The Best of Dark and Moody

After sharing a triumphant bold colour treatment in this morning’s beautiful Toorak apartment story, we’ve been inspired to delve into our archive and seek out more dark and moody interior inspiration!

Charcoal grey, black and deep blue interiors never fail to excite us – these bold colour treatments lend instant impact to any interior, yet they’re surprisingly versatile, working well in both older style and contemporary homes.

Here’s our round-up of the greatest deep grey, black and blue rooms from the TDF Homes archive.

Written

Lucy Feagins

Simone and Rhys Haag’s beach shack on Phillip Island. Living room with dark stained timber panelling, original fire place, hearth tiles from Anchor Ceramics, and rug from Kulchi at Criteria Collection. The lamp is by Rubn at Fred International, ottoman from Pony Rider, and sofa from IKEA with tasseled Kip & Co throw, and H&M cushions. Styling – Simone Haag. Photo – Derek Swalwell.

The SOHO, New York apartment of Australian photographer Martyn Thompson and his partner, artist Dove Drury Hornbuckle. Above -Bedroom. Martyn Thompson Studio ‘Melting Midnight’ wallpaper, vintage oil portrait bought at Paula Rubenstein, assorted Martyn Thompson Studio tapestry pillows, wolf fur blanket, kantha coverlet, Larusi bed linen. Vintage Alva Aalto plywood chair as bedside, original Greta Grossman ‘Grasshopper’ lamp. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The SOHO, New York apartment of Australian photographer Martyn Thompson and his partner, artist Dove Drury Hornbuckle. Above – living area. Original Barcelona lounge by Mies Van Der Rohe, Gio Ponti settee, plywood stool, Gio Ponti lounge chair with Martyn Thompson Studio linen ‘Melting’ pillow. Art to left (from top) vintage oil portrait, ‘The Red Moon’ by Martyn Thompson, ‘Cézanne’s Shadow #2’ by Martyn Thompson. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Northcote home of interior decorator and stylist Amanda Henderson and family. Above – Amanda’s moody master bedroom, painted in Dulux Companion. Photo – Eve Wilson, styling assistant – Nat Turnbull, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Northcote home of interior decorator and stylist Amanda Henderson and family. Above – Amanda’s moody master bedroom, painted in Dulux Companion. HK Living Egg chair with HK Living grey cupboard. Rugs from Amanda’s shop, Gardener and Marks in Albert Park. Photo – Eve Wilson, styling assistant – Nat Turnbull, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Melbourne home of Jo Dabrowski and Andrew Fisher. Above – deep charcoal living room. Brown leather Longreach sofa by Neil Burly for Anibou (Thonet NZ). Coffee table custom built in London and designed by Andrew Fisher. Bertoia Diamond chairs from Alfie’s Market in London. Yellow lamp from Mill Markets, Geelong. Photo – Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The incredible Daysleford home of Adrian Thia and Craig Mutton. Above – dining room, with view through to living room. ‘Algue’ hanging wall screen by Vitra (available in Australia from Space). An old kitchen cabinet has been converted to be used as a little bar. In the living room beyond, the curtains are custom screen printed by Spacecraft. Sofas are ‘Facett’ by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Ligne Roset (available in Australia through Domo). Photo – Sean Fennessy, production – Lucy Feagins.

Daysleford home of Adrian Thia and Craig Mutton, featuring deep contrasting colour throughout. Hanging above the dining table is Craig’s favourite light, the ‘Skygarden’ by Flos (available from Euroluce). Artwork on far wall is entitles ‘Paris Gold’ by James Cochran. Photo – Sean Fennessy, production – Lucy Feagins.

The Northcote home of artist Tai Snaith and family, featuring dark brickwork, robust black vinyl flooring and fireplace from Cheminees Phillippe, Artworks by Nathan Gray (top) and Sarah CrowEST (bottom). Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The North Melbourne home of interior designer Amanda Lynn and her husband Leon Levine. Above – Living room. Artwork from left to right by Rick Amor, Mary Pitjara, and Mitjili Napurrula. Revolving bookcase is an early Australian piece, bought by Amanda from an auction many years ago. Sofa from Arthur G and Jielde yellow lamp. Photo – Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer

Lucy Feagins

21st of June 2017

We’ve seen inside a LOT of beautiful Australian homes, and the ones which always stand out are those that really are decorated with inhibition! One colour treatment which never fails to excite us is a dark and moody interior – think deep charcoal greys, black and indigo blues. Though bold, this palette is surprisingly versatile, and is equally effective in stark minimalist spaces as in layered, eclectic interiors.

The classic Australian beach shack mightn’t be the first image to spring to mind when considering dark and moody inspiration, and yet the Phillip Island retreat of stylist Simone Haag perfectly demonstrates how dark hues can be used in this context. Pine lining boards stained black add warmth and texture here, completely transforming this humble beachside dwelling.

We’re revisiting another all-time TDF favourite in this roundup too – the Prahran home of Fiona Richardson and family (shot way back in 2014, this one is still a firm favourite!). This beautifully renovated Edwardian home exemplifies how bold, contemporary colour can be used in a period home. A combination of deep blue greys with blonde timbers and accents of yellow and mustard has been used throughout – and with three boys under one roof, dark grey walls have proven the perfect resilient hue for six eternally grubby hands!

No ‘moody’ mood board would be complete without the inclusion of Australian photographer Martyn Thompson’s INCREDIBLE SOHO, New York loft, which we photographed during a trip to the US back in 2015. Having photographed countless inspired interiors across the globe, Martyn has a passion for layered interiors, aged surfaces and antiques. His home shows how a deep colour palette can be the perfect backdrop for eclectic collections of any kind.