Decor Dare: Paint Your Walls Black

Black paint is seriously gutsy. If you're not careful, your room could come out channeling Darth Vader's lair or a laser-tag arena. But, if you're lucky enough to have windows for miles and exquisite natural light, we say go for it. The lovely gals over at A Beautiful Mess hit the look spot-on with an all-white midcentury modern dining set and white feather chandelier (which you can learn to make here.) Normally, painting a ceiling a dark hue creates the illusion of a smaller room, but there's so much natural light in this space that it works. Here's how: The many white accents give that light something to bounce off of, while the natural jute rug gives warmth, and the feathers add a much-needed textural lightness. The result? Stark contrasts gone cool. (A Beautiful Mess)