Black magic

In the world of fashion, the little black dress is iconic. When decorating your home, black can be equally dramatic.

It was exactly for that heightened sense of drama that Las Vegas designer Peggy Scinta used black as the main color for a powder room she recently completed.

Starting with a black vanity that was already present, Scinta painted the walls in a matte black and chose an accompanying wallpaper in a shimmery gold texture.

"It was a nice juxtaposition," she said of the black and gold combination.

She completed the look with nine mirrored frames holding a black and gold damask print.

"The powder bath is a great place to go over the top," she said. "It's fun for your guests and adds a shot of drama."

"If a consumer wants to add an incredibly rich essence to their space, Onyx Black is a perfect selection to do so," said Krim Danzinger, senior color consultant for Glidden Paint. "I think there is an intrigue or attraction that one must feel when selecting this color. Unique in its own right, it adds the kind of calming drama that one is commanding for the space."

According to Scinta, black has been used in home décor for years, but primarily in the background or as an accent. Lately, however, "people are starting to be a bit more courageous with their room colors.

"I'm dying to use it in a big room like a kitchen," Scinta said. "I am obsessed with black rooms."

She said black would make any room dramatic and probably a bit more formal. For that reason, she does not believe it would be a good color for a family or living room.

When selecting a black paint, Scinta said it is best to use one with a matte finish because of the texture of most walls inside Las Vegas homes.

"If you use anything glossy, it will show every bump and bruise," she said.

Danzinger said black "creates a wonderful backdrop for items that one has collected over the years, especially for things that sparkle or glisten."

Scinta said sparkling and glistening items, along with mirrors that reflect light, help prevent the darkened walls from becoming oppressive or dungeonlike.

It also works especially well when there are architectural features, such as window or crown moldings, door casings and wainscoting, that are painted in a contrasting color or a bright white.

"The white actually makes the Onyx Black resonate with a panache that provides a wonderfully unique character to this color. The black and white combination creates a dramatic difference, yet adds a sophisticated calmness to the atmosphere," Danzinger said. "Paired with midtoned neutrals, they create a pleasing harmony to the eye of those seeking an impression of refinement. It is such a flexible color in that it can appear very historical as well as contemporary depending on the combination of colors."

Scinta said she also likes to add bright pops of color such as yellow, red, orange, aqua and purple when black is the dominant color in a room.

Jill Abelman of Inside Style in Las Vegas said she prefers to use black sparingly and as an accent color.

"The only exception would be a black and white themed room, in which case I would accent the room with hot pink or turquoise," she said.