When we think of jazz, we think of two things. Dark clubs and bars, cosy yes but bursting with energy. And self-expression! On this international Jazz day, we take a dive into some of the best dark, cosy and soulful spaces from around the web. We’ve brought together some great examples of dark styles you can try in your own home from some of our favourite Instagrammers. So, let us inspire your next living room, dining room or bedroom DIY project.
This beautiful children’s bedroom created by Nina Gee shows how you can use darker colours to reduce the size of the room. Then bam! Add some strong colourful pieces, paintings, photos, cushions and you have a room which will blow up your child’s imagination. A little warning, sleep might not come so quickly for children in a room like this, but we bet they have the coolest dreams!
There are loads of ways to add colour to a children’s room. You can upcycle furniture and pictures frames to make quirky unique pieces of decoration.
Making collages and paintings is a great activity while the weather is bad. Just grab some artisan brushes and use any paint you have.
Another great way to add some colour and interest is to paint patterns on the wall. This can be a great activity to do with your children and we have written a guide how to paint a feature wall to help you with the basics.
And don’t forget about areas of trim, windowsills, skirting boards, doors and door frames are all great opportunities to experiment with bright bold colours or small highlights. Take a look at our videos guides how to paint a door, how to paint a skirting board and how to paint a windowsill for some great tips and advice from our expert decorators.
Deep, rich blues are used by many of our DIY enthusiasts to create a wonderful rich canvas for later decoration. When combined with subtle lighting or strong vibrant contrasting colours like yellow or pink, a powerful striking electric style can be achieved.
When choosing a colour for your room light colours will open the space up and darker colours will make it feel smaller. For a very longtime small spaces were considered undesirable, but we think instead of small you should think cosy, intimate or contemplative. Don’t be afraid to use darker colours, just look at these amazing examples of what can be done.
Switch on your creativity and try incorporating some fairy lights into your finished decoration to make a cosy retreat. By using dark colours on the walls and ceiling Ingewatrobski has created a wonderful space for relaxation and contemplation. Use good paint and our ultimate walls & ceilings paint brushes and rollers; plus a little experimentation. We can’t get enough of this beautify home and we hope you like it too.
For pointers on painting a large area fast try out our How to paint a wall video guide. If you’re painting the ceiling too, which we really recommend, check out our how to paint a ceiling guide and use an Ultimate extension pole. It’s a great tool for painting large surfaces and high ceilings really fast without the need of a ladder.
A great way to get some Jazz style in your home is to upcycle some furniture to create statement pieces which show off your creativity. We love this upcycled piano created by Paint_Paste_Prosecco. Used to create a wonderfully musical centre piece, this vibrant yellow piano works beautifully in a dark cosy room and a bright open family space.
The trick to successfully upcycling furniture is in the preparation. If you are repainting, your goal should be to get the surface smooth to the touch. This might mean stripping back old paint or lacquer with chemicals so make sure to wear gloves, safety glasses and a mask if you do this.
You can also use a simple sanding block which has an inner foam layer and sanding surface on the outside. These are great for getting into tricky areas or working on curved surfaces. And remember you just need the surface to be smooth ready for priming.
When you are choosing paints you can use specialized furniture paint like chalk paint, but you can also use gloss satin and eggshell paints. These will often come in a wide variety of colours, so you can really experiment and make something unique!
To start your upcycle project you can read our upcycle guide here as well as finding all the tools we recommend. We love the idea of upcycling a piano and we hope you do too. So, let your imagination run wild and give upcycling a try.
We think the_boys_at_13 have been filled with the spirit of Jazz to create their wonderful eclectic, electric style. We encourage you to play with colours and use framed pieces of artwork to create a space which both inspires and comforts you.
Their style works perfectly in this living room and we have lots of ideas. We can easily imagine evenings filled with thoughtful discussion, relaxed contemplation and binging seasons on Netflix.
We have really enjoyed researching and bringing these great decorating examples to you. Whatever your style is we hope you have been as inspired as us by these dark sanctuaries.
And if your experimentation takes you to a strange place, we bet you will have enjoyed the journey. Because according to research decorating your home is one of the most positive DIY activities you can do.
