Interior design ideas: mono mania - in pictures

In the living room, both fireplace and walls are strikingly monochrome – painted black below the dado rail, white above. The ‘ABCD’ poster is £35 from Playtype, the armchair is Habitat’s Ella design, and the Asko rug is by Artic Design. Photograph: Neale Smith

Owner Deborah Gordon, who lives here with husband Richard, chats with her eldest son Oliver, five, in the open-plan dining/sitting room. Ikea's Melltorp table is surrounded by black Eames DSR chairs. Habitat stocks a similar photographic tripod lamp. Photograph: Neale Smith

Ikea’s new Fjälkinge shelves are filled with tasteful monochrome accessories, including Muuto’s The More The Merrier black rubber candlestick and felt storage basket. The paper bag on the floor, used here as a recycling bin, is from Merci; and the metal chair is Harry Bertoia’s 1952 Diamond chair. Photograph: Neale Smith

Ikea’s Karlstad sofa is dotted with throws and cushions in shades of grey. Photograph: Neale Smith

In the snug kitchen, dark grey grouting adds definition to white Metro tiles; and Muuto's "Bulky" tea pot continues the Nordic feel. Habitat sells the "Flap" analogue clock. Photograph: Neale Smith

A grey task lamp – Aröd from Ikea – is set off by the white desk and gun-metal grey walls (try Farrow & Ball's Downpipe). Even the magazine matches the theme. Photograph: Neale Smith

In the hallway, Eames' classic Hang It All coatrack is hung with a Kanken backpack, while Donna Wilson's stuffed Mono cat sits on the top. Photograph: Neale Smith