How to integrate dark colours and textures into home interiors?
We challenged 2 veteran Singapore interior designers to come up with 2 different approaches to dark interiors, using colours from our latest Caesarstone Dark Collection. Check out their designs and the inspiration behind it.
Who: Joey Khu, principal designer from Joey Khu ID, with a flair for modern luxe residential designs
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“Dark interiors don’t have to be all dark. Splashes of accent colors can give sophistication to a dark colour scheme.”
- Joey Khu, principal designer of Joey Khu ID |
1. We see that you are not shy of incorporating dark colours into your designs. Why the preference for the dark palette?
Deep, dark colour schemes can give a room weight, depth, and surprisingly, a calming atmosphere. Dark interiors don’t have to be all dark. Splashes of accent colours can give sophistication to a dark colour scheme.
2. What is your favourite new Caesarstone® colour from the Dark Collection?
Black Tempal™ is my favourite new Caesarstone colour. It has this black charcoal base, textured with warm white veins, creating depth to the colours. It reminds me of natural stones like travertine, that comes with a lot of texture.
3. We challenged you to come up with designs using colours from the collection. What is the theme or inspiration behind them?
Colours Used: 5810 Black Tempal™ and 5101 Empira Black™ for the Kitchen and Bathroom
Spa-like bathroom with Black Tempal™. Scroll through the images to see more.
I designed this bathroom using Black Tempal™, for the customised integrated basin vanity and wall cladding. The mix of the grey hue for walls and flooring, together with timber surface brings a touch of nature into this intimate space. It gives a sleek, sophisticated, spa-like ambience for this retreat home.
A modern dry kitchen well layered with colours and textures, including 2 finishes of Empira Black™. Scroll through the images to see more.
For the modern dark dry kitchen, I played with a few dark colours like the grey and brown wood-like laminates, black trimmings and metallic copper accents, to create an artful ambience and welcoming space with an edge. I’m using Empira Black™ in natural finish for the island, paired with copper to create a stunning look in their warm sheen. The Empira Black is a deep black with fine white natural veins, and the boldness really brightens up a grey and dark kitchen design. Like a large piece of abstract sculptural art inside a gallery.
Instead of continuing with the same finish, we used the Polished version of Empira Black for the display shelves to create a visual of space and reflection as a contrast to the background.
4. Why Caesarstone® over other types of surfaces?
I offer Caesarstone® to my clients as I am assured of its quality. And the brand speaks for itself.
- Caesarstone offers great designs, and I’m always impressed by them.
5. Any advice for homeowners considering darker tones for their home?
Dark tones are definitely daring for some, but memorable to everyone.
The many dimensions to the Dark Collection mean that, on one hand we can portray drama and mystery, and on the other hand, we can find warmth and calmness for a cosy home.
“The many dimensions to the Dark Collection mean that, on one hand we can portray drama and mystery, and on the other hand, we can find warmth and calmness for a cosy home.”
- Joey Khu, principal designer of Joey Khu ID
WATCH: Joey Khu’s take on the Caesarstone Dark Collection: https://youtu.be/TL4Agj8oR70
Who: Dennis Cheok, founder and creative director of UPSTAIRS_, a Singapore-based spatial design firm. No stranger to out-of-the-box projects, and creating seamless social spaces
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“The Dark Collection is very exciting to me. It is very focused yet versatile and well curated in terms of materials tones and textures. The R&D that went behind each of the designs is mind blowing in the extent and sophistication.”
- Dennis Cheok, founder and creative director of UPSTAIRS_ |
1. Dark colours seem to be a norm in your work. Why the preference for the dark palette?
When choosing the material palette for our projects, we tend to gravitate towards natural grains, textures, and contrast. Given the right lighting, a darker palette allows us to design in terms of moments and moods and draws focus on a textural experience. The results can be really luscious.
2. What is your take on the Caesarstone® Dark Collection?
The Dark Collection is very exciting to me. It is very focused yet versatile and well curated in terms of materials tones and textures. The R&D that went behind each of the designs is mind blowing in the extent and sophistication. I’m naturally drawn towards natural patinas and rawness, and Oxidian™ offered me a lot of mystique and intrigue. It’s very much liked an acquired taste — the more I encounter it, the more I’m fascinated by it. It’s best appreciated in its full, large-scale glory — much like a piece of art — except that a big part of the Oxidian experience is also by touch.
3. We challenged you to come up with designs using colours from the collection. What is the theme or inspiration behind them?
Colours Used: 4735 Oxidian™ and 5810 Black Tempal™ for the Bar Counter and Bathroom
A home bar counter using 4735 Oxidian™. Scroll through the images to see more.
For Oxidian™, we wanted to showcase its warm, rich patina, and applied it as a centrepiece across a 9-metre long bar counter.
Rust is often much misunderstood as a too-raw and too-industrial texture, and we wanted to challenge that by elevating it within a luxe, commercial lounge setting.
The texture is further contrasted by detailing it in a fluted, mitre-joint counter base, and also contrasted with the warm glow of bronze-tinted metal clads.
We envisioned all this within a cave-like, curvaceous black concrete setting. It’s all rather primal, but also extremely sleek.
Bathtub and sink created using Black Tempal™. Scroll through the images to see more.
For Black Tempal™, we were drawn to its matte, leather-like texture, and its sedimental, earthy grains. We took on a black-on-black material strategy, and explored in terms of textures, and reflectivity, gravitas and lightness.
The end result is a subdued yet expressive rendition of what a bathroom could be — a highly-private sanctuary, and a highly-experiential space that seems otherworldly.
I would love to inhabit a space like this.
4. Why would you choose Caesarstone® over other types of surfaces?
I personally use Caesarstone® for my own home — it’s designed as a 7.5m long super counter that continues from the entire kitchen, and culminates as a dining table — and I’m more than happy to testify for its durability. It’s been through a lot of wear in our home!
But what gives me the liberty to choose Caesarstone for my projects, is that I’m a fan of the type of colours, designs and surface textures that the brand consistently has been pushing out.
The balance between design and practicality is really quite compelling, for me.
“I personally use Caesarstone for my own home… and I’m more than happy to testify for its durability. It’s been through a lot of wear in our home!”
- Dennis Cheok, founder and creative director of UPSTAIRS_
5. What would you share with homeowners considering darker tones for their home?
To be absolutely honest, dark palettes are not for everyone.
But then again, why strive to be like “everyone”?
WATCH: Dennis Cheok’s take on the Caesarstone Dark Collection: https://youtu.be/71GuRVdWKL8
Many thanks to Joey from Joey Khu ID, and Dennis Cheok from UPSTAIRS_ for this collaboration!
For more information about our Dark Collection and the colours, click link here.
To see more inspiration and real life-applications, visit us on Instagram and Facebook @CaesarstoneSEA.
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