The entertainment world has long had an affinity for going dark for its cool factor (think Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Darth Vader). But black isn’t only for renegades. Architects love it, too. It can look as elegant as a classic white kitchen. Click through for inspiration.
Black Beauty
Butcher block meets matte black cabinetry in this IKEA’s Kungsbacka Sektion kitchen, lending definition and interest to this super-sultry space.
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Contrast Makes Perfect
Taking its colour cue from a tuxedo, this spectacular kitchen embraces quality over quantity. An opulent matte black LaCornue range features bring-the-bling brass hardware. A concealed vent keeps the space calm. Black pulls on the cabinetry don’t distract.
Sensing a Pattern
Give your kitchen tons of character without a speck of bright colour by going wild with pattern. An encaustic tile backsplash is striking against brass hardware.
Modern Love
Flat-panel cabinetry meets veined marble countertops in this exquisite kitchen by Mississauga, ON-based custom home builders, Dizeh Group. An inset grainy-wood hood vent hits a natural note.
Such Drama
Can you picture this in a posh penthouse overlooking Tokyo – or Toronto? We can. Black really excels as a luxury colour because it’s so dramatic and has such depth. From the chandelier to the table and chairs, window and backsplash, this is a black hole we’d like to be pulled into.
Brick and Black
Brick and black are best mates in this amazing space by the UK’s Sagewood Kitchens. Here, brick brings texture, tonal interest and a distressed feel against sleek bespoke cabinetry.
Timeless Elegance
Black grounds the classic English cabinetry and punctuates the brass hardware in this stunning space by UK-based deVol Kitchens. A barely-there hood vent lets the cabinetry shine.
Regal in Black
Sure, the designers behind this classic kitchen could have gone white, but the effect wouldn’t have been as powerful. The Calgary-based design firm Reena Sotropa In House Design Group carried the cabinetry to the ceiling, adding moulding to create a sense of refinement and a finished look. We love those hefty brass pulls that are punchy against the black. (PS: That’s a pantry kitchen through the doorway).
Streamlined and Subterranean
Hesitant to go black in the main kitchen? Then do it downstairs – basements, like powder rooms, are ideal places to be fearless.
Timeless Treatment
Here’s proof that black can look as classic as white. In this modest design, stainless steel cup pulls, popular shaker cabinets and a coordinating countertop bring the look together.
Upscale Traditional
Black and white is such a refined combo. So the space doesn’t feel heavy, the bank of cabinets gets broken up with the lustrous backsplash and countertops. Recalling a country setting, a table bedecked for a leisurely multi-course meal perfectly suits the Windsor chairs.
Historic Meets Modern
Tucked inside an 1800s brick row house in Boston’s South End, this home belongs to the owner of a stylish urban gardening shop. Designed by Karen Swanson of New England Design Works, the Bespoke Woodwrights cabinets were built by Nick Portnoy.
Shelf This Idea
Here’s a detail from that Boston kitchen, where an inset wood shelf is both cleverly functional and artful. The jutting ledge is a perfect spot to showcase all the pretty things, from plants to golden amber bottles of booze.
Groovy Grooves
Clerestory windows lure in the light in this show-stopping pleated kitchen that flaunts black’s finer side. Designed by architect Christopher Megowan of Megowan Architectural and built by Kieron Christ, we love the ship-like cabinets, black faucet and the way the wood stools tie into the space.
Simply Smouldering
A black plywood kitchen has us wanting to experiment with the dark hue. Thin ceramic marble-looking tile keeps the walls safe from cooking oils and a black vent has an intriguing profile. Check out more of Estonia-based Scandinavian design lover Triin Mustjõgi’s amazing home here, including a wider view of those herringbone floors.
Farmhouse Finery
With its laid back vibe, the farmhouse kitchen is a winner, especially when dressed in black. Designed by Michigan-based Clare Conklin, those are pie-dough-rolling counters! So much room to spread out! Open shelving, subway tile with dark grout and a kilim rug (for colour) pull this room together.
Serene Sophistication
Today, open concept layouts prevail. As such, a kitchen that is too, well, kitchen-y, can be distracting. We love this gorgeous antidote by Auckland-based Evelyn McNamara Architecture. Serenity pervades, from the matte black flat-front cabinetry to the sink and Vola faucet and stools, this is a room you can linger in for hours.
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