It’s all right there in black and white

Monochrome - the classic combination of black and white - can take on a variety of personalities to suit your home and taste.

Think sharp, chic and elegant, mean and moody with inky black walls and gothic accessories, or the perfect backdrop allowing you to flirt with vibrant splashes of colour.

Just as the LBD (little black dress) is a wardrobe staple, increasingly interiors designers are relying on LBD (lots of black decor) to create successful settings.

“Monochrome will always endure in fashion and interiors because it’s classic, simple and instantly alluring,” says Marianne Shillingford, head of Dulux Design Service, a network of interior design experts across the UK.

“This year monochrome interiors are becoming less about the stark contrast between black and white and more about a subtle amalgamation of tones that create tranquil restful spaces in which to slow down.

“Smoky warm shades of black and grey combine with greyed off-whites are silent colours that speak of still waters, starry nights and the transient hours of dusk and dawn.”

So view your home in black and white and let monochrome work its magic on your rooms.

There’s a timeless elegance in the pairing of black and white which suits the current trend for fashionable pared-back ‘less is more’ contemporary settings.

“Black and white looks effortlessly chic and will give a home an instant contemporary edge,” says Massino Cian, head of design at Calligaris.

“Simply painting walls white and adding black furniture instantly lifts your home style decor and gives it a modern monochrome look.”

Strategically placed accessories, from vases and cushions to lamps and monochrome prints, are all that’s needed as sophisticated, finishing touches, he suggests.

Tip: Consider the lighting scheme carefully as it needs to be warm so you avoid a stark, unforgiving effect.

Graphic patterns can work well in a monochrome scheme but make them a feature otherwise they could overwhelm.

You don’t want your living room looking like a herd of zebra!