Contour, not darkness: a black wall sharpens edges and becomes the backdrop for everything in front of it. Six shades belong to this family at re-box — from an open off-black with a touch of grey to an almost pure black.
Buy black wall paint: six shades from off-black to deep black
Six black and near-black wall paint shades are available, plus a custom shade mixed to match your reference. Every size — 2.5, 5 and 10 l — comes in both finishes: matt as re-box base one, silk matte as re-box silk matte. Since the price depends only on the quantity, the finish is simply a matter of how you'll use it.
Water-based, low-emission and made in Germany: that's true of every re-box wall paint. Mixing begins once your order comes in, and delivery within Germany takes 3 to 5 working days from receipt of payment. With dark shades especially, a real sample tells you more than any screen: monitors show black as black, yet the six shades differ noticeably in undertone. The Farbmusterbox 65 Stk makes that visible.
What a black wall does to a room
Dark walls absorb light and draw closer — the room feels smaller but more clearly defined. That's the whole point: black takes the sprawl out of a large, restless room and gives it a backdrop. In small rooms, it works if you deliberately play up the boundary.
Here too, the undertone decides warm or cool. Black with a touch of brown or earth feels velvety and suits wood and leather. Black with a touch of blue feels technical and suits steel, glass and pale stone floors.
North light is even and bluish; it intensifies the cool tone and makes blue-tinged blacks look almost metallic. If you want warmth there, choose the brown-tinged variant. South light brings so much brightness that even deep blacks read as a grey surface during the day, only showing their depth in the evening. In east- and west-facing rooms, it's worth checking the sample in the morning and after sunset.
Four undertones, four kinds of black
Sorted by undertone rather than depth — because with black, it's not the depth that shapes the effect, but what lies beneath it. Neighbouring shades outside this category are labelled as such.
Off-black with an open grey
Dark, but not black — the most forgiving choice for whole rooms. Forge Grey No. 28 is a heavy, wrought-iron grey that reads as black from a distance. Two neighbouring shades follow on: Harbour Grey No. 31 is a shade lighter and more open, Hippo Shade No. 19 softer still.
Black with blue at its core
Night black with a cool undertone — clear in daylight, almost inky under artificial light. Brume Atlantique No. 40 has a misty blue-grey cast and feels less harsh than pure black. Nuit de Cendre No. 48 combines ash and night. Its neighbouring shade Baltic Midnight No. 24 shifts towards navy blue.
Warm black with brown and earth
When black meets wood, leather and brass, it needs warmth in the undertone. Bois Impérial No. 52 is a deep, wood-toned dark that sits comfortably next to walnut. From neighbouring families, Stonecellar No. 17 with its stone and earth notes and Velours Ombre No. 44 with its velvety reddish shimmer both work well alongside it.
As dark as it gets
For anyone who really means black. Gutter Black No. 33 is a matter-of-fact black with no discernible colour cast. Charbon Nuit No. 49 has the look of charcoal and feels especially deep in matt. Its neighbouring shade Blue Dark No. 27 marks the line between blue and black.
When your black is a very specific one
Some projects call for the exact shade of a window frame or an old piece of furniture. That's what Custom Colour – Mixed to Order is for, available in the same containers. For guidance between warm and cool black, ask Anna, re-box's digital colour consultant.
Black in the living room, bedroom, study, kitchen and hallway
Living room
A black wall behind the TV or shelving takes the edge off the technology — devices and cables disappear against the dark surface. Plan for plenty of accent lighting, since dark surfaces need more of it than light ones.
Bedroom
Here, black also wraps the whole room: in the evening the space closes in and settles, and you sleep in a cave rather than a hall. Matt is the right finish, since it reflects no residual light.
Study
Against a dark wall, the screen recedes instead of glaring — the contrast between monitor and background becomes smaller. An off-black with a grey undertone is usually enough for this.
Kitchen
Black on a kitchen wall comes down to cleaning. For surfaces that get wiped down regularly, silk matt is the sensible choice; matt belongs away from the stove and sink. The steps are covered in Painting a Kitchen: Guide, Costs, Colour.
