Black is Beautiful

May 14, 2010

Many of us have heard Henry Ford's comment about his Ford Model T in 1909 - "Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black". I kind of feel that way about houses.

While most traditional Toronto housing is constructed of brick and stone which, if in good condition, doesn't warrant painting, I have a fascination with the idea of an all-black painted residence. But even if black is just used for the trim and front porch, I consider it understated and elegant. It was also my recommendation to my clients when they asked what colour they should paint their classic Victorian - my newest listing featured here called "Ravishing Roncesvalles".

Call it the negation of colour, but black can be seen as both positive and negative. Sure it's the colour of mourning in western countries, it's prevalent with orange during Halloween, and in western flicks the good guy wore white and the bad guy wore black. But on the flip side, youth consider wearing black to be hip, a man in a tuxedo or the woman's little black dress conveys style, sophistication and mystery, and the feng shui colour guide encourages the use of black to add depth, strength and definition.

With black dwellings I think the entire spectrum of meanings are presented, with each viewer interpreting the look using their own intuitive reaction. For some a black property may perceived as too dark, ominous or formal, while others will see it as daring, dashing, or a bit of a surprise. I love that sort of playful contrast in housing.

Check out these amazing links below - and stay tuned for my own brave move to paint a house black as an unexpected style enhancement!

from door sixteen

from house design news

from coolboom

~ Steven