5 Black-and-White Furnishings That’ll Bring Polished Contrast to Your Home
When it comes to color, ironically, there’s no more classic combination than black and white. A beautiful equilibrium of opposites, pairing these two shades has been a staple in fashion and furnishings for centuries—if not longer. An easy way to employ the look is layering black pieces against a white wall or, for added drama, experimenting with the inverse. It’s not a style for everyone, but when done right, the results can be timeless and still feel fresh. A trickier task is balancing black and white in the same object without having it feel carnivalesque or overdone. To achieve a more refined pairing, designers like Jimmy Delatour and Pieter Maes mix materials in their seating options. The former successfully plays with scale in his Origins sofa, where a soft, curving form meets linear structure, while Maes uses strict symmetry in his oak-framed Bracci chair. Both come out looking modern and polished.
At Salvatori—the Italian brand known for its natural-stone offerings—Milan-based architect and interior designer Elisa Ossino was tapped to develop a series of tables, which she did with light and shadow in mind. The resulting Proiezioni collection includes both dining and coffee tables in bold contrasting stone; we think the circular dining table—and its off-center black-marble embellishment—is a playful yet sophisticated choice. For an art-design crossover, Jérôme Pereira’s Messenger II suspension lamp exemplifies attention to detail, combining blown glass, plane-tree wood, and ash to create a uniquely handcrafted piece. Sometimes, the most unexpected applications—such as the black-and-white-striped pattern of the 024 sink, imagined by Gumdesign for Antoniolupi—turn a tried-and-true trend into a contemporary classic.
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Proiezioni, Elisa Ossino
Known for its expertly crafted stone offerings, Salvatori has long collaborated with designers and architects on forward-thinking collections for the home. A recent release, the Proiezioni tables, emerged under the creative direction of Milan’s Elisa Ossino, who imbued a set of marble tables with her of-the-moment sensibilities and playful style. The collection’s name comes from the Italian word for “projections,” with various geometric inlays giving the tops a chic (but cheeky) edge. About $26,680
Messenger II, Jérôme Pereira
Mysterious and talisman-like, the Messenger II suspension lamp is a unique lighting specimen that combines the meticulous craftsmanship of glassblowing with the uncertainty of found-object art. Creating each distinctive piece in his studio, designer Jérôme Pereira works with a glass artisan for certain components, while he collects others (such as the sticks and large chunks of wood) during walks through the forest. $65,460
024 Sink, Gumdesign
Taking its name from the number of marble pieces used in its construction, the 024 is the brainchild of Italian multidisciplinary studio Gumdesign. Created for Antoniolupi, this freestanding sink comprises a white-Carrara basin atop and a black-Marquina pedestal for a graphic, one-two aesthetic punch. Pieced together from 24 wedges of salvaged marble glued together with contrasting resin, the hefty 024 is surprisingly light: Its elegant form clocks in at just 110 pounds. $13,700
Origins, Jimmy Delatour
French designer Jimmy Delatour found inspiration for his Origins collection in 2023 while on a design residency in Sydney. With a focus on duality (think stone and wood, earth and water, sky and land), he crafted a set of furniture that captures the organic forms found in nature through functional structures. Take the Origins sofa, which has an angular timber frame that allows you to use the back as a display for books or objects. Available in three finishes—brushed matte black, dark brown, or whitewashed—the piece is topped with an upholstered seat that resembles the smooth, flat surface of a river-tumbled rock. $43,380
Bracci, Pieter Maes
Conceived by Belgian designer Pieter Maes for furniture brand Van Rossum, the Bracci chair is a great option for dipping one’s toe into the black-and-white trend. Modern without being stark, this three-legged dining seat brings together a black-brushed-oak structure with a suede-fabric upholstery. Designed with the warmth of a human embrace in mind, the Bracci’s curved and cushioned back invites its sitter to lean in and stay for awhile. $8,100 as shown
