The best black paint colours are almost never pure black. A good black is softened with blue, green or warmth, which is what lets it look rich rather than flat. Our favourites are Farrow & Ball's Railings (31) and Off-Black (57), Little Greene's Lamp Black (228) and Basalt (221), and Paint & Paper Library's New Black (126), with charcoals such as Down Pipe (26) for a softer alternative.
Black has moved well beyond the front door. It now turns up on kitchen cabinets, skirtings, window frames, staircases and whole rooms, where it gives a sense of depth and calm that lighter colours cannot.
Here is how to choose the right one, and where each works best.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Railings (31)
How to choose a black
Every black has an undertone, and it is the undertone that decides how it sits with everything else in the room.
- Blue-blacks feel crisp and architectural. They suit ironwork, front doors and modern schemes, and look smart beside cool whites and greys.
- Soft, warm blacks are gentler and more forgiving. They sit happily with creams, timber and brass, and are kinder to the colours around them.
- Charcoals are not quite black at all. They give much of the drama with a little more softness, particularly on large areas.
Light matters too. In a dim room, every black reads darker and the undertone shows less. In strong daylight, the blue or warmth comes forward.
Soft and blue-blacks
- Railings (31). Farrow & Ball describe it as more blue than black, a softer alternative to black that is particularly suited to the ironwork it is named after. They note that it makes a handsome, commanding front door in Full Gloss, and feels much more relaxed in Flat Eggshell.
- Off-Black (57). One of the original Farrow & Ball colours. They describe it as a soft black, more flattering to adjacent colours than stronger blacks because it is milder in tone and has less of the underlying cool blue of Railings or Black Blue (95).
- Basalt (221). A deep blue-black from Little Greene. It reads as near black in low light, with the blue more apparent by day, and looks wonderful on doors and cabinetry.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colours Used: Lamp Black (228), Urbane Grey (225)
Deeper blacks
- Lamp Black (228). A rich, soft black from Little Greene with a slightly traditional character, a little gentler than a pure black. Good on walls as well as woodwork.
- Pitch Black (256). A deep, strong black from Farrow & Ball, who pair it with Dimpse (277), a delicate grey with subtle blue undertones.
- New Black (126). Paint & Paper Library's black, crisp beside their Clean White (101).
Charcoal alternatives
If a true black feels too much for walls, a charcoal gives depth with a little more give.
- Down Pipe (26). Farrow & Ball describe it as a dark lead grey with definite blue undertones that deepen the complexity of the finish.
- Urbane Grey (225). A deep, modern charcoal from Little Greene that sits well beside Lamp Black.
- Squid Ink (698). A dark, inky colour from Paint & Paper Library with a softer edge than black.
- Obsidian Green (216). A green so dark it reads almost as black, and a lovely alternative on joinery.
Photo Credit: Paint & Paper Library; Colours Used: New Black (126), Tallanstown Grey (109)
Where to use black, and which finish
- Front doors and railings. Gloss is traditional and very hard-wearing: Full Gloss (95% sheen) from Farrow & Ball or Intelligent Gloss (87 to 90%) from Little Greene. For a softer look outside, use Farrow & Ball's Exterior Eggshell or Little Greene's Intelligent Exterior Eggshell.
- Kitchens and joinery. Modern Eggshell (40%) or Intelligent Satin (30 to 35%) for cabinets that are handled every day.
- Skirtings, doors and frames. Flat Eggshell (20%) or Intelligent Eggshell (10 to 15%) for a low, elegant sheen.
- Walls. A flat matt shows black at its richest. Dead Flat (2%) covers walls and woodwork in a single finish.
Black is a deep colour, so use the right undercoat. With Little Greene, a coat of Intelligent ASP tinted towards your black helps build depth before the topcoats. Black also shows imperfections in high sheens, so take care with preparation.
Questions we are often asked
Which black is softest?
Farrow & Ball describe Off-Black as more flattering to neighbouring colours than stronger blacks, and Railings as a softer alternative to black. Both are good starting points if you are wary of a hard black.
Will a black room feel small?
It will feel enclosed and intimate, which is often the aim in a snug, cloakroom or dining room. Taking the colour over walls, woodwork and ceiling blurs the corners so the room feels deliberate.
What white goes with black?
Farrow & Ball pair Railings, Off-Black and Down Pipe with Blackened (2011), their coolest white. For a warmer look, choose a soft white with a touch of cream.
