While all-white kitchens are still trendy, some homeowners are increasingly exhausted by the look of a dark kitchen.
Going with a black kitchen means you’re bold. It’s a powerful statement since black denotes strength and elegance. It creates high contrast with lots of bright colors.
In this article, we cover 10 design tips that will help you create the best dark kitchens.
1. Dark kitchen cabinet ideas
Black cabinets are dead-drop gorgeous. You can try a glossy-finish or matte-finish. The advantage of black is that you can pair it with many other colors.
For instance, black cabinets can go well with natural wood floors and gray countertops. Black and red cabinets are a striking combination. For instance, you achieve this look by adding red drawer handles or incorporating red appliances.
If you’re looking to add a retro touch, try pairing black cabinets with classic black & white tiles. Black cabinets also go well with white subway tiles. You can even incorporate a mirror.
2. Going with darker pendants
One of the easy dark kitchen ideas to try is choosing black pendant lights for your island. You’ll easily find matte black pendants at shops.
Or if you have dark cabinets and floors, pendants can be used to liven up the room by choosing brushed nickel, chrome-finish, or bronze color options.
3. Dark kitchen floors
You can darken your kitchen by choosing a polished dark floor that will be wonderful with white cabinets. You can also create a sharp contrast with white walls and a black polished wood floor.
Herringbone, straight or chevron patterns can also be incorporated in dark natural wood floors for a more sophisticated look.
If natural wood is an expensive option for your kitchen, you can have ceramic tiles, vinyl, or laminate flooring.
For a dark gray kitchen, you can opt for gray tiles for the floors or gray subway tiles for the backsplash. If you go with white tiles, you can link them with black or gray grout.
4. Dark kitchen counters
Looking to make your kitchen more luxurious? You can’t go wrong with dark counters for your cabinets or island panels. They fit into any style be it contemporary, traditional, or industrial.
When choosing your countertops, you’ll need to decide on the material. There are several options, including wood, natural stones (granite & marble), etc.
Most homeowners are increasingly choosing engineered stones like quartz. They can mimic real marble without their inherent disadvantages like the need for regular maintenance.
Some dark quartz countertop designs include jet black, black tempal, and Vanilla Noir. You can see more Caesarstone’s gray quartz countertops here.
Dark counters make eye-catching waterfall islands. They also pair well with light wood floors. Cabinets can be white or wood. For an extremely dark kitchen with plenty of natural light, you can pull off gray countertops with black cabinets.
5. Black appliances
Go for matte black appliances when you want to add some dark tones to your kitchen without making a full commitment. Luckily, matte black is hot and in style. The color will become a favorite for cabinets and walls come 2020.
Black appliances have surfaces made from dark-colored stainless steel. They are minimalist and command attention especially in a high contrast setting.
Other advantages of choosing black appliances for your kitchen include the ease of cleaning them and they are warmer than stainless steel. Matte black is unlikely to go out of style soon.
6. Black chairs
If you’re designing a light kitchen, you can always add a little black to stay trendy. You’ll achieve this with a couple of black counter swivel chairs. They will pair well with light floors, white quartz countertop, and light brown cabinets.
Alternatively, black chairs will perfectly blend in with black cabinets and matte black walls. To make the kitchen a little lighter, the ceiling can be white with large windows to let in maximum light. You can also choose bright-colored fixtures and light gray floors to accentuate the black chairs.
7. Glossy black tiles
Looking for a perfect backsplash? You can’t go wrong with glossy black beveled ceramic tiles. They are shiny and will add a bit of glam to any room. They also reflect light well to visually double a small kitchen.
If you need bright colors to pop, glossy black tiles will also serve as perfect backsplashes. In addition, they look high-end and expensive.
8. Black kitchen ceilings
Ceilings are the most overlooked parts of any kitchen. By default, they are painted white to give the illusion of more space. That’s because white reflects light very well. And people love high ceilings.
When designing a dark kitchen, opting to paint the ceiling black adds a bit of drama because it’s highly unusual. It also makes your kitchen more intimate and mysterious.
There are other reasons to make your ceilings dark. It makes high ceilings appear closer. Black paint can also hide structural defects well.
If you have gorgeous ceiling trims, a black ceiling will emphasize them. Lastly, you can choose black if the rest of the kitchen has black walls or dark floors.
9. Lighting
Your choice of lighting makes a difference. But it can be a bit frustrating to spend time in a dimly-lit room. That’s not what this tip is advocating. Have enough sconces on your walls, sufficient ceiling fixtures, and even a 10-bulb chandelier.
Now, if you need a dark space at night, you just turn off other lights leaving a few on.
Kitchen curtains are another variant you can tweak. Most people go for white curtains that bring in maximum sunlight. But you can also choose blackout curtains when designing for a dark kitchen.
10. Dark Gray Kitchen Walls
Grey walls are perfect for kitchens because they are neutral. They give you the freedom to play with bright accent colors like red or orange to make the room more cheerful.
You’ll also find it easy to pair your gray walls with warm materials like wooden cabinets.
Final Take
Most people are usually out to create bright rooms. Going against the tide is exciting. While dark gray rooms can be associated with bleakness, you can pull off this look to create a relaxing space. On the other hand, black kitchens already embody sophistication, boldness, and power.