David Hicks was the English decorator who shook up the staid decoration of 18th- and 19th-century houses in the 1960s with geometric prints and by mixing Pop Art with Chippendale.
Hicks painted the walls of his own living room black. It worked because the walls had such an almost lacquered sheen, so black reflected light as much as soaking it up. The best paint to use to achieve something similar is Colour Trend's Alkyd Gloss, available at MRCB Paints. Walls need to be prepared with an Alkali resistant primer and an undercoat before applying the heavy oil-based gloss. For small areas such as architectural details or even a fireplace, use Jap Black, a Japanese lacquer that gives a very smooth mirrored finish.