Black / dark interiors

[LongLensPhotography]

I started getting more and interior jobs where the paintwork is either all black or shades of dark grey. Only very rarely you'd see any other colour, except maybe some minor orange accents. At first it was a place or two in Birmingham which I then just presumed was a local distasteful thing, or Ikea inspired fad. Now I see it absolutely everywhere in vastly increasing numbers.
Aside from making the job a lot more difficult (causes bloody flares from my 16-35) to do I just can't get my head round why would you turn your own, or rental space into something dark, dull and presonally quite depressing. It's great for cinema room, wine cellar, photography dark room, or maybe crop store, but all else?

If you get it please explain this.

 

[Cartus]

I started getting more and interior jobs where the paintwork is either all black or shades of dark grey. Only very rarely you'd see any other colour, except maybe some minor orange accents. At first it was a place or two in Birmingham which I then just presumed was a local distasteful thing, or Ikea inspired fad. Now I see it absolutely everywhere in vastly increasing numbers.
Aside from making the job a lot more difficult (causes bloody flares from my 16-35) to do I just can't get my head round why would you turn your own, or rental space into something dark, dull and presonally quite depressing. It's great for cinema room, wine cellar, photography dark room, or maybe crop store, but all else?

If you get it please explain this.

Could we not see a photo of said interiors?

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Could we not see a photo of said interiors?

Just image the 4 black walls.

This is perhaps one of the better examples, as in it has very tall ceilings, and rich decor. Luckily the ceiling here is white. I've seen it painted black elsewhere! Carpet is also unusually not black.
Please note: Image is unedited flash exposure and some way from finished product.

 

[Cartus]

I think in your example, it looks fine and quite tasteful but any more dark grey/black would be perhaps too much.

I think it would work in a Georgian style house with high ceilings but not in a smaller room, but it’s a matter of personal choice and taste.

 

[JonathanRyan]

I think that paintwork looks stunning. It allows your stuff to "breathe" against the background.

Honestly, I'd have paid out for better light switches though.

 

[Cartus]

Another room with dark walls I found on the internet. As long as it’s not overdone and balanced with lighter colours, certain larger rooms look great. (The pink isn’t to my taste though).

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Another room with dark walls I found on the internet. As long as it’s not overdone and balanced with lighter colours, certain larger rooms look great. (The pink isn’t to my taste though).View attachment 268066

I would much prefer deep red instead of pink here

 

[Cartus]

I would much prefer deep red instead of pink here

This looks good I think...

 

[LongLensPhotography]

This looks good I think...View attachment 268147

I think here it is going down compared with your other and mine examples. The wasp colour scheme kind of looks cool for a moment, but really the dark grey ceiling and white or cream wall make zero sense to me.

Personally these places should stick with traditional velvet "royal" wallpapers, tapestries or natural wood furnishings. That's just my opinion of course.

I would much prefer deep red instead of pink here

On a second thought they probably are red and not pink in real life. The shot is made using only natural light (nothing wrong with that here) and if you look closely the centre bit has a very cool colour cast due to more direct window light hitting the carpet and furniture. The whole area looks quite blue; and of course blue + red gives you magenta tones... It gets quiite technical here. One way to fix it is to desaturate blue and magenta and then apply a radial yellow filter or brush adjustment over blue area.... Perhaps a simpler way is to properly use studio lights which even out colour balance right away.

 

[MartynK]

I like dark walls, but you need large rooms and high ceilings to avoid claustrophobia!