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The BEST Black Paint Colors for Interior Doors in 2024 (39 Real Life Examples!)

    In the same way that people are tiring of the typical white trim on everything, some people are opting to paint their interior doors something different.

    The most popular option? Black! In this post we will take a look at some gutsy homeowners who took the plunge into darkness with their interior doors.

    Graphic reads spicy black interior doors over a mexican style bathroom with a black door

    After that we will check out the best black paint colors for interior doors.

    Should you paint ALL of your interior doors?

    You might be wondering if you should commit to painting every door in your house, but that can also be scary!

    The good news is that a lot of people actually don’t paint every single interior door when they take on this project.

    Tricorn Black interior door with glass in bathroom with white walls and tricorn black tall cabinet
    Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    Some have chosen to stick to a single level, they paint either all of their downstairs or all of their upstairs doors black.

    Others have kept the trend to a smaller area, like an isolated hallway.

    Many people choose to only paint the one-off doors in their house black, such as the inside of their front door, or the pantry.

    It might sound mismatched, but the result is that certain doors look like accents, and other doors blend.

    White wall with tricorn black interior door with long gold handle peeking into frame
    Tricorn Black – Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    Are black interior doors more expensive?

    Black interior doors are not necessarily more expensive, but you will be extremely limited in your options when looking to purchase doors that are already black.

    Every single person that I spoke to had white doors painted, either existing or new.

    The only exception is metal doors with glass inserts. Often these can be purchased in black, but again, that is pretty specific.

    For your run-of-the-mill interior doors, painting is the way to go!

    Black door at the bottom of a set of stairs
    Tricorn Black – Photo Credit: @houseof.shaw

    Do black doors make a room look smaller?

    Black doors won’t make a regular sized room look smaller. What black does do, is absorb light. In small areas with limited natural light, black doors may make the space feel closed in.

    Hallways are generally okay because there is still a lot of wall where you can introduce a light color.

    If you have an entry way with a few doors in a small space, you may want to skip painting the inside of your front door, or not do black doors in this area at all.

    In general though, homeowners and designers have said that black doors create the illusion of higher ceilings. That’s never a bad thing!

    Black doors at the end of a hall
    Black Magic – Photo Credit: @headwaters_painting_llc

    Are black interior doors timeless?

    I would love to say that black doors are timeless, but it probably isn’t the case. Does that mean you shouldn’t do it? Heck no!

    Home trends typically last a very long time, so by the time your black doors are over, you will probably be over it too.

    black door at top of stairs
    Photo Credit: @firsthouseonfinn

    Do You Have to Paint the Whole Door Black?

    Nope! This is another one where anything goes! Particularly in bedrooms, many homeowners opt to paint the outside of their interior doors black and leave the inside white.

    Just make sure you do paint around the sides of the doors, because sometimes they can show a little bit.

    Hardware and Finishings for Black Interior Doors

    What color trim goes with black doors?

    Unless you’re a real free spirit, you have two choices for trim colors to go with your new black doors: White or Black.

    Most people will choose to leave their trim white.

    Black doors in a white hallway with antique hardware
    Photo Credit: @headwaters_painting_llc

    This might sound a little disjointed, but it allows the door to be a black statement without having to choose another place to end the black trim.

    If you are going for a very clean and minimal aesthetic, consider painting your walls and trim in the same shade of white.

    Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is a true white with just a hint of softness, that can be used for both.

    Sherwin Williams White Flour is more of a farmhouse white, but very popular with black and white color schemes.

    Curious about black trim?

    Spray Wizards Painting went for it in this billiards room, and carried the black trim all the way around the room:

    Billiards room with black french doors and black trim
    Photo Credit: @Spray_wizards_painting

    The homeowners chose Sherwin Williams Whitetail for the wall color in this room, and Iron Ore for the black.

    (Full warning: Iron Ore is more of a charcoal, it just looks black in this basement, and Whitetail is a warm white.)

