Trends in kitchen design come and go. Sometimes, it’s all about Uba Tuba granite. Other times, people are going nuts for marble paired with “Millennial Pink.” Even if you are not typically a kitchen design fan, there will be trends that are easy to witness and some designs that never quite make it to the point of being a trend. Less trendy designs can still float around as a seriously cool kitchen option.
If you’re a fan of bold cabinetry, painting your kitchen cabinets black might seem a little daunting. Most people assume black cabinets will make a kitchen seem cramped. That’s not always true. We researched and found many ways to improve your kitchen using this bold, daring look.
1. Scandinavian Noir
Scandinavian decoration style is based on clean lines, minimalism, and a little bit of geometry. Here we see bold black cabinets, paired with hexagonal tiling that’s a bold white. The crisp lines of everything give this room a bigger vibe, even though it’s clearly a petite kitchen. That’s what makes Scandinavian decor so powerful.
This look is exceptional for places that are small but modern. If your kitchen is cramped and you still want black cabinetry, this is a good way to make it happen.
2. Black N’ Tan
Black cabinetry can pose a problem for people who want to get that sense of balance but don’t want extreme contrast. This design fix gives you a uniquely modern take but doesn’t rely on the often-hackneyed black and white. The tan countertops and backsplash give this room a little extra warmth and intimacy.
Better still, it’s easy to make this look work with some wooden accessories. Even a wooden vase can help make this look pop.
Click here for a beautiful wooden vase from Amazon.
3. Light It Up
The biggest issue that people have with black cabinets is how they make rooms seem dark and glum. This designer came up with a good solution to it by adding more lighting. The lighting underneath the top cabinetry, plus the warm half-globe lights on the kitchen island, make the room seem more open yet more intimate.
While this might be a little more extreme than most people would want, the flat matte cabinet look works here. If this doesn’t prove that black is one of the best colors for kitchen cabinets, we don’t know what does.
4. Industrial Kitchen Vibes
Brick and wood are a truly classic combination that adds an industrial twist to almost every room that they are present in. This look gets a lot more luxurious when you add black cabinetry to your kitchen layout. It almost channels that classic New York pizzeria vibe but in a more steampunk fashion.
The one thing that we want to advise with this look is that you need a very large kitchen to pull this off. Since all the colors are dark, it can make it hard to keep the kitchen’s look open. White backsplashes and flooring can help immensely with this.
5. Kept In Stone
Love the look of stone, but don’t have exposed brick in your home? This kitchen design involves classic stone fireplace accents, darker granite, and wrought iron lighting accents to give you a serious statement. The emphasis on stone makes it a very stylish and bold look with a little bit of a European vibe.
Larger kitchens do better with this look. After all, this has less white (and lighting) than the kitchen design above. If you go with this option, getting some decorative candles can help you make this kitchen look a little more open.
Click here for a pair of brass candle holders from Amazon.
6. Dangerously Pink
Black is a bold color for any room, and that’s a fact. If you want to get really crazy, you’ll pick a color that is bold enough to stand up to it. This designer decided to go with a shocking hot pink rather than go with the typical white or cream. The duo, when paired with white to help tone things down, works remarkably well.
While it’s not exactly the norm, this kitchen’s color scheme is absolutely stunning. Are you bold enough to try this wild statement?
7. A Statement Wall
It’s important to remember that black cabinets do not have to mean a black-themed kitchen. Too much black can make any place look cramped. This design takes that concept and makes it a major focal point. Most of this kitchen is white, but the cabinetry wall and all the appliances are black. The end result? A statement wall that looks slick, modern, and downright effortlessly cool.
The cool thing about this design is that you can match it with both white and black accessories. White serving trays, anyone?
Click here for a modern white serving tray.
8. Say It In Print
This is a unique take on the black cabinet look, and not just because only a portion of the kitchen’s cabinets are black. This designer took a classic color scheme (white and black), then turned it on its ear. The bottom cabinets are all black; the top are all white. There’s a black decal on a white backsplash to make the two meet and enhance a smooth transition.
The decal works as a good way to make the room feel artistic and more transitional. Better still, these types of decals are a cinch to find online.
Click here for a wall decal from Amazon.
