Lighting . . . if its done well, you don’t notice it. Unless it’s decorative that is.

Some decorative lighting is in your face and you can’t help but notice it.  Like this:

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Lately I’ve been obsessed with black and white decor. Actually, to be more precise, charcoal and ivory decor (true black and white can sometimes be too harsh).  Because my house is an open floor plan with lots of windows and doors, I have very little wall space and plenty of natural light in my Great Room/ Dining/ Kitchen Area. So, because I enjoy the “different” and “unexpected,” last Summer I decided to paint the dining room and kitchen walls a deep, almost black, brownish-grey; “Black Fox” by Sherwin Williams.  The remaining walls are an ivory called “Swiss Coffee” by Benjamin Moore. ( I don’t know how the Swiss drink their coffee, but it must have a TON of cream in it to be this color.)

Anyway, while I’m not going to include pictures of my own house because it’s not “picture ready” yet, I will post some of my favorite black and white decor from around the web.

Check out this gorgeous removable wallpaper sold by Tempaper!  I would LOVE to put this in a small powder room with a vintage chandelier, brass fixtures, and glass floating shelves.

Beautiful formal Dining Room; I love the “pop” of color from the chandelier.

Check out this cottage living room for a more cozy, traditional look.  This room reminds me of something I might find in Charleston, SC- one of my favorite places on earth!

Subway tile anyone?  Timeless and versatile perfection.

Last but not least, how fun are these go-anywhere chairs?  These chairs aren’t for everyone, but I appreciate putting a little whimsy and humor into a room that could otherwise be too stuffy or formal.

Here are some dark paint colors I found on Pinterest (Including Black Fox, #3) that will help you achieve a similar look:

And some Ivories: