I was wary of using the colour black in my home. (Wearing it was a different matter: it’s definitely the predominant colour in my wardrobe). But when it came to using black in the home, it felt too bold and stark and in-yer-face. Well I must have picked up a few styling tips from all the beautiful home tours that we’ve featured on the blog since then, ‘cos I’m now a sucker for a beautiful matt black vase or a thin-rimmed black mirror (the Chiltern mirror from The White Company has been in my online shopping basket for EVER), and black accessories have started to pepper themselves around my kitchen and bedroom.
And my boldest design decision ever may be on the horizon, as the next step in my kitchen makeover (the slowest kitchen renovation ev-uh) is going to be replacing the patio doors…and I’m thinking BLACK. So when an email from Westbury Garden Rooms dropped in to my inbox I was all ears, and I spent ages oohing and ahhing over some of the homes Westbury have transformed. Westbury design, plan, manufacture and build THE most beautiful extensions, and they reckon that black is the new white when it comes to windows, doors and extensions.
Westbury Garden Rooms Case Study #1 {Kitchen Extension to an Edwardian Property}
The two gable ends and the detailing on the joinery for this Westbury project have enhanced the charm of this period property, and the choice of a slate roof with black joinery for the storm damage roof repair was pure genius. One of my worries about going to the dark side was that black patio doors might look odd next to existing white windows, however this is an example of how it can be done beautifully. Again, the interior part of the doors are white, ensuring that the room is light, bright, and airy.
Is Black the New White? The Pros of Dark Painted Extensions, Windows and Doors
– Dark exteriors are striking, stylish and dramatic. They’re such a design statement that you don’t necessarily need any other accessories or finishing touches.
– Dark colours they will hide a multitude of sins, such as strange architectural quirks or the gritty marks that rain can leave behind.
– Dark tones tend to be pretty neutral, so will mesh nicely with whatever’s around them: be it brick, metal or stone, and flowers of all tones will pop against a dark backdrop.
– Similarly, blacks and charcoals look SO good against the greens of a garden. When I painted my garden shed a deep grey it made the grass and shrubs look lush and an even greener green.
– IMHO black windows, doors and extensions look more expensive than white ones. (The white patio doors in my kitchen which need replacing were here when we moved in; they are UPVC and the cheapest of the cheap even you need to consider security screen door price. Thanks for that, new homebuilders. Give me some sleek, luxe-looking doors like the Westbury ones above any day).
Is Black the New White? The Cons of Dark Painted Extensions, Windows and Doors
– Dark-coloured extensions are more likely to fade over time. Well this was one of my worries, but according to Westbury this is no longer always the case. They use specialist paints that have more pigment in them than found in your standard high street paint, which ensures that the depth of colour stands the test of time.
Have you installed black windows and doors, or painted your existing windows and doors black? Or maybe you’ve gone for a black extension? Would you agree that black is the new white?