Hallway
A dark hallway rarely turns bright with white paint — there simply isn't enough light for that. Paint it black instead, and you get a room with character, where white doors read like picture frames. Clean edges are everything: Taping Off Correctly Without Bleed-Through.
What goes with black
Black needs material, not more colour. It works best next to surfaces that handle light differently: raw wood, brushed metal, coarse linen, matt stone.
- ✔️ Broken white on ceiling, trim and doors. A warm white from the White category softens the contrast.
- ✔️ Light wood — oak and ash warm the surface with their yellow undertone.
- ✔️ Greys as a transition — a neighbouring wall from the Grey family builds the step from light to dark.
- ✔️ Brass and bronze with warm blacks, stainless steel with the blue-toned ones.
- ✔️ A single colour accent — ochre, wine red or olive green. Against black, every colour looks more intense, so a little goes a long way.
The same shade as furniture and accent lacquer
Black walls and black furniture are an obvious pair — just not with the same product. For doors, shelving and window sills, the shades are available as re-box protect in the Black Lacquer Colours category: a silk-gloss furniture and accent lacquer in a 750 ml container, resistant to mechanical stress, everyday soiling and outside influences.
Two materials, one shade: the wall gets base one or silk matte, the wood gets protect. Before the lacquer, re-box core primer goes down on the surface. A matt black wall next to a silk-gloss lacquered door in the same shade — the same colour, two different reactions to light.
Matt or silk matt for dark shades
With black, the finish matters almost more than the shade. re-box base one in matt absorbs light, giving the surface a deep, velvety look, and unevenness barely shows — the clear recommendation for large black walls. re-box silk matte in silk matt is especially hard-wearing and very easy to clean, but it reflects light, so raking light will reveal every ripple in the plaster.
- 👉 2.5 litres — approx. 8–10 m² with two coats.
- 👉 5 litres — approx. 15–20 m² with two coats.
- 👉 10 litres — approx. 30–40 m² with two coats.
If the surface is very dark, strongly coloured or uneven, consumption increases. It must be clean and dry, load-bearing and free of loose particles; plastered surfaces, wallpaper and intact old paintwork are all suitable. On highly absorbent or fresh plaster, a primer is recommended — it ensures even drying and reduces consumption. You'll find out how to prepare the surface in Wände richtig vorbereiten.
Frequently asked questions about black wall paint
Does black make a small room feel even smaller?
Yes, a dark room does feel more compact — but that's not a drawback. If every wall carries the same dark tone, the corners disappear and the room reads as deep rather than cramped. It only gets tricky with a single dark wall in an otherwise light, small room, because the boundary then becomes sharply visible.
Which finish should I choose for a black wall?
Matt for living rooms and bedrooms, silk matte for kitchens, hallways and children's rooms. Matt absorbs light and lets black look deep and even, while silk matte reflects light and reveals unevenness in the plaster. In return, silk matte is especially hard-wearing and very easy to clean.
How many coats does a black shade need?
Plan on two full coats, as stated in the consumption figures. On very dark, strongly coloured or uneven surfaces, consumption can be higher. A primer on absorbent plaster gives a more even result.
What sets the six black shades apart?
Their undertone: Brume Atlantique No. 40 and Nuit de Cendre No. 48 lean blue, Bois Impérial No. 52 leans brown, Forge Grey No. 28 is an open grey-black, and Gutter Black No. 33 comes closest to a neutral black. On the sample card you'll barely notice, on a whole wall you'll see it instantly.
Can I paint the ceiling black too?
Yes, base one is made for both walls and ceilings. A dark ceiling visually lowers the room and works best where the walls stay lighter. In very low rooms, restraint is advisable.
Can a black coat be painted over later?
Yes, but you'll need more coats than starting from a light surface. Since consumption rises on very dark surfaces, plan for the next larger size. re-box prime is the matt white paint with very high opacity made exactly for this step.
Can I test a dark shade before ordering?
Yes, with the colour sample box containing all shades to hold against your own wall. This is especially worth doing here, since individually mixed paints are excluded from returns and exchanges. Check the sample once in daylight and once under artificial light.
