Get the Look isn’t just about real homes; it can also be ignited by design fantasy. This week, Aleksa Brown draws inspiration from Celerie Kemble’s Black and White (and a Bit in Between) to add personality to a duotone living space.
I used to think rooms with black and white color palettes were reserved for chic hotels, Old Hollywood-style boudoirs, and floor-to-ceiling windowed penthouse apartments. Meanwhile, my last place had yellow, red and green walls (all in the same room) with a floral couch and bright magenta curtains. Needless to say, I’m a recovering color addict.
I’m realizing with my current apartment, however, that you don’t have to paint the walls all the colors of the rainbow to change the vibe. By adding a bright vase, textured pillow and a few trinkets, you can convey your point of view and still maintain some tasteful subtlety.
For inspiration on how to take my space up a notch, I turned to Celerie Kemble’s Black and White (and a Bit in Between). She includes a list of eight ways to bring variety to your black and white space, and suggests trying to incorporate at least half to achieve your desired look.
These are the four suggestions I’m going to use in my new space.
Something Slick
[1. Green lacquer headboard from Tweakedhome 2. Blue ceramic vase by Redclayco 3. Poppy end table from Minthome 4. Vintage orange desk from Lavintagefurnishings 5. Yellow ceramic lamp from Georgiainbloom 6. Ceramic rooster figurine from Nashpop]
Something Metallic
[1. Vintage record rolling rack from Taylorvintageco 2. Gold faux deer head mount by Lucyhaus 3. Sputnik Orb from Ilikemikes 4. Vintage gold box from ModRendition 5. Brass lamp from Highstreetmarket 6. Vintage vanity tray from Recyclebuyvintage 7. Black and gold telephone from MattiesMenagerie]
Something Furry
[1. Striped faux fur pillow by Narkelandnorsu 2. White faux fur pillow cover by Thepillowcollection 3. Mid century fur chair from Llcooper202 4. Vintage sheepskin pelt from Castandcrew 5. Mongolian lamb pillow by Manifestenterprises ]
Something Crystalline
[1. Clear candelabra by Urbananalog 2. Vintage lucite cookie jar from Saltandginger 3. Vintage lucite globe from Justsmashingdarling 4. Lucite floating clock from Mistertrue 5. Vintage dayglo lamps from Ilikemikes 6. Vintage lucite chair from Ccduexvie]
Celerie’s list also includes something leather (faux or real), something matte, something woven or something glimmery. Which four would you use?
For more home interior ideas check out Celerie Kemble’s Black & White (and a bit in between) available from Amazon or an independent bookstore near you.
More Get the Look: Home Decor Editions
Aleksa Brown is an associate editor at Etsy.


142 comments
Sign in to add your ownpipapiep from pipapiep says:
nice style!
1 year ago
totalradness from totalradness says:
love the picture wall- would love to have something like that on my lounge wall- just need to save up for all the frames! :)
1 year ago
Feltoza from LinenPearls says:
mmm, good decor.
1 year ago
Kim from QueenBeeVintiques says:
Great ideas...wonderful picks...love the mix!!!
1 year ago
Megan from MegansMenagerie says:
Such beautiful ideas! I love pops of color!!!
1 year ago
Jody Ball from JodysVintage says:
Fun shapes and textures here! Interesting stuff!
1 year ago
Judith and Raymond from AnnaOliveDesigns says:
Interesting, eclectic choices. Well done.
1 year ago
rosebudshome from rosebudshome says:
Beautiful black and white choices!
1 year ago
park from carlossantiago says:
Happy Oscar Sunday!!!! Love love the metallic section!!! I have seen a lot of black and gold lately. I think it looks fantastic!
1 year ago
Jess from volkerwandering says:
Beautiful!
1 year ago
Jurgita from PassifloraBloom says:
super!
1 year ago
Matejka Max from NattyMatty says:
Great finds!
1 year ago
Marietta from blueroompottery says:
Beautiful article!! Love the furry and the crystalline!! thanks :))
1 year ago
Kirsti Joy from KaiceJoy says:
Great!!!
1 year ago
trixzstreasures from trixzstreasures says:
Beautiful ! Love it all !!!
