Why I’m Ditching Black and WHite in 2025

If you look to your left, right, or straight ahead you are likely to see another home, apartment complex, or shopping center being painted white with black trim. The black and white trend has been going strong for over 5 years now, and as it has reached peak popularity, we are seeing it everywhere, whether it belongs there or not.

When a trend in interior design first emerges, it looks fresh and new because it is different from what we are used to seeing. Designers and high-end design houses are the first to incorporate these new trends, so they will typically be done well. That is, the spaces look great because they are professionally designed by expert artists in the field. Eventually these trends will trickle down to furniture stores, then department stores, then big-box stores. By the time a trend makes its way to Home Depot, it’s probably at peak popularity and it won’t be long before it’s considered out of style. Trend-makers are already embracing more color and warmer neutrals like beige. This is why I am unlikely to suggest a pure black and white color palette in 2025. That, and the fact that there are so many other beautiful options to consider.

Exteriors
Check out this very large complex in Palm Harbor that recently painting every single building white with black trim… yawn! This will date the paint job quickly, whereas a color choice would have made these buildings more timeless.

Each home has a style. Is your home more traditional with brick and columns? Classic Southern with a front porch and siding? A modern Florida stucco one-story? Or a contemporary home with large glass windows and straight roofline? This should be considered when choosing your exterior finishes. Be sure the color and other elements (brick, stone, trim) fit the architecture of the building to make everything look cohesive. This is often the step that gets overlooked when choosing the color of your home and can make the difference between a home that looks nice enough and one that looks amazing. Also, the fixed elements of your home need to be considered. If you have a warm or earthy brick or stone, white paint can make it look “dirty.” The appropriate complex cream or very light beige will give the look of white without making the stone look out of place.

Kitchen and Bath
This holds true for kitchen and bathroom finishes as well. Choosing only black and white for every selection is seldom the right choice. Using subtle variations in white can create a more sophisticated and appealing look. There are hundreds of shades of white that look more expensive, well-designed, and intentional. Pure white from a can looks like primer that hasn’t yet been painted and defaulting to black for all choices, from faucets to tile to artwork, is often seen as uninspired. A professional interior designer can help find fresh, updated options that avoid the monotony of black and white. Look at the missed opportunity in the bathroom shown here.

Why are we tired of it already?
The main problem with the current black and white trend, and the overuse of it, is the lack of variation. In the past, trends had more options within them. For example, the Tuscan trend included a range of colors such as burgundy, yellow, brown, and various beiges, providing homeowners with options to personalize their homes within the trend. The black and white trend offers no such variation, limiting homeowners to a single color palette. This gets tiresome quickly. Colonial homes with white painted brick and black shutters can be timeless and beautiful, especially with good landscaping and colorful flowers. But right now, I probably would not suggest this color scheme, even if it technically works, to avoid being lumped in with all the poorly executed black and white buildings. As you are driving around, pay attention to how many plazas and homes are being stripped of all character and painted monotonous black and white.

The Problem
One reason we are seeing so much of this look is that homeowners see these beautifully, professionally designed images and try to replicate the look in their own home. However, online images can often be misinterpreted. What looks like black and white in a magazine or online can actually be the darkest of navy with an off-white, or charcoal gray with cream. These colors read as black and white to the eye, but they provide more depth and variation in person than pure white and jet black do. Also, we often overlook the fact that the exteriors  have beautiful landscaping featuring the ideal plants and flowers, and the interiors are expertly styled with the perfect furnishings and accessories.

So what do you do if you need an update or are planning a renovation and want the updated, modern look, but want to avoid costly mistakes that you will soon tire of? Consulting with a professional designer is a good place to start. If your designer immediately suggests black and white, they are taking the easy way out and not putting much thought into the perfect color for your individual home. There are many wonderful, happier, and more appropriate options. Your designer should suggest paint, fabrics, and finishes that fit  with your home’s architectural style and your personal tastes. And use black sparingly.

Teresa Cannon Design can help you determine where to add black and white, or where to add color, for a fresh and sophisticated interior remodel or renovation.

If you are interested in luxury residential interior design services in Tampa Bay, including color selections, contact us here.

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Until next time,
Teresa