9 Ways to Create Curb Appeal with Boxwood.
- Trend Alert: Black Fences.
- Top 10 Design Garden Trends of 2015.
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