We’ve seen a lot of kitchen trends come and go, and one that really sticks with us is the black kitchen. With dark cabinets or a black backsplash, you make your cooking space feel more modern. The opportunity for contrast and highlighting small details is a perfect kitchen design for those of us who want to do minimal work for the greatest impact.
The black kitchen trend is all about shades like onyx, ebony, and ink. Contrary to what a lot of homeowners think, a black kitchen isn’t the absence of color. It’s leaving room in your design to highlight color, create contrast, and most of all, embrace luxury.
If your kitchen is clad in outdated honey-colored cabinets and Formica counter tops, these examples of beautiful black kitchens will inspire you to make a change. Check them out and start dreaming about your future kitchen!
1. Back to Black Backsplash
You can find white subway tile backsplash in plenty of kitchens across the country. It’s a classic look, but this black backsplash is something special. It keeps the design simple while still making a big impact. If you can only change one thing about your kitchen, updating the backsplash might be the best place to start. This small change can make a big difference.
2. Anchor Your Space
It’s an interior designer’s rule of thumb that every space needs an anchor. Larger objects and dark colors belong near the floor to give the room a strong foundation. When you have a kitchen with high ceilings, this becomes even more important. It’s easy to lose your design when you have a lot of vertical space. Dark-colored lower cabinets are the perfect way to anchor your kitchen design.
3. Design with Contrast
Black kitchens are all about contrast. When it’s done right, it adds huge interest to your interior spaces. If you’re new to design, just remember that contrast is using two colors at opposite ends of the spectrum to create visual interest. It can be tricky to do this right, but using black in your kitchen makes it super simple. You already have the darkest color you could have, and now all you have to do is use it to make your lighter colors look even more bold. This is why black and white kitchens are such a hit.
4. Highlight Stone Counter Tops
Counter tops can make or break your kitchen. And when you have a gorgeous white marble counter, you want to show it off in all its glory. Pairing your stone surfaces with black cabinets is the perfect way to do that. It goes back to the contrast that we talked about earlier. The difference in shades will make your counter really stand out. It will grab everyone’s attention in the best way.
5. Keep it Modern
Modern kitchen designs are clean, functional, and easy to customize. We’ll always have love for those traditional and farmhouse kitchens, but there’s something about a modern design that feels right. Achieving a modern design is easier than you think. Black cabinets, black backsplash, black appliances, or black accents portray a simple and sleek look. It’s a good backdrop for other modern features like industrial pieces or a single-color counter top.
6. Camouflage Appliances
Every kitchen needs a refrigerator, but that doesn’t mean you want it to be the focal point of the room. It’s hard to avoid, however, when you fridge is the biggest thing in the room. Some homeowners spend a lot of money to install custom refrigerator panels to disguise their appliances. Matching your cabinet color to the color of your appliances is the easier way to do that. Black with black camouflages everything you want to hide while still keeping the room’s design sleek and classy.
7. Pair with Stainless Steel
Sometimes you want to disguise your appliances, but there are also times when they’re worth showing off. Stainless steel, for example, is always worth highlighting. Besides the whole fingerprint problem, stainless steel appliances are great choices for almost every style of kitchen. They serve both a practical and a design purpose. A black kitchen with stainless steel appliances is a look we can always get behind.
8. Add Ambiance
Black can get a bad rap for being boring, basic, and even a little depressing. But when you do it right in your home, a black kitchen can be warm, cozy, and welcoming. Add simple light fixtures and make sure to include the ever-important contrast into your design. Add a few accent colors, and you can create a space that no one would ever describe as “depressing.”
9. Embrace Minimalism
Modern and minimalist styles go hand-in-hand, and it’s no surprise black kitchens work well with both. With minimalism, you bring your space back to the basics. The hardware is sleek and simple, there’s little embellishment, and everything looks clean. Black makes a great backdrop for when you’re trying to scale things back and keep the room uncluttered and classic.
10. Accentuate the Details
When your cabinets or backsplash are dark, other small details start to stand out. The drawer pulls, handles, and sink faucet are all examples. It doesn’t take much for something to stand out on a black backdrop. This allows you to both keep things simple while also adding accents.