Black magic and its powers to transform a room....

Happy Friday! Hope you are well, glad its the end of the week.....looking forward to a busy but fun weekend. I have spoken often on my posts about how much I like black elements in interior design. Black truly has the power to transform a room or space unlike any other.... It offers so much drama, high style, elegance and old world-ness to virtually any room. Whether it be black and white timeless marble floors, a black kitchen, a huge black hutch, dramatic black walls in a dining room, there is no denying the power of black in a room. It also looks sensational next to virtually any other color. So today I pay homage to the use of black in interior decorating, and showcase a collection of different rooms and spaces that underscore my point. Though I realize it might not be for everyone, there is no denying the impact it has in a room. Some of the prettiest interiors I have seen have had elements of black in them, and it is highly effective when used properly....like most things in interior design, its all about scale and balance. I personally will be using black in my kitchen and butlers pantry. Would love to know, as always what you think and if you have a favorite! Do you have any black in your own and if not, would you want it? 

Elegant black dining room as interpeted by Ralph Lauren

Black and white floors and black walls make for a very elegant and dramatic foyer 

hallway, Max and Co.

M Elle designed this beautiful inviting space in shades of soft black and charcoal with pops of orange and reds in the books and throws.

A gorgeous painted black door offers subtle drama and elegance, Jan Showers

Atmosphere Interior Design went all black in this elegant dining room while keeping the warmth of the wood table for contrast

Beverly Ellsley chose black for the beautiful center island and accented black in the floors for maximum impact, and it worked!

Elegant and old world feeling black and white marble checkerboard floors, Elizabeth Dinkel

Love this Parisian bistro vibe at work here...Stephen Shubel designed this stunner of a  black 

kichen....love the floors too!

Rich European feeling bathroom gets a bold rich marble floor with  black, white and gold design

A black runner, black framed prints were used in this elegant foyer with black painted floors, Sherill Canet

Black painted walls and black floors give a dark and dramatic contrast to the white dining chairs, Elle Decor

Black is not only for indoors! Mary Mcdonald went bold and dramatic in this black and white setting....pretty exciting

SR Gambrel created this stunnig black and white marble foyer/hallway...resplendent!

S R Gambrel designed this living room, with a base of black and infused pops of bright colors

Sometimes a few statement pieces in black are all that is needed, Graham Moss

John Jacob achieved the perfect balance here wiht light and dark using black accents

One of my favorites...John Jacobs designed this exquisite  kitchen with black cabinetry

Stunning black cabinetry graces this gorgeous butlers pantry, Arthur Dunnam

A black kitchen works everytime...especially when topped with rich white marble

Sometimes you don't need an entire room to be black, just a few carefully chose black accessories just does the trick, as show here by Beverly Cleare

John Jacobs painted this bathroom wall a soft black and used white for extra punch and wow factor!

Love this tall black and glass cabinet....STUNNING! Mallory Marshall

Candler Lloyd chose charcoal walls and black chairs for punch in this otherwise muted colored filled room

Jiun Ho created this beautiful pared down but dramatic seating arragnement in front of the fireplace, charcaol and black are used here

Jiun Ho designed this drama filled dining room with textured walls and ovesized dining fixture

Gorgeous black Belgian reclaimed floors...fabulous!

I wouldn't think I would like a black bedroom but John Jacob with his trained and talented eye used just enough white to soften this beautiful dramatic room

Gorgeous room trimmed in black ,wtih black floors gets an extra punch with white seating and beautiful crystal objects for light, Decorpad

I love the impact and power of an elegant black painted chest in a foyer or hallway, Nathan Egan

Robert Brown designed this masculine and regal looking black surround tub, love the window treatment which brings in the black but manages to keep them light

Elegant swank looking black painted library...very chic

Ted Yarwood designed this simple, masculine powder room using black lacquered walls

Beautiful, sleek glossy black kitchen is pure drama and elegance...love the white floor as the contrast

A black damask paper in this super elegant powder room is superb looking, Ashley Goforth

Old world feeling black painted kitchen wtih a terracotta looking trim, different for sure!

Mary McDonald created this dramatic black dining room with accents with orange and pale blue

A black library is very rich looking

This beautiful vintage feeling bath with black tub and black walls/window treatments feels wonderfully old fashioned, photo by Melanie Acevado

This black and white bathroom certainly makes a bold statement, Lony magazine

Rob Southern painted his foyer glossy black to match the black door and used white and black marble floors for the light contrast that makes this foyer smashing!

