What do chess pieces, Oreos and penguins have in common? They’re all classic renditions of black and white! As it turns out, black and white is as timeless in your homes as in zebras and old movies. It’s been part of interior design for as long as people have been decorating homes.

It’s the color combination that never goes out of style! It’s associated with glamour, with artistry, with restrained yet self-confident beauty. And in these uncertain times, it’s a comforting color scheme that we can fall back into.

Designing with black and white might look easy. After all, there are only two colors, and neither clashes with anything. However, effective black and white decorating requires thought and balance. Here are some suggestions for a black and white interior that will achieve all the enchantment the blend has to offer, and bring the classic comfort of this combo into your home.

Black and White the Right Way

Black and white can either be dominant or an accent. As an accent, it functions much like a single color. It plays well with neutrals such as beige and gray. Neutrals work with black and white to create a refreshing, cleansing palette.

However, when black and the white are the foundation of a room, then the timeless suavity steps forth! Here are a few principles that ensure your black and white interior will attain the sophistication it’s capable of.

Choose One Color as Dominant

A black and white room should be about 70 percent one color and 30 percent the other. White with black accents is more common and the safer choice. However, there’s much to be said for the daring self-confidence of a room where black takes the lead role!

Different Shades for Different Effects

Crisp blacks and unshaded whites yield the greatest contrast. If you go this route, you’ll need accents to create a tie between the two. Natural materials such as wood or stone are excellent for this transitional work.

On the other hand, whites can be tinged with pastels and cream colors. Blacks might be softened to shades of gray. An assortment of black and white shades provides dimensionality.

Add Texture for Layering

Think of all the places black and white can be used – furniture, walls, tile, carpeting, curtains, pillows, throws – and you’ll see the opportunity to deploy an intriguing blend of textures. Consider linens, wool, leather, cotton and even silk to enjoy a multiplicity of personalities from just two colors.

Provide the Right Lighting

Black and white can sometimes be harsh, and a single light source may accentuate that starkness. Diffused lighting softens the ambiance and makes the room more inviting. Multiple sources such as floor lamps, table lamps, sconces and recessed lighting create illumination that feels natural. Also, it’s important to brighten the corners and avoid shadows.

Which style? Any style! Many styles!

Black and white is nothing if not versatile. It welcomes a mixture of old and new furniture. A room can feature elements of modern and traditional, of contemporary and casual, and black and white will tie them all together.

How Do I Use Black and White in My Home?

Here are some practical ways to make black and white a fabulous feature in your interior decorating scheme.

Play with Patterns

With black and white, the possibilities for patterns are plentiful. Think checkerboard tiles. Dark floral patterns on wallpaper. Graphic prints in a variety of shapes and sizes. Stripes, plaids, geometrics, polka dots.

Try varying sizes of patterns, such as throw pillows with a busy design paired with an area rug with large blocks. One caveat: rooms with several black and white patterns must be stabilized with solids.

Warm Black and White with Natural Materials

Wood in rustic or vintage style is particularly effective for boosting a room’s comfort level. That might include wood furniture, baskets, bowls and even some rattan. Exposed rock has a similar effect, as well as collected rock, driftwood and dried grasses in wooden containers.

Add Pops of Colors

If there’s going to be more than a few splashes of additional colors, then neutrals are the order of the day. They’re the ones that can handle a substantial role in a black and white room.

However, if there are only a few color accents, then bright and rich is just fine! And don’t forget about metallics. Gold and silver bring different types of flavoring to a black and white room, but both are tasty additions!

Do you favor house plants? Black and white can stand up to a lot of greenery! Large plants in floor baskets and small bloomers in pots and vases suggest life and warmth.

Fun with Fabrics

Fabrics are everywhere, on sofas, chairs, pillows, bedspreads, rugs and carpets. There’s no limit to how many you get to use! Black and white are just two colors, but an assortment of fabrics and textures can make them feel like many more.

Upholstery can do more than just add texture and variety into a room. While white sofas may seem like a design dream reserved only for magazine spreads and fancy living rooms, performance fabrics have added stain resistance and durability to the game, making white or other light-colored sofas more practical for everyday living.

Mix and Match Black and White Furniture and Decor

Place white shaggy pillows on a black leather sofa or silky black pillows on a white leather sofa. Let a black sofa stand out in a predominately white room or a white sofa in a chic black room. Set white chairs on a black area rug. Arrange black decor on a white bookcase. Use patterned black and white pillows on solid sofas. Choose solid pillows for patterned sofas and chairs. Use predominately black wall art on a white wall.

If you want to capture the black and white magic that has brightened rooms throughout the years, there’s no time like today to put these basic colors to work in your own home! It’s a classic, a little classy, yet familiar enough to feel cozy and inviting.