Sunrooms tend to be painted pale colors. But in this New York home, the walls, windows and trim painted black beautifully recede, letting views to nature steal the show.

Interior designer Jayne Michael’s 1973 home, painted Inkwell SW 6992 (251-C4) inside and out, was designed by the notable minimalist designer Joseph D’Urso, who went on to develop a collection of clean-lined furniture for Knoll. The walls of the home in East Hampton, New York, were painted black from day 1. “This was way before anybody painted their houses black, so he was well ahead of his time,” Michaels says.

The home’s original minimalistic design inspired the sunroom addition. The Emerald^® Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint color is Inkwell SW 6992 (251-C4).

The home’s original T1-11 plywood walls had started to fade by the time Michaels and her twin sister, Joan Michaels — fellow interior designer in New York–based firm 2Michaels — embarked on the renovation, which included a sunroom addition. In keeping with D’Urso’s original design intent, all perimeter walls (on the outside and inside) are painted black and interior walls are painted white — High Reflective White SW 7757 (256-C1).

The living room connects to a simple spiral stair, painted in Inkwell SW 6992 (251-C4), which becomes a sculptural element against the High Reflective White SW 7757 (256-C1) walls.

“The black walls recede — almost like the idea of white, but in reverse,” Jayne Michaels says. “And then the emphasis is on the outdoors and on the green or the color of the time of year.” The resulting feeling, she notes, is surprisingly serene. “It’s very warm, and you really feel cocooned,” she says. “I never would have thought that a house painted black would offer that.”

In keeping with the original designer’s intent of black perimeter walls, Michaels chose black tile for the kitchen backsplash.

To ensure the home continues to feel warm and welcoming year-round, she introduced a slightly organic layer of furnishings. “I’m drawn to beautiful patinas and woods and vintage textiles and nubby fabrics that offset the spare aesthetic,” she says. Hans Wegner rope chairs, a D’Urso sofa by Knoll, kilim pillows and vintage Swedish flat-weave rugs do the trick.