1 year ago
SacredandProfane from SacredandProfane says:
Amazing selections!
1 year ago
Angela Holman from GingersGirl says:
Great selections! I love the gold deer head.
1 year ago
Laurie from BirdinHandVTG says:
Fabulous feature! Now I want to pick up the book. I'd love to know more about those "table sculptures" in the very first photo.
1 year ago
messinabella from BandBEstate says:
Great ideas!
1 year ago
France Gallery from FranceGallery says:
Some really interesting decor!
1 year ago
Alison Herr Scates and Chuck Scates from ACESFINDSVINTAGE says:
Super Cool Inspiration! And great Etsy picks too! Thanks so much for sharing~ Peace~Alison :)
1 year ago
southernladysvintage from southernladysvintage says:
Bold and beautiful! Great ideas!
1 year ago
Sharmila Dabare from TopponcinonMore says:
Great Ideas... Love the black and white options...
1 year ago
TheGildedTassel from TheGildedTassel says:
Love this....nice picks:)
1 year ago
TheEverlastingPosy from TheEverlastingPosy says:
The rooms are lovely!
1 year ago
mazedasastoat from mazedasastoat says:
With two Great Danes & three cats, I really don't think a pure white sofa is the way to go... in fact, life would probably be easier if all my decor was mud coloured! :-)
1 year ago
Sharon Challand from Challand says:
Very pretty rooms!
1 year ago
Megan Morris from MadebyMegShop says:
These rooms are gorgeous! Beautiful selections!
1 year ago
Alexandra from BlueMoonLights says:
Great ideas! Thanks for the post!
1 year ago
wwchloerunning from LeadBasedInsults says:
love, love, love that orange desk! http://www.etsystalkers.com/
1 year ago
TheIDConnection from TheIDconnection says:
Love this!
1 year ago
Emily from VitaNostra says:
It is all gorgeous! I am in love with that Something Metallic room... so dramatic and elegant.
1 year ago
iammie from iammie says:
Beautiful!
1 year ago
Frances Royal from franstradingpost says:
Wonder4ful feature and ideas. Love eclectic decor!
1 year ago
Frances Royal from franstradingpost says:
WONDERFUL
1 year ago
Jeanne from stuartroadvintage says:
Great ideas-keep it coming!
1 year ago
Rita Van Tassel from RitaVanTassel says:
Absolutely one of the best curated decor posts in a while - fantastic!
1 year ago
VintageBeach from VintageBeach says:
Love it!
1 year ago
Peshka from Peshka says:
Lovely!
1 year ago
Elena Fom from Attractive1 says:
Aleksa, waiting for Your posts with impatience! Thanks!
1 year ago
goodbeads from goodbeads says:
Great,love it.
1 year ago
Joe and Elizabeth Veres from JETypographyPrints says:
Lovely!! Wonderful items here! I would love to see more of 'Get the Look Decor' posts! :)
1 year ago
Parachute425 from Parachute425 says:
That went well with my morning coffee. Thanks.
1 year ago
Indira Villalobos from snugglyugly says:
nice.
1 year ago
Gabriele Cavender from specimenboxshop says:
Love it!!!!
1 year ago
evey and sara from nashpop says:
Really awesome blog post. Thank you for featuring our red rooster!
1 year ago
NICOLE Dotto from DOTTO says:
daggone, I love a huge wall with black and white photographs.
1 year ago
GeorgiaInBloom from GeorgiaInBloom says:
Thank you so much for featuring my yellow ceramic lamp in your blog post! I didn't even know etsy had a blog, so finding out by having one of my items featured is quite the compliment!! Thank you, again!! All the selections are just gorgeous! I need more rooms in my house! :) Cortney
1 year ago
Vintage Nelly from vintagenelly says:
Love the feature and especially the black and white photo wall! I'm a big fan of color, but black and white allows you to use color in other ways. Thanks for sharing!!
1 year ago
Natalia from KMalinkaVintage says:
Awesome idea!
