Design tips for black kitchens

Black has made its way into the kitchen in a big way. Finding it in appliances, faucets, sinks and worktops (and not to mention cabinets!) is increasingly more common. Flawlessly matched and blended in with the rest of the kitchen, this colour can elevate your favourite room to a level of design you never even dreamed of.

Of course, we know that black can be a bold choice. That’s why we’re here today to give you some design tips to make sure you get it right.

Pros and cons of black kitchen cabinets

Before we dive into our tips, let’s first take a look at the main advantages and most common problems that come along with designing a black kitchen:

Pros:

• Like white, black is a neutral, easy to mix-and-match colour that makes it hard to “get tired of it” over time.
• It comes in many shades and finishes.
• It is also elegant, blending seamlessly into upscale styles.
• It creates the perfect backdrop for showcasing other elements, like worktops, fixtures and designer appliances.

Cons:

• It can create overly “cold” environments without the right planning and TLC.
• It absorbs light. Generally, black isn’t the best colour for dark rooms or rooms with few sources of natural light.
• It doesn’t suit small kitchens well either for this same reason, since it will accentuate the lack of square metres.

That said, let’s take a look at those tips!

Floors and walls

These two are fundamental when it comes to planning a kitchen with black furniture, since they serve as the into which the colour will be incorporated. We recommend choosing light materials and colours to reflect the available light.

Lighting

The source of natural light will determine the layout of the different zones of the kitchen, but it is not always enough, particularly in a black kitchen. When coming up with the design, don’t forget to plan the lighting, including points of light in strategic places and even inside the cabinets.

What’s your shade?

Think there’s only one shade of black? Nothing could be further from the truth. It comes in many shades, from the purest black to almost-black blue and our favourite, anthracite.

The latter, in a matte finish, adds a natural look to the cabinets, helping to create a cosier atmosphere. In any case, before you make your choice, we recommend that you carefully analyse not only the rest of the materials you are going to use in the kitchen, but also the décor and colours of the surrounding rooms (especially in open-concept designs).

Mix it with white!

A good way to “lighten up” black is to pair it with other finishes, and white is a safe bet. The example we’re showing you from our distributor Antares should give you an idea of what we’re talking about.

Even though the back wall is fitted from floor to ceiling in black (including the American-style fridge) and the design includes a hood and worktops in this colour, the overall result is light thanks to the addition of white – ultra useful when working with limited square metres.

Go natural

Another way to visually detract from black cabinets and furnishings is to combine it with organic materials (or with finishes that create this effect). We’re referring, of course, to wood, natural stone and even small accessories in natural fibres like esparto grass and wicker.

The Sistema Cuina project that we show you above illustrates this very well: the stone countertop in light colours, the light tones of wood on the floor, table and chairs... Not to mention the spectacular ceiling in old, exposed brick. The result couldn’t be more organic and lighter, despite the fact that all the kitchen cabinets are black (and handle-less).

The tiny details

You already know that the details are often the most important thing. When it comes to black kitchens, it’s the little things that can take a kitchen from sad and/or cold to perfect, like the Nivel 2 Muebles: the plant on the island and the touch of copper touch inside the ceiling lamps help to create a warmer, more cheerful vibe.