9. Tile Style
If the idea of plastering on a decal doesn’t really jive with your style, there’s another way to add transition and texture to your kitchen layout while keeping the black cabinet motif. This designer showed us all how to do it through the use of patterned backsplash tiles. The tiles work with the white and black contrast but also give a subtle splash of color.
Fans of having a chic focal point in their kitchen will really dig the way this looks. Best of all, the pattern you choose will help dictate the mood of your home.
10. Traditional British
British interior design tends to have a certain ambiance that harkens back to the Victorian age. Here, the designer channeled that inner Brit for their kitchen. How? Simple. They created a more traditional ambiance by getting cabinets with beveled edges and then added a wallpaper with a slightly geometric (yet classical) texture.
Making this kitchen look more classic through the use of the right hardware made black cabinetry look traditional.
11. Rockstar Ready
Did you ever notice how red and black, when paired with white, tends to remind people of rock stars? This modern take involves red sculpted chandeliers, a fully white floor, and jet black modern cabinetry. Since it features a wide-open kitchen layout, there is no feeling of congestion, and black doesn’t overwhelm the look. If anything, the chandelier acts as the main focal point.
While this is one of the more extreme ways people created kitchens with black cabinetry, it’s hard to deny how pretty it looks.
12. Going For The Gold
Gold and black paired together always mean that you’re going to get an air of luxury. This is true, even when it comes to matters of kitchen design. In this design, we see black kitchen cabinets done up with gold, Victorian-style accents. Getting a little gold in your kitchen is a great way to make your home have the feeling of a luxurious mansion.
The cool thing about this look is that finding stately gold accents for your kitchen is a breeze. Even something as simple as a golden clock left on the counter can be a nice touch.
13. Paired With Patterns
By now, you’ve probably noticed that there are dozens of ways to add decals or patterned tiles to a kitchen with black cabinets. Most people make the mistake of assuming that the patterned parts in question need to be placed on the backsplash in order to work. This is just not true. Don’t believe it? Look at what a splash the molding on the black cabinetry makes here.
Adding a little extra flair is the subtle inclusion of patterns on the cabinetry’s etched/frosted glass windows. No matter how you look at it, it’s an impressive design.
14. Dark Wood N’ White
This kitchen design is a little different than most we’ve seen. With most of the black cabinets featured, you get to see a lacquer finish or a matte finish. Sometimes, you’ll see cabinets that are clearly wood but don’t really keep the wood texture. What makes this different is the fact that the black cabinets very visibly retain their wood texture.
That tiny detail makes a huge difference in the ambiance of this room. It feels a lot more natural, especially when paired with the fresh white accents and the darker chocolate brown chairs.
15. Mansion Style
Are you a fan of homes that look like they belonged to Daddy Warbucks from Annie? If you want to mimic that decadence level, you better prepare to splurge big on wood. Cherry wood, mahogany, and similar rich, dark red-colored woods work amazingly well when paired with black cabinets.
While it’s definitely rich and decadent, this look might be a bit too dark for some. It’s up to you to determine whether or not you’ve got a kitchen large enough to avoid this feeling cramped. You can pick out a wood floor for the cabinets by looking at this guide too.
16. Black, Blue, And Red
This is one look that is dark, daring, and somehow works. The red and blue accents are both strong enough to hold their own against black. Although they’re contrasting colors, this works because they’re both relatively toned down. For most of us, this is about as counterintuitive as it can get.
Admittedly, this is not a look for everyone, and it is almost entirely exclusive to modern looks. However, if you’re bold enough, it’s with a shot.
17. Stark And Streamlined
Much like many others in this article, this kitchen features cabinets in both black and white. However, the way that these cabinets are presented is entirely unique. With most of the designs we’ve featured, there is still some punch of personalization or decorative items. Here, the design focuses on ultra-minimalism.
This hypermodern kitchen is so streamlined it’s hard to tell where everything is. You might get a little disoriented at first, but it’s hard to deny how sleek the kitchen looks.
In closing
Black is back in action when it comes to kitchen cabinet design. Paired with complementary colors, bold accents, or traditional white can really take your kitchen from boring to exhilarating. Don’t forget to consider incorporating patterns with backsplash tiling or decals for the ultimate design statement.