1 year ago
Tania from chiquiita says:
I am so neutral, even my house is!.... my daughter will say I am kind of boring. But I do love color, is just that I am afraid of it!! Seeing this article helps my creative side....I have a piece of furniture I could paint in a bright nice color and that way introduce color in my family room, (like the top picture with the black, white and hint of red here and there).......thanks so much!!!
1 year ago
Anne-Marie from BlackBowHangers says:
Black and White is the new style! I love how the decor in these pictures offer a modern edge while still giving off warmth of home. :)
1 year ago
Miosotis Merchan from chanel30 says:
Very nice! I love this color>
1 year ago
Kimberlee from GracefullyGirly says:
Love this! I love gray and white or chocolate brown and white to the same effect. I have one of each of your suggestions in most every room. Furry blankets, crystal lamps, metallic finishes and glass tile back splash and quartz counter tops in the kitchen for the slick element. It's moderated in some rooms with aqua shades of paint to lend a homier touch.
1 year ago
Marilou from MissMarilouStudio says:
I just love the first room with the red. Wow!
1 year ago
Erika from ErikaPrice says:
Gorgeous, gorgeous colour schemes! I'm a neutrals fan, but black and white can look so elegant!
1 year ago
Cristina C from GiftsWithCharm says:
absolutely beautiful!
1 year ago
Angela Cotton from cottonbirddesigns says:
Great article!
1 year ago
Shannon from JustSmashingDarling says:
I love these home decor blogs. Thank you for including my globe.
1 year ago
Barbara from PDXfabricdeli says:
Cool lacquered industrial ! I love it....thanks for sharing.
1 year ago
Enterprise Americana from EnterpriseAmericana says:
Slick with lot's of character, just like a like it. Love the juxtaposition of new and old in the first photo.
1 year ago
Gracie from TheBeautyofBoredom says:
"Recovering color addict" haha. Color is great, I wish I could match them with neutrals better. I also tend to link blue a little too much. It was interesting to see what you came up with.
1 year ago
rhapsodyattic from RhapsodyAttic says:
Fun article, beautiful!
1 year ago
Zane Saracene from Zalavintage says:
Great tips, color is more than a statement, also adds energy and emotion to a space.
1 year ago
keren from GRAVITYjewels says:
Wow I love colors and I think black and white has so many colors and shades with depth in it! Great article, thank you for sharing!
1 year ago
Olga Savchenko from Ukrainiangift says:
Gorgeous combination! Thanks for article! The first red room especially impressed me!
1 year ago
Melissa Mulder from VyntageBlooms says:
My SIL has the prettiest black and white bathroom. White in the bathroom with little kids! It is made possible by the unique wall paper! The paper pattern is actually white with black hand written saucy little quotes like " how are you" is greeting not an invitation to tell your life story" so on and so forth. You spend most of your time sitting ;) reading the great wallpaper grafitti that your eyes don't wander in to the hairy corners. Every time I come by she has a different feature colour in their, blue towels, hot pink, green. It makes it so easy to switch it up! Now I must come up with my own version of a cool black and white bathroom.. Great article, it will help. Blessings, Melissa
1 year ago
Vivianna Pena from viviannapena says:
I guess you can say I'm a color addict. ;) (My old room is red, green, and yellow!) Black and white with a pop of color sounds very scary to me, yet it looks so beautiful, and you can change that pop of color very easly. Great tips and suggestions
1 year ago
maggiemaevintage from maggiemaevintage says:
love black and white with splashes of red!
1 year ago
azie from verdigreen says:
loving the crystalline look! great article.
1 year ago
Jillian Carmine from JillianReneDecor says:
Slick, metallic, woven + leather. There's nothing like spicing up classic black and white! Fun read - thanks so much for sharing!
1 year ago
Christy from Vintagology says:
Such ecletic rooms bursting with personality! Thanks so much for sharing these amazing items!!!
1 year ago
Star Stanford from Gypsydazzle says:
I LOVE the orange desk. Great ideas, thanks.
1 year ago
orangeonbroadway from orangeonbroadway says:
Love it!!
1 year ago
L2Country from L2Country says:
Aleksa, ...you did a great job on this article. ...Loved it!..."L"
1 year ago
easasa from easasa says:
Eager to learn more about color match!
