Paint it Black... All of it!

The color black is often associated with contemporary design. Black is sleek, streamlined and edgy. However, when it comes to the exterior of a contemporary house, black is usually not the first color that comes to mind. Many contemporary houses stay away from paint all together relying on the building materials of the house to act as their color palette. Corrugated metal, stainless steel, glass and teak are among the more popular color choices in contemporary design (good luck finding those colors in a Crayola box.) However, when a contemporary house does take the plunge into paint, various shades of white or gray (with perhaps a splash of fluorescent yellow for the front door) tend to be the result. But there are a few signs, mainly coming from overseas, that black might be earning some respect as a worthy color option for the contemporary home. 

Dutch architect Marc Koehler blackened bricks to create the IJburg house in Amsterdam. 

Casa Negra or Black House in Buenos Aires was designed by Andres Remy Architects.

Designed by the architecture firm Arquitectos Anonimos, this house in Portugal has a facade built from dark phenolic plywood.

Hillary Priest Architects designed this family home in Auckland, New Zealand.

The power of black paint and design firm Envelope A+D helped to turn this Noe Vally victorian into a contemporary standout.