Architecture + Design

How to Decorate in a Single Color

A new book showcases how a minimal color palette can create bold interiors
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    Even master decorators will admit it takes a discerning eye and a careful balance to successfully devise a room in just one hue. In Monochrome Home: Elegant Interiors in Black and White (Ryland Peters & Small, $35), Brooklyn-based interior designer Hilary Robertson explores the art of tackling such a decor challenge, chronicling five distinct schemes and sharing styling tips for re-creating each in your home. From moody jet-black spaces to airy white sanctuaries and the gray areas in between, Monochrome Home has something for everyone who loves a classic black-and-white palette.

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    Finnish artist Annaleena Karlsson punctuated her living room with clean-lined furniture in crisp black and white.

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    Glossy black tiles line a wall in the kitchen of a restored 16th-century home in Lyon, France.

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    In the same home, pops of brown brighten the deep black dining area.

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    The monochrome look easily lends itself to industrial-inspired interiors, as seen in this concrete-floored dining room on the island of Gotland, located in the Stockholm archipelago.

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    This bedroom in a Brooklyn brownstone is a prime example of decorating in a monochromatic scheme.

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    Artist Parashkev Nachev opted for a dark color scheme in his London home. He devised a sleek and sophisticated look in his studio with lacquered furniture, vintage pieces, and vivid copper accents.

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    A minimal vignette highlights the importance of mixing textures–like the braided basket and shag rug pictured above–when decorating in a monochrome palette.

    Related:

    What Is Your Design Personality?

    Great Design: Home Decor Ideas and Inspiration for Every Style

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