Black lacquered chinoiserie headboard

Black Lacquered Furniture – Pros and Cons

Black lacquered furniture is classic, bold, glamorous, and sophisticated.

Black lacquered tallboy

The glossy, piano-like finish adds upscale drama, drawing the eye and creating an elegant ambiance.

Whether it’s a dresser, a coffee table, or a sideboard, it leaves a lasting impression.

Glossy Black Furniture Makes A Statement

Black lacquer furniture makes a powerful statement with its sleek and glossy finish. This dark color is a bold and striking choice in furniture.

black lacquered sideboard

The deep black hue of lacquer furniture serves as a focal point, drawing the eye and creating a sense of intrigue.

I am certain that you will never *not* notice a piece of furniture with that mirror shine.

Look at this simple yet stunning bedroom featuring a black lacquered headboard. The glossy black element makes a huge statement.

Black lacquered chinoiserie headboard
Photo from @prudencehomeanddesig

Black Is Very Versatile

Black lacquer furniture is incredibly versatile. It effortlessly fits into various decor styles and color schemes. In design schemes like Hollywood Regency or Chinoiserie, black lacquer is pretty much an essential element.

The room below by designer Prudence Bailey is a beautiful example of an eclectic dining room with a high gloss credenza. It just works!

Formal dining room with black credenza
Photo from @prudencehomeanddesign

In a low-light room with other dark colors, it adds drama and depth, but in a bright space, it reflects the light and acts like a mirror.

The latest design trend of neutrals like tan and white looks fantastic with an addition of black.

Black furniture in dining room
Photo from @emilyhallinteriors

You can put a glossy black piece of furniture in an entryway, a dining room, or a living room without giving it much thought.

The color is not associated with any specific style or theme.

Black Landstrom dresser in entryway

This makes redesigning your space around your black furniture super easy, and if you move, you don’t have to worry too much about not being able to use it in your next home.

Black is Classic & Timeless

Black and glossy black lacquer is never going out of style. Unlike trendy colors, black is and will always be in style. The Dorothy Draper Espana chests look just as fabulous in a 1950s living room as it does today in a Hollywood Regency-style bedroom.

Pair of Dorothy Draper Espana chest

Benjamin Moore’s color of the year is never black, right? Because black was never trendy, and it will never be dated.

Your black lacquered furniture can look tired after a few years but never dated.

Black lacquered Asian dresser

In spite of all its amazing versatility and timeless glamor, I talk a lot of customers out of choosing black for their furniture.

Why? Let’s look at the cons of black lacquered furniture. Trust me, there are many!

Black Lacquer Shows Every Speck Of Dust

Black and especially glossy black furniture shows EVERY SINGLE SPECK OF DUST. It is a very difficult finish to maintain and keep looking pristine.

Dust on black lacquered furniture

Because it shows every speck of dust, glossy black furniture looks like a literal dust magnet.

Here is my black entryway dresser looking all fabulous from a distance.

Landstrom dresser in the entryway

Get closer, and it looks like it wasn’t dusted in a while. My cleaning gals cleaned it last week. We have a household of two adults no kids or pets.

Now imagine a home with 2 Golden Retrievers. The same dresser will need dusting every 5 minutes, or you will need to make peace with a dusty-looking dresser.

Black Lacquered Furniture Is Not Kid Friendly

Just like dust, black lacquered furniture also shows fingerprints, handprints, chicken tenders, finger grease, jelly residue, and on and on.

Black lacquer is also very unforgiving when it comes to showing dings, scratches, etc. Here is my black piece.

The cleaning gals obviously dragged the plate stand to clean, and it has these scuffs that are visible in certain lighting.

Now imagine a home with little boys playing with their toy cars on your black credenza. It will be riddled with scratches in no time.

Black Gloss Can Be Too Glam For Some Spaces

Believe it or not, as versatile as a piece of glossy black furniture is, it can be too glamorous and flashy. Black lacquer has a very upscale, high-end look to it.

Black lacquered china cabinet in a dining room
Photo from @celesteandpearl

If you are trying to create a casual, relaxed space, glossy black furniture is not the right fit for that space.

Of course, no color and/or finish will work in every space.

Glossy black furniture has a formal feel to it, and if that’s not the look you are going for, then it will be a misfit in the space.

Final Thoughts

If you are going for a glamorous, sexy, wet paint look, nothing beats black lacquer. It’s the ultimate statement-maker! If your heart is set on it, then go for it!

Don’t overthink it. Embrace the dust and the imperfections and enjoy it.

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