1 year ago
Nicole Risinger from SoSewOrganized says:
I would use something furry, something crystalline. something glittery and something slick! What interesting ideas, I never would have put those things together, but they look fab the way you've demonstrated them. I am in. love. with black and white, which is probably why one of the tote bags in my shop is black, white and teal. The top picture makes me want to make one in black, white and red! Hmm.....you've got my wheels turning! Thanks!
1 year ago
VintageNChic from VintageNChic says:
I love the vintage statement pieces!
1 year ago
Katrina from saltandginger says:
I adore the inspiration you've taken from each category & love how each adds another layer of visual interest - beautiful. Thanks so much for including my lucite cookie jar!
1 year ago
Amy Wilens from ModRendition says:
I love the contrast between the white marble fireplace and that fantastic wallpaper. I also love those knobs on the red chests . . . so amazing. And of course, all of the items featured in "Something Metallic." Totally my style.
1 year ago
baconsquarefarm from baconsquarefarm says:
Enjoyed my persuse down the page feasting my eyes on each group of photos, thanks for the article, very well done. :)
1 year ago
VogueVixens from VogueVixens says:
Great modern pieces.
1 year ago
kirstenann from kirstenann says:
I love the elegance of black & white paired with modern shapes and textures it can look sophisticated and modern love this article great read!!
1 year ago
Tianna from tcollor says:
Great modern pieces,thanks for the article;)
1 year ago
Vickie Moore from WingedWorld says:
I love the variety of these pieces!
1 year ago
Dotty Walker from SewThoughtfulBlanket says:
It makes me want to redecorate!
1 year ago
EphemeraAndMore from EphemeraAndMore says:
I really enjoyed the story and the imagery! Thanks!
1 year ago
Shannon from FreshlyFallenDesigns says:
Love this article!
1 year ago
FauxFurPetBakery from FauxFurPetBakery says:
Beautiful designs and ideas! Way to go Aleksa!
1 year ago
Kelly from PalomaAccessories says:
Lindas Ideas! Great Ideas!
1 year ago
riricreations from riricreations says:
Love that photo wall, working on something like that in our home~great ideas!
1 year ago
Images By Tasia from ImagesByTasia says:
Beautiful! What wonderful ideas, I can wait to redecorate this spring
1 year ago
Ashley from AntiquesAsh says:
Amazing! I love the pop!
1 year ago
Heather from HBoydStudio says:
Great finds! I loved the crystalline section...
1 year ago
LivingVintage from LivingVintage says:
Love it! Great picks.
1 year ago
Holly Zarski from ZCreateDesign says:
Ooooh - This is my style of decorating all the way! I love the 'Something Metallic' room!!!
1 year ago
Unique Fabric Gifts from uniquefabricgifts says:
I love black and white decoration! Beautiful room designs, fantastic ideas and great selections!
1 year ago
CaliforniaSweetPeas from CaliforniaSweetPeas says:
Good tip. Love adding splashes of color.
1 year ago
Donna Thai from PetiteCuisine says:
Beautiful ideas, thanks.
1 year ago
Victoria Baker from LittleWrenPottery says:
Great picks, I love how texture in the furry choices can add real variety to a room!
1 year ago
ZOUi from XZOUIX says:
nice ideas, except the dead animal skins/furs.... go vegan,
1 year ago
ZOUi from XZOUIX says:
nice ideas, except the dead animal skins/furs... go vegan,
1 year ago
JJMOSSIEM from JJMOSSIEM says:
love!!
1 year ago
Ever So Lovely from EverSoLovely says:
That headboard and desk are amazing! Great picks!
1 year ago
Sharon Moores from slathered says:
Gorgeous post! I'm the complete opposite -- I have a ton of color in my house, so I use black and white to calm things down a little. :-)
1 year ago
Maria Cruz from BabyLoveknitting says:
Great :)
1 year ago
katherine norton malek says:
How convenient! I was just considering doing my large master bath in predominantly Blk & wht, wondering if it would be too 'over-the-top. Great ideas from this blog. After this, I found the courage. Going for it with confidence now.
