|

5 Reasons to love Black Interior Doors Now

ByMartina Gieske Posted on Updated on
35 Comments

Thinking about taking your interior doors to a whole new level? Look no further friend, because I’m about to show you why black interior doors can look simply stunning in any space!

Black Interior Doors

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for more details.

Are Black Doors in Style?

You can never go wrong with classic black or white doors. They both equally offer a timeless look in any home. But moody black and deep charcoal paints are certainly having their moment in the spotlight right now.

As designers lean towards more neutral and earth toned décor, they look to make a dramatic impact with this bold color.

Just look at these beautifully painted black doors and tell me you don’t immediately want to go paint yours now?!

sherwin williams caviar from crafted by the hunts

Black Interior Doors

Sherwin Williams iron ore from a heart filled home

Black Interior Doors

Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart

DIY Bathroom Remodel on a Budget
Make your hallway look expensive

Sherwin Williams tricorn black from monica wants it

Black Interior Doors

Martha stewart silhouette from the yellow cape cod

Black Interior Doors

unknown black color from rain on a tin roof

Just to show you that black doors do in fact look fabulous with colored walls.

Black Interior Doors

Why Paint Interior Doors Black?

From my personal experience, venturing into painting all of our home’s interior doors black started with my frustration for grimy greasy toddler handprints all over our bright white doors and frames.

But once I did, I was in love. Totally smitten for a gorgeous contrasting look against our creamy white walls. And I’m convinced it makes my builder grade home look way more high-end than it actually is.

Don’t take my word for it though. Check out this amazing hallway transformation with our new black doors!

Make your hallway look expensive
DIY Bathroom Remodel on a Budget

So I guess you could say it was more function than form that I was going for. But I ended up with one heck of a design surprise out of it, and now I’m going down the rabbit hole of painting our walls the most perfect creamy white to contrast the new door look.

How to choose which black paint to use for your interior doors

A quick search of “black doors” on Pinterest will turn up countless options for black paint colors to choose from. But the best suggestion I can offer, is for you to take a good look at what the complimentary colors are that will be surrounding your new doors.

Are they bright and warm? In which case you might want to lean towards a soft black color that has undertones of navy, green or even brown in them.

I decorate with a lot of warm neutrals in our home, so I chose the color “Cheating Heart” for our doors, bathroom cabinetry and even our black dining room ceiling. It has a soft charcoal color to it with juts a hint if navy in certain lights. I love the classic look if it.

DIY Bathroom Remodel on a Budget

For cooler toned rooms and those with more modern finishes, you can’t go wrong with a deep striking black paint. To give you an idea of how black interior doors can look in real life I wanted to share a few of my favorite examples with you.

How to paint black doors?

While some people prefer to paint their interior doors while they’re still hung on the hinges, I like to remove the doors and paint on a flat table surface. There’s really no right or wrong way, I’m just a sloppy painter and known for a lot of drips, so flat surfaces tend to be my friend with these projects.

I always start by cutting into the door stickings (The crevices surrounding the fancy raised panels, for those of us who are curious about the anatomy of doors). I just call them the creases.

Next, I lightly roll the panels and then the frames of the doors using a foam roller. I’ve found that 3 light coats of dark paint always seem to adhere better for me than two heavy ones. It also cuts down on the drying time which is a bonus.

You also never realize just how many doors you have in your home until you decide to go and paint them all. So an assembly line setup is a must to save your sanity.

how to make a master bathroom look expensive
how to make a master bathroom look expensive

As far as paint sheens go, I’ve done a lot of research, and the consensus seems to be to lean more towards a satin paint finish versus a semi or high gloss sheen.

Darker paint colors tend to be less forgiving of brush strokes and roller marks, so the lower in sheens you go, the less likely you are to see any of these imperfections.

What color trim with black doors?

The beauty of black painted doors is the incredible versatility they offer. You’re in no way limited in your selection of corresponding paint colors. From bright or creamy whites, to matching black and even taupe. There’s a reason why black is often referred to as a neutral. It goes with anything!

What color hinges with black doors?

At the risk of sounding like a broken record here, anything goes. If you’re going for a modern farmhouse look it’s safe to stay with a beautiful matte black hinge. But if your overall design goal is more timeless and classic you can always opt for a beautiful brushed nickel or brass.

These are few of my favorite hinges and door hardware that would look stunning with any black door.

How to clean black doors?

This might come as a surprise, but I’ve found my black doors are far easier to keep clean than my former white ones. Maybe it’s because the dark paint conceals all the dirt, either way, I’m good with it.

I simply use a damp rag to gently wipe down my doors and haven’t seen any issues with paint chipping or peeling. But I would steer away from harsh cleaners or anything too abrasive that might dull a bold black paint finish.

Just to recap…here are the 5 reasons to love black interior doors right now…

  • They’re timeless, never going out of style
  • They offer a high end look for just the cost of a little paint
  • Easy to clean and excellent at hiding dirt
  • They’re neutral, going with just about any décor or style
  • They’re a statement maker in any room or home

What do you think? Are you ready to take the paint plunge with this beautiful trend? Don’t forget to sign up at the bottom of this post to get all of my DIY tips and advice delivered straight to your inbox!

Similar Posts

35 Comments

  2. Wow, I never knew that bold black doors could make such an impact in house interiors. This really does sound like something that can easily give our home a complete makeover in a simple way without making too many stressful decisions. To do it right, I’ll go and look for a house interior painting expert as soon as possible to give us a hand.

  3. Hello, I love this! And your designs. My main living area is BM White China which I love. What color black would you recommend? I was thinking about doing SW Darkroom? Thank you and look forward to reading more!

  4. Hi, I just found your site love your style. I have signed up for your emails and now follow you on Instagram. I have a half bath we are getting ready to paint and make a bold statement! The ceiling will be black and the walls white. I am leaning toward S.W. Caviar or Tricorn Black. We have white doors, white cabinets and white counter tops. Someone told me to make sure the white walls go with the white counters. Did they mean choose a soft white, warm or not too bright? Do you have a recommend white your would use? Thank you!

    1. Hi Darla, thanks so much for being here and following along! The walls and the counters should have similar undertones, so either all warm whites or all cool, otherwise one might look dirty against to/ next to the other.

  5. I just painted my all my living area walls white ( silver satin Benjamin Moore). I’m painting all doors going outside black but can’t decide on the other doors – bedroom, powder room, study. Should I leave them white like trim or go for it?

    1. Hi Arleen! No, I don’t think so, but there is a caveat.
      You want to make sure that your wall color complements it nicely. Sometimes different color doors can make a room look a bit busy.
      If this is the case, a great idea would be to paint your doors, trim and walls all the same color.

  8. I am planning to paint our interior doors a dark colour: blue-black or brown-black. I have three pocket doors – would they look better left neutral or also paint them to match the other doors?

  9. What type and brand of paint did you use? I was going to use the cabinet paint I used for my kitchen cabinets but not sure I need that high end of paint.

  10. What Type of paint did you use? I was going to paint tricot black with the emerald line at sherwin Williams only because it’s what we used on our kitchen cabinets. That being said SW can’t get it in in the dark base. Wondering if I need that high end of paint for doors.

    1. Hi Keri, that’s totally your preference but I prefer a cohesive look if all of the doors are visible. My daughter’s room is decorated in blush and the door still looks gorgeous. You could always paint the sides 2 different colors.

        1. Thanks Elly! I did not use a primer, but if I were to do this again I definitely would 🙂 STIX or BIN primer are both great options

Leave a Reply