Our previous blog post was about chairs with black and white fabrics.  So, this week I decided to continue the black and white theme, and share some favorite ways to use black and white artwork. 

This subtle black and white photograph by Youngbok Park complements the delicate console table and lamps in the living room of our West Clay Park Project.  The soft gradation of greys in the piece is a soothing element that suits the overall color scheme of the room. 

Black and white artwork gives a room an instant modern vibe.  In the Chicago Studio of artist and designer Josh Young, a period mantle is surrounded by a grid of pieces from his  Géométrique Collection.  The mix of traditional and modern elements creates a unique and memorable space. 

If you’ve used color impactfully in a room, you may want to tone down the artwork so that it doesn’t compete.  This is what we did in the kitchen of our Berkeley Hills Project, where a charcoal portrait by the teenage daughter makes the perfect complement to the bright yellow backsplash tiles. 

I love the dramatic experience of this black and white mural.  The scale and subject matter add whimsy, and the crisp, graphic quality of the black and white image makes it easy to change out other design elements.  Notice how well it works with the more traditional pieces in the foreground of the image, and the mid-century lounge chair.  It works well with the kitten too, don’t you think?     

The entry foyer from our Noe Valley Project is one of my favorite examples of re-mixing a client’s belongings to give a fresh vibe.  Although our clients loved this inherited antique Italian desk, it never had an intentional place in their home until we decided to use it as the console table in the entry foyer.  Instead of using a traditional mirror above, we decided to hang the client’s Larry Bell artwork above the desk.  The piece incorporates mirror elements, so it serves a practical function on the way out of the house.  Black and white elements paired with rich wood tones are a timeless palette that can be used as a transition to almost any other color palette.