Sensational black foyer accented with white and pale grays...quite beautiful!

Would love to know if you have a favorite and would love to know how you feel about black in interior decorating in general....would you, have you used it? Have a fabulous Friday!

Spectacular swoon worthy rooms from my treasure chest of pictures......part I

Hello....from snowy New York. Yes, you heard right, its S N O W I N G!!!! I think the weather gods are a bit confused but we will let this slide as long as we wake up to sunny skies and temperatures above 50 tomorrow! Today is simply a day to celebrate many gorgeous, showstopping, glorious grand rooms and interiors, some which I have had for a long long time, and others newer additions. I get so inspired by pictures, images both on the Internet, books and in my vast collection of magazines....so many fabulous things to choose from! You know the kind of room or image that makes your heart go pitter patter? We all know that feeling, something so beautiful that at first glance its almost too much to take in so you look away only to take it all in on second glance (surely I cannot be the only one who does this) So over time I have collected many pictures that make me swoon...ironically even the ones I have had a long long time I still love.....proof that my taste hasn't wavered much over the years and that good design doesn't get old.   I am dividing this into two parts since I have so many and my file is bulging with so many fabulous contenders and not a single one should be left out. In no particular order and in a very random way, here is my parade of fabulous and inspirational rooms and interiors...do you have a favorite?

This is one of my all time favorites..have had it for years. How gorgeous..love the range, the floors, the blue and white accents...perfection!

Love the walnut stained wood, the limestone mantle, the washed muted fabrics.....

This is such a stately old world magnificent wood paneled room

Always loved the warmth walnut looking color of this fabulous wood paneled room

Gorgeous room, love the built in "window seat" albeit a very glorified window seat

Love this..OK I don't have a daughter but IF I did, I would create a room just like this! How cozy...imagine how much fun sleepovers would be in a room like this!

One of my all time faves..have featured this many times, Jack Arnold classic kitchen

The colors are so fresh and stunning....Stark

Another one of my all time favorite rooms, just classic understated elegance

Love the dark cabinetry with white marble so rich looking...

Bill Eubanks created this dreamy and dramatic dining room

Stunning master, the colors are so serene and inviting..a true oasis

Rich old world splendor..the dark green walls say it all

Love the feeling of this soft white and beige bed, the elegant monogram, the crisp linen bedding, the shirred canopy..so luxurious in an understated way, Phoebe Howard

Love the colors, serene and elegant, Charlotte Moss

Beautiful feeling here...feels a bit Swedish/Nordic inspired by the color palette..so soothing

Love this room, so rich, opulent but understated by William Eubanks

Another angle from the gorgeous kitchen above...love the floors and the blue and white

Beautiful, rustic and elegant seating area..love the lattice front chest/hutch

Another view from one of my favorites! (Stark)

And yet one more...love the fireplace too!

Now this is what I call a hallway....elegant grandeur at its finest! (Arch Digest)

Subdued but old world pretty

Stunning living room by Cathy Kincaid...the colors are just so melodic.....

Always had a thing for this incredibly old world elegant feeling dining room by Cathy Kincaid

Another view......same room

Beautiful stately monochromatic master bedroom, pure heaven by Howard

Cathy Kincaid works her magic again in this fabulous guest room...so crisp and pretty

Charlotte Moss created this glorious, regal and formal dining room

I believe Steve from Velvet and Linen designed this stunning kitchen..its a showstopper

Gorgeous opulent hallway by William Eubanks

Such a rich and elegant room, the drapes are stunning and I can image this room at sunset....

Love the colors and the soft palette in this inviting kitchen

Something about this space feels so inviting, the soft colors, the large space, the cozy seating

Love this bathroom, so stately and old world feeling, Suzanne Tucker

Always loved this cozy but gorgeous seating area/banquette for this breakfast room

Elegant hall/foyer by William Eubanks.....love the feeling here, its timeless

So what do you think? Which room makes your heart go pitter patter?  What makes a room showstopping and something to remember to you? For me, there are so many elements that have to come together, a room just has to feel authentic, and right, have a cohesive palette, have great lighting, good flooring, has to be inviting without sacrificing elegance. I love having images of beautiful rooms to refer back to and to learn from. Would love to know which is your favorite! Hope your day is wonderful and enchanting!