    GMD Painting created a color block black-and-white moment in this entryway, by painting the inside of the front door, all of the trim, and the wall, solid black:

    Chantilly Lace Foyer with Black accent wall
    Photo Credit: @gmdesigninc

    The white here is Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore, and the black is Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams.

    What style of trim to pair with black doors?

    The trend for trim is still flat and square, but you really don’t need a specific style of trim to do black doors. If you scroll through the photos here, you will see virtually every style of trim, and it all works just as well.

    What color of hardware should you use with black doors?

    Black is fun because you can really do whatever you want with it!

    • For a totally streamlined look, choose black for your knobs and hinges.
    • For some contrast, go with gold or brass.
    • Oil rubbed bronze has kind of fallen out of fashion, but often it’s just black with a hint of bronze, which could also look quite nice.
    White powder room with tricorn black door
    Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    I wouldn’t personally choose chrome or nickel hardware, because it lacks a little oomph, but that’s the trend lover in me.

    Using Black on the Inside of a Front Door

    Just in case the only interior door you are curious about is your front door, I’ve got some inspo for that too!

    Rachael from First House on Finn, has used Tricorn Black on accents throughout her home, including the inside of her front door!

    Tricorn black on the inside of a front door with White Flour Walls
    Photo Credit: @firsthouseonfinn

    Her white paint color is Sherwin Williams White Flour.

    Remember Rachael because I will show you more of her home throughout this post.

    This next black front door is nestled into a shiplap wall painted in Sherwin Williams Cyberspace.

    Living Room with Cyberspace on shiplap back wall
    Photo Credit: @in_vest_homes

    I think Marissa of @in_vest_homes used Tricorn Black as well, but I can’t seem to find where she said that.

    Here’s a better shot where you can see the barn door too:

    Black back door and black sliding interior door with shiplap charcoal wall
    Photo Credit: @in_vest_homes

    Can you spot the black front door in this shot? :

    Greek villa in a hallway with a black banister
    Photo credit: @houseofshaw

    For the white in here, Debra used Sherwin Williams Greek Villa.

    This custom arched glass door provides just a hint of black:

    Custom glass arched black door
    Photo Credit: @johnaskewcustomhomes

    Gorgeous!

    This custom door is a bit bolder:

    Custom black front and office door interiors in black
    Photo Credit: @johnaskewcustomhomes

    Black Interior (or Exterior!) Doors with Glass

    From french doors to sliding glass, here are the interiors of other beautiful doors!

    This first one is a combination of true interior doors as well as the inside of exterior doors:

    Tricorn Black Feature wall in foyer with white walls and glass doors
    Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    Jessica from @thehouse_on2060 has an absolutely gorgeous home! She used Sherwin Williams Extra White throughout, and Tricorn Black for all of her black accents.

    Keep an eye out for more of Jessica’s doors in this post!

    Here is another black door, this time a sliding glass one leading out to the patio:

    Black interior of sliding doors
    Photo Credit: @withmadisonaz

    Madison (@withmadisonaz) also painted the doors black throughout his house, so you will be seeing more from him. Full warning: His house is funky boho goals!

    And finally, this black side door:

    Black interior of exterior door with glass inserts
    Photo Credit: @johnaskewcustomhomes

    In a departure from the norm, this custom home features white trim around the black door, and wood through the rest of the room.

    This black door looks amazing with the black picket tile in this kitchen:

    Black interior of back door in white and black kitchen
    Photo Credit: @in_vest_homes

    The white in this house is Sherwin Williams Pure White.

    Black Doors in Foyer and Hallway

    The halls of Jessica’s house are a great place to peep black doors with snazzy gold hardware!

    Tricorn Black interior door in hallway
    Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    How about a little black board and batten too?

