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Kitchen Cabinets
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Are You Ready for a Dark and Sophisticated Kitchen?
Black kitchen cabinets have a rich, timeless look. Get ideas for your next cabs — and how to paint the ones you have
Black cabinets inject undeniable dynamism to a kitchen. Whether they're part of a larger remodel, a temporary fix for a rental or an interim alternative to a costly renovation, black cabinets never fail to offer high-impact results.
While the color may be intimidating at first, black is timeless. When done well it will always look current or appropriate in a kitchen, whether it's used all over or as an accent.
Black cabinets may require an extra measure of care and attention: Dust stands out on dark surfaces, as do water and soap stains, so frequent wiping down is essential — although frequent wiping in a kitchen is generally good practice, anyway.
Browse kitchen photos | How to Remodel Your Kitchen
While the color may be intimidating at first, black is timeless. When done well it will always look current or appropriate in a kitchen, whether it's used all over or as an accent.
Black cabinets may require an extra measure of care and attention: Dust stands out on dark surfaces, as do water and soap stains, so frequent wiping down is essential — although frequent wiping in a kitchen is generally good practice, anyway.
Browse kitchen photos | How to Remodel Your Kitchen
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| These sophisticated lower cabinets look great topped with a gray counter. Pops of yellow brighten the look. |
| