Should You Paint Your Interior Doors Black? We've Got the Answer (2024)

Black is such a versatile color. Depending on what you pair it with, it can lend a sleek and modern or moody and cozy flair to a room. While dousing your walls in a layer of black paint can feel like a big commitment and bold choice, painting your interior doors black is a more easily reversed decision that achieves the same effect in a more subtle way.

But before you pick up that roller, here's what to know about painting interior doors black.

Is Painting Interior Doors Black a Good Idea?

Painting interior doors black is typically a good idea if it's a well-thought-out idea. In the right space, black doors can add contrast and personality, but it may not be a good idea for smaller spaces that do not receive very much natural light.

For starters, you should consider how the color black will look next to your current wall color and other furniture. Think of this design choice in relation to the whole room, not just the door. Before purchasing all of your paint, you should always paint a swatch and examine how the paint looks in different lighting situations.

If your interior doors are natural wood, you're working with a bit more risk since it will take paint stripper, sanding, and re-staining to restore the doors to their unaltered state. With already-painted doors, you've got less to lose. Just keep in mind that it will take several layers of primer to paint over a black door, so you're looking at a time commitment either way.

You Can Paint Just One Side

You can definitely just opt to paint one side of the door black. When working with a statement color, there's no strict design rule on whether you should paint one side of the door or both. If you do not want the door to be black on the side that primarily shows in the adjacent room, you can paint that side a more traditional color like white.

Know When to Match the Doors

If your room contains several matching doors, such as a bathroom door, closet door, and main door, consider painting all of them black for a sense of cohesion. Or, if the room contains a unique door, such as a sliding door or pair of French doors, you can highlight the focal point and reserve the color black for just this feature.

Experiment with Different Hardware

Black doors look great with any color hardware. Of course, it might be your initial instinct to go with black hardware on a black door. While this is always a classic choice, consider adding some contrast and trying out brass door knobs and hinges for a unique yet timeless look.

Opt for a Durable Finish

Always select a strong finish with a little bit of shine for any color door, black doors included. Semi-gloss is an ideal option because it contains just a small amount of sheen, but it's more durable than eggshell or flat paint. High-gloss black paint can make a nice statement on a door, but keep in mind that high-gloss paint shows more imperfections.

Consider the Trim

Black doors look great with white or black trim. If you want to go the traditional route, white is a safe bet. To add some drama and draw even more attention to the black door, paint the trim black.

3 Paint Colors to Try for Painting the Interior of Doors Black

When selecting paint samples to swatch, it's always a good idea to test out ones with a little undertone and light reflectance value (LRV) variance. Undertones are the other colors present in the black, such as cool tones like blue or warmer tones like brown. LRV refers to how much light a paint reflects. A pitch black surface will have a light reflectance value of 0.

Here are three classic options for a jumping-off point.

• Tri Corn Black by Sherwin Williams is a true black, which means there aren't any undertones present. This neutral has an LRV of 2.45.
• Black Jack by Benjamin Moore is a black paint with slightly cool undertones. Its LRV is 6.04, so it's not quite as dark as Tri Corn Black.
• Black Fox by Sherwin Williams shows off warm brown undertones, so it's a good option for rooms with wood accents. It has an LRV of 7.05, making it almost read a little charcoal.