1 year ago
Maria Cruz from BabyLoveknitting says:
Awesome:)
1 year ago
Discord Vintage from DiscordVintage says:
Everything is so sleek and polished - looks amazing. A few of those pieces could really brighten up my own place :)
1 year ago
Kristina from SoapLab says:
Great ideas!
1 year ago
WestU from lillysshoppe says:
Great finds!
1 year ago
Lauren Rose from LaurenRoseJewlers says:
I abosultly love the first pic! Great Ideas, I am also a color addict, my room is orange and yellow but I threw in some whites and beige's to not make it so brightt! but I love the idea of the black and white!
1 year ago
Liz B. from MyEverAfter says:
You can never go wrong with black and gold. Absolutely gorgeous!
1 year ago
aristocratandthat from aristocratandthat says:
love all of it !!
1 year ago
emir hepoglu says:
i like that all...
1 year ago
accentonvintage from accentonvintage says:
Gorgeous selections! Great decor!
1 year ago
Sharleen from ElmPlace says:
Wonderful design. Love the balance and composition.
1 year ago
flamingfuchsia from flamingfuchsia says:
Like it.
1 year ago
Georgia from JewelMeShop says:
Great tips for a sophisticated and stylish space! Thanks for sharing!
1 year ago
Melanie from melaniegracedesigns says:
Super!
1 year ago
sevim modelci from modelknitting says:
i like that all...
1 year ago
Kathleen from myvintagecrush says:
Beautiful interiors!
1 year ago
Angelique Ellerton says:
Stumbled upon your site. Very welcoming and well planned. The idea was , very well developed and strong.
1 year ago
Pine from TheRakishTilt says:
Big fan of using black in home decor. I have a black and white rug and a black sofa with white curtains in the living room. It allows me to constantly redecorate by incorporating other colors.
1 year ago
VaLon Frandsen from thevicagirl says:
I so wish that people understood that black and white design can be cool. I get in so much trouble because that is all I seem to wear. But I love it! I also love the design of a clean white room, which can work so well. I totally agree about the four above points, my favorite being metallic (or anything shiny.) I love it. I may just have to go get that book.
1 year ago
Maria Cruz from BabyLoveknitting says:
Great:)
1 year ago
www.BlairBarbour.com from BlairBarbour says:
Amazing!
1 year ago
Susan from LiseVintageLighting says:
Love it all! Great post!
1 year ago
Sarah from CopperheadCreations says:
Oooo yeah. I want to climb inside the metallic and crystalline room photos and live inside them. Beautiful! Black and white and pops of color: surprisingly simple to do, and stunning results.
1 year ago
Michelle from MishaGirl says:
I am loving that green lacquered headboard!
1 year ago
babydolldressup from babydolldressup says:
Love the different ideas to give black and white some pizzazz!
1 year ago
AJ Marsden from OnlyOriginalsByAJ says:
Great ideas! I love all of it!
1 year ago
liddy sopretty from liddysopretty says:
Wow! Wonderful ideas!
1 year ago
Jennifer Beaudet from JBeaudetStudios says:
Gorgeous choices!
1 year ago
gabrielle lundy from GreenFolksStudio says:
You chose wonderful accessories and you have a great eye for details which is what kept everything in balance. Gabrielle who is color addict
1 year ago
gabrielle lundy from GreenFolksStudio says:
you scored 10 out of 10 with the details, Room had energy but enough balance to make it a very comfortable room. Kudos from another color addict
1 year ago
Kim Baldwin from lifeaccessories says:
I love all the gold!
1 year ago
margaret roach from featheroriginals says:
I love mixing colors!!!! Whwn I.m working with my feathers i sometimes just mix some in a basket and look inside and see what fell into each color. Sometime amazing results. I love feathers easy to work with and very versital. Love your reds and dotted fabrics!!
1 year ago
Hilde from hildes says:
Great!
1 year ago
Andrea Robinson from MissCrackleberry says:
I love the decor!
1 year ago
Joy from JunkStoreAddict says:
Oh! I want everything posted up there!...and then a housecleaner to keep it all organized for me. :)
1 year ago
Julie W from pbteen says:
wonderful collection and information like etsy finds so much
332 days ago