    Tricorn Black interior door with gold handle in hallway
    Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    One more from Jessica’s black and white Texas palace:

    Tricorn Black interior door in hallway with gold hardware
    Photo credit: @thehouse_on2060

    Finally a departure from Tricorn Black, these doors are Benjamin Moore “Black” :

    Black doors and powder blue walls
    Photo Credit: @lasservices

    And another, this is Sherwin Williams Black Magic:

    Black doors in a hallway with white walls
    Black Magic – @Samanthamaree.conner

    Black Bathroom Doors

    The bathroom is one popular place to put black doors!

    It makes sense, because like a pantry or front door, it’s a single door, and can easily be different from the rest in your home.

    Solid black french doors opening into bathroom
    Photo Credit: @johnaskewcustomhomes

    Talk about a glamorous entrance!

    Obviously black doors are still very much on trend, because several of the photos in this article are from John Askew (@johnaskewcustomhomes) who is a custom home builder.

    Customers are asking for black doors!

    Here is another bathroom by John:

    Black door in a bathroom with white cabinets and gray walls
    Photo Credit: @johnaskewcustomhomes

    Note that this is one of the rare occasions where there is a color on the wall other than white!

    A black door painted with iron ore in a bathroom
    Photo Credit: @rebui1d

    I love a black and gold moment!

    This sliding door is SW Iron Ore again, which like I mentioned before, can look black, but it’s not a jet black.

    Here it is again:

    Charcoal bathroom door
    Photo Credit: @johnaskewcustomhomes

    Back to Debra’s house again for this black and white moment:

    Black door into bathroom and black door on other side with glass insert
    Photo Credit: @houseof.shaw

    Note the brass hardware on both doors!

    Now back to Madison’s for arguably the cutest bathroom ever:

    Black bathroom door in a cool mexican boho bathroom
    Photo Credit: @withmadisonaz

    If you love Madison’s house too, you will want to check out my post about Sherwin Williams Clary Sage, which features pictures of his super fun kitchen!

    Black on a Pantry Door

    Just like bathrooms, the pantry is a great one-off door to dabble in black paint.

    Liz from @building_up_toelle used the iconic Tricorn Black again:

    Tricorn black pantry door with half window
    Photo Credit: @building_up_toelle

    She later frosted the glass herself, using an adhesive film, but she did mention that the bubbles were hard to get out.

    Tricorn black pantry door with half window
    Photo Credit: @building_up_toelle

    I have used the frosted glass spray paint before but you can also find some really pretty privacy glass clings. Then you won’t have to worry about getting it right the first time!

    (I might try one for an ill-placed window in one of our bathrooms!)

    Now to Rachael’s again for this chic kitchen:

    Tricorn Black pantry door with white cabinets and white flour walls
    Photo Credit: @firsthouseonfinn

    The white cabinets are a custom color match, and the walls are SW White Flour.

    Black Bedroom Doors

    Surprisingly the bedroom is probably the least popular place to use black doors, but it could also be that bedrooms are the least popular place to take photos.

    (Well at least our kind of photos!)

    Black and white boho boudoir anyone? :

    Black bedroom doors in a boho room
    Photo Credit: @withmadisonaz

    Madison had a chuckle on his instagram over the “sheriff” door that came with the house. Black really does make everything better, because why does it look so good?

    Loving the vintage doors in this bedroom:

    Black interior doors with white trim and greige walls
    Photo Credit: @headwaters_painting_llc

    Unfortunately, I don’t know the wall color in here.

    Pros and Cons of Black Interior Doors

    Here are a few of the positives of black doors, as well as a couple downsides.

    Pro Going Black

    • It’s chic! (I mean, obviously!)
    • Doors look heavier and more expensive
    • Black doors can make ceilings look higher
    • Because black doors with white trim appear slimmer than white doors, they can even make a room feel larger
    Black door in background of white open plan home
    Photo Credit:@built_frm_scratch

    Downsides of Black Interior Doors

    You might think that black doors will hide dirt and grubby little fingerprints, but the opposite is true. Black doors – particularly ones with any bevels or edges – need to be cleaned frequently

    In very small spaces black will suck the light out of the room. Consider testing your idea by painting craft paper and tacking it up.

