Matt black, pearly white and deep grey are contrasted with flashes of glossy gold, bronze and azure blue to create a look that's glamorous, excessive and dramatic.
Shades used: walls and ceiling, Night Jewels 1; dado rail, Grey Steel 4; hallway area, Azure Fusion 2; mosaic mirror, Grey Steel 2, Delhi Bazaar 2, Grey Steel 4, Night Jewels 3, Sun Dust 2, Night Jewels 1, all Dulux.
'The work of contemporary designers like Studio Job (with its Pantheon throw and paper chandelier), Front for Moooi (the horse lamp and pig table), Jaime Hayon (especially with his BD Showtime and Lladro collections) and Bisazza (with its gold plated fantastical swirl of tiling perfection at Milan 2007) is at the heart of this extravagant, ironic mood.
'The grandeur of neoclassical details and motifs weave their magic here. Palladian-style columns, plaster relief and mosaic patterns (whether painted or tiled, on walls and floors) work wonderfully with the more modern likes of Maarten Bass for Moooi's Smoke or Soane's buttoned neo-classical chairs, John Reeve's Louis dining table and Studioilse's 36-24-36 sensually turned standard lamp.
'For those finishing touches, look to Versace and Wedgwood for inspiration (like the new Plato Gold coral patterned tableware), gold and metallics in lighting and accessories and velvets and damask prints in textiles. Thick crystal goblets and mirrored glass will also add to the grandiose mood. The result is witty, modern, thought provoking, visually intriguing and elegant.'
'Although the outcome of this trend is super glamorous and sophisticated, I love that the content is more playful and tongue-in-cheek when you look at the detail. The dark palette with flashes of colour, especially yellow and gold alongside the extremes of scale, give that wonderland feel.'
'This is naughty boy stuff, pushing the parameters to see how far they will go. Big things and small things with nothing in between. Black, white and metallics with punchy signal colours. Full of irony, this is a dramatic trend which shouts loudly.'
This palette is particularly well suited to an older period interior with its high ceilings, plaster-relief detailing on walls, panelling, extra wide woodwork and deep toned floors. Ideal for a formal dining room or a snug living space, it's a room that's reserved for evenings, one where a lack of natural light is, for a change, a good thing and not a bad thing.
If you go for this look, really go for it. Just painting a feature wall in black, or leaving all your woodwork white, will turn something elegant and dramatic into something that's reminiscent of the 1980s, which is not the intention at all. The drama and success of this scheme comes from its all-out bravery - the most adventurous will even take the black to their ceilings. If you're not brave enough, or if your rooms don't lend themselves to this type of scheme, limit it just for fun to the downstairs loo or utility area.
There is no way this palette is intended for a house built after the turn of last century. If your home is 1920s or 1930s upwards, if your rooms are boxy and lacking in original mouldings or if your ceilings are low, avoid it like the plague. The only place it should be seen in a house like that is in a teenage boy's bedroom, and even then it's a bad, bad thing.
So, how do you furnish 'ironically', as suggested by our experts? The trick is to play with scale as well as style, so mix huge vases with smaller pieces, deep mirror frames with small-set glass, and enormous standard lamps with delicately turned chairs. As for fabrics, pick leather and velvet, and team them with accessories in golds and bronzes, adding a touch of teal to take the scheme from bachelor pad to super cool.
Sourcebook
Moooi armchair, writing desk, lamp from Ferrious
Turquoise velvet cushion from Ilva
Table from Stocktons
Tall black glasses from Habitat
Betty Jackson black crockery, grey crystal glasses and gold bird from Debenhams
Gold etched stool from Bhs
Gold vase from Heal's
Chandelier and cutlery, antiques market finds
Exclusive competitions and discount offers for 4Homes readers in our Advent Calendar 2009
Need some inspiration for a dining area - however small? Check out our gallery of rooms for ideas.jpg){kind=small}
You could win a copy of Design Museum's 50 Chairs That Changed The World
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