Simple, timeless, and effective—these are the three marks of a good design. And when it comes to color combinations, few pairings match the description quite like that of black and white.
Conceptually, black and white are the two most contrasting colors that one can use, given that they are opposites of each other. However, their neutrality compared to other hues makes them surprisingly usable in a wide range of designs from classical to post-modern.
In this article, we will be showcasing a short list of interesting examples of the black on white color combination in action to help spark some inspiration to use in your own home designs as well.
1. Glass and Lines
For our first example we have a sleek and chic modern home done up in shades of white, light orange, and beige with great use of textures to boot. The many large windows across the home’s upper floors are equipped with black frames, which serves two subtle design functions.
First, the dark color of the window frames provides a strong balancing force to the home’s otherwise very light color palette, helped further by the fact that the windows cover so much of the home’s wall area. The contrast of black against these light colors also draws the eyes toward them, helping give the viewer a better sense of the home’s scale.
2. Simple & Suburban
The uniquely contrasting structure of this home, with the low-swept roof on one half and a steep roof on the other, is a great parallel to the contrast between the black used on the window frames and the white used on the paint. The black on the window frames also match the door, the roof trim, and the gutters, which helps to emphasize these shapes over the base colors of the home.
3. Classic Contrast
This American colonial-styled home uses a classic whitewashed exterior finish that is paired with dark grey roof shingles. The black windows match with the color of the roof to create contrast with the white paint and balance the color scheme together.
4. Vibrant and Modern
This modern home uses a simple but strong combination of black, white, and a vibrant orange that is used liberally on the roof to really catch people’s interests.
The low profile of the black window frames used on the home makes their presence a bit more subtle, but the contrast that it produces is still noticeable thanks to the size of the windows used throughout.
5. Broad Glass Panels
The use of sweeping lines and broad glass panels that are used throughout this modern home produce a uniquely artistic cubic design. Black, white, and brown are color blocked across the exterior to strong effect, and the black window frames are matched with the doors and other fixtures to balance out the three-tone color scheme.
6. Rustic Cabin
This rustic home uses a very simple monochromatic palette of black on white, with the white predominantly being used on the home’s siding. The black windows pair with the roof and gutters to solidify the balance of colors on the main house structure.
7. Angles and Textures
This modern home design makes great use of the contrast between its austere cubes and sharp angles on the roof to catch the viewer’s eye as they observe the exterior.
The most notable part of this design is the unique black window pattern across the right half of the home’s front facade, which produces a bold and unique texture that draws the eyes towards the door.
Why Choose Black Windows?
Choosing the right colors with which to color the exterior of your home can be a pretty daunting challenge for most homeowners, especially if you’re not entirely sure what you want just yet.
It is for this reason that black is one of the best options for use on your home’s windows, doors, and other fixtures as an accent color. The neutral hue of black allows it to fit in with just about any color palette without clashing too strongly.
As touched upon earlier, black is also a very strong contrasting color under most circumstances, which makes it quite suitable as a window color as it gives the fixtures more emphasis when viewed with the full context of the home’s exterior.