    Black doors only work with a limited amount of wall colors. One black door is a different story, but if all of your doors are black, and all of your trim is white, introducing another color can look busy.

    Black interior doors with white trim and greige walls

    Best Paint Colors for Black Interior Doors

    Generally speaking, to find the blackest black paints, you want to find a color with the lowest possible LRV.

    L-R-What?

    The LRV of a color indicates on a scale of 0 – 100 how much light a color reflects (or doesn’t reflect). True black has an LRV of 0 and pure white has an LRV of 100.

    In the paint world, we are working in a range of about 2 – 93 because no paint color is purely black or completely white. For a black paint, an LRV of 2 – 3 is ideal.

    Variety of black paint colors as listed in article

    Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black

    Tricorn Black is often sold as the blackest black on the market. If you see someone slapping black paint all over their house, 9 times out of 10 it will be Tricorn. You probably picked that up in this post!

    If you head to my post about Tricorn Black, I also cover a bajillion other black and charcoal paint colors.

    The LRV of Tricorn Black is 3.

    (Bear in mind that Sherwin Williams does round their LRV numbers, so Tricorn could actually be 2.8 etc.)

    Tricorn Black swatch

    Sherwin Williams Black Magic

    I don’t know for sure, but my guess would be that Black Magic is Sherwin Williams’ second most popular black. I have seen it used a good amount, and it definitely looks black.

    The LRV of Black Magic is also a 3.

    Sherwin Williams Black Magic Swatch

    Benjamin Moore Black

    Technically, based on the LRV numbers provided to us, Benjamin Moore “Black” is darker than Tricorn, with an LRV of 2.48.

    I actually don’t see this color around much, but it’s a solid choice!

    Benjamin Moore Black Swatch

    Benjamin Moore Black Satin

    Black Satin has an LRV of 2.49, so it is right there with “Black.” The main difference is that Black Satin has a bit more blue in it.

    Still an excellent solid black choice!

    Benjamin Moore Black Satin Swatch

    Behr Limousine Leather

    Unfortunately for all you Behr lovers out there, black is just not their thing.

    Limousine Leather is the darkest black that they offer, and it has an LRV of 5! That’s nowhere near the inky blackness of other manufacturers.

    That being said, I’m sure on a small surface like doors, Limousine Leather would look dark enough.

    Behr Limousine Leather swatch

    Valspar Cracked Pepper

    Good news if you are on a budget: You can head to Lowe’s to pick up one of the blackest blacks available!

    Cracked Pepper has an LRV of 2.089! Yes please!

    Valspar cracked pepper swatch

    Choosing a Finish for Black Door Paint

    Stop right there before you snag a can of semi-gloss ma’am! Particularly if you have old imperfect doors, or you aren’t a confident painter.

    Semi-gloss on black will show off every imperfection in the light!

    Black doors and trim in a billiards room
    Photo Credit: @spray_wizards_painting

    Satin finish would be my choice for painting doors in general, but especially dark ones.

    You could also choose flat (matte) but that can be a little more difficult to clean. For more tips on actually achieving this look, check out my post: Tips for Painting Your Interior Doors Black (Yes, We Cut Corners)

    Graphic reads black interior doors

    In the Mood for Modern Black Doors?

    I hope this post helped you decide if you are going to the dark side!

    To recap:

    • Black interior doors are a chic statement, and in general won’t shrink your room
    • Going black does require a little additional upkeep
    • Choose Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black, Benjamin Moore Black, or Valspar Cracked Pepper for the ultimate dark doors
    Black Living Room Accent walls, over a black wood slat wall with vines growing over it.
    Graphic reads "Black Ceilings Slay or Nay" over a background of a Victorian living room with salmon colored walls
    Black Sign reads "White walls and accessible beige trim" over a photo of Pure White Walls with Accessible Beige on the trim and door to one side