You'd expect charcoal, muted greys and mossy greens to work badly in Singapore's small homes, but that's not the case!

"You have a small home? Don't use dark hues!" Chances are, if you're looking to renovate your space, you would have heard all about colour palettes - how a cleaner, lighter one works best in a small space, to stay away from others unless you want your home to look cramped or narrow et cetera.

But, that could not be less true - in fact, when used correctly, these dark colours can amp up the mood, while making spaces look less clinical.

These 10 homes will have you saying bye to sterile white and cosying up to striking shades in no time.

1. Going dark isn't synonymous with going back to black (or grey for that matter). In fact, a different colour like this deep moss green may work better for you.

The unorthodox shade works surprisingly well with natural wood, tan leather and golden accents, achieving a new level of sophistication!

2. If you fear overwhelming the senses by going full-on monochrome, try jazzing up your space with a combination of different materials. These homeowners paired their black and grey home with raw elements like concrete, terrazzo and marble, all in different finishes a more dynamic appeal - and we can't take our eyes off it!

3. Mixing and matching aside, you too can change up the features in the home for a more sophisticated take and break up the monotony as well. Take this home for instance - here they used gold panels that really pop against the moodier tones and replaced the standard, streamlined doorway for curved archways that complements the cosier ambience.

4. To go with the new white marble floor, the family living in this condominium chose a more elegant and versatile aesthetic. Think black vertical and horizontal that juxtaposes against the unique veining of the marble. The play with shadows, textures and contrast really creates depth and makes the space pop.

5. Blacks, blues, and greys make for absolutely witchy backdrops. Work that transcendental appeal by including a variety of plants, like the home below, to create a unique home that mystifies and enraptures all that step foot in it. Think the Forbidden Forest, only more compact and urbanised to fit into an HDB flat.

6. "These homes are all too dark for me!" Wait, before you exit, check out how this home makes clever use of reflective surfaces to counter the distinct hues. Together with the downlights, it creates a dark home that's not crazy or too over-the-top.

7. When it comes to small homes, having a dark scheme and large pieces of furniture is generally a no-no. That said, rules are, after all, meant to be broken.

And, this 3-room HDB home in Toa Payoh shows exactly how to do so, with stylish results to show. In the living area, negative space is created by juxtaposing a two-seater sofa against a stony grey backdrop to 'open up' the surroundings.

8. If you would like a home that's dark in the day, get black out blinds as they will ensure that the surroundings remain pitch black even when the sun's shining outside.

But don't forget to include ways to brighten up your home such as task lighting in work spaces (like the kitchen) and reflective surfaces (like floor-to-ceiling mirrors), which will aid in bouncing off light around a room.

9. With the right paint, just about anyone can fashion a 'dark home'. But, there's a trick to placement: when used strategically, you can create a more intimate setting!

This green might not have been the most appealing if it's only painted on just the walls, but because it's used liberally on the ceiling too, the home's restful vibes are amplified.

10. Much like the above mentioned, the principle is about the same here, only this time, the paint was switched out for black mosaic - a bold choice that gives this home an avant-garde edge and lounge-like appeal (when the sun sets).

This article was first published in Qanvast.