Black is a color to take seriously. Dark colorsadd drama and depth, and black painted housessend a message that you’re not afraid to be noticed. But it’s a high-maintenance color (compared with white).Is black paint the best choice for a facade? Read on (and then tell us what you think in the comments below):
Pros:
Black is Beautiful
There’s no denying the drama and authority of black houses. The colormakes a strong visual statement and, like a black dress, needs minimal accessories to complete the look.
Above:A black-painted Victorian in San Francisco owned by Claire Bigbie of Envelope A + D(a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory). Photograph courtesy ofGrant K. Gibson.
A black Victorian facade in San Francisco needs nothing more to dress it up than a single succulent, a multi-branched euphorbia next to the front stoop. For more, see 11 Traditional Houses Gone to the Dark Side.
Basic Backdrop
Black isa good foil for green. In a garden or against natural surroundings, the facades of black houses will recede and focus attention instead on green foliage. This enables the eye to draw better distinctions among different shades of green. Yellow-green leaves and blue-green leaves appear more varied and layered against a black facade or fence, making plantings appear more lush.
Above: In Mill Valley, California a cedar-shingled house is painted in Benjamin Moore’sBlack with China White trim. For more of the garden, see Garden Visit: Landscaping a Live-in Summer Camp.
Blank Canvas
Black–like white and gray–is a neutral color and contrasts well with many other materials, textures, and hues.
Above: Photograph courtesy of Ben Herzog Architect.
Black trim and windows creates a dramatic contrast to a brick facade on a Brooklyn townhouse by architect Ben Herzog. For more black housesand factory windows, see Hardscaping 101: Steel Factory-Style Windows and Doors.
Above: The facade of filmmaker Derek Jarman’s black seaside cottage in Dungeness, Kent is lightened by sunshine yellow trim. For more of this garden, see Garden Visit: Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage at Dungeness.
The yellow trim lightens the mood of Jarman’s black facade to create a backdrop for a seaside cottage garden.
Cons:
Faded Beauty
Sunlight fades dark colors faster. The paint on black houseswill blister and peel faster than a light color. This is because black paint heats up and cools down (expanding and contracting more than a light color) as it absorbs more rays from the sun. (One way to mitigate this problem is with conscientious preparation before painting. The biggest cause of blistering and peeling paint–of any color–is water seeping beneath the surface. Thoroughly scrape and sand a surface before painting to prevent that problem.)
Above: We asked architects to reveal their go-to shades of paint for black houses. For the full list, see Paints & Palettes: Architects’ 8 Top Black Paint Picks.
Blemish Booster
On a surface, black accentuates imperfections. Any blemish, chip, gouge, or flaw on an exterior wall will draw more attention if it’s painted black.
Above: On the other hand, if you want to emphasize textures–such as the grooves in siding or the trim pieces on a facade–black paint will “outline” the layers. Photograph courtesy ofGrant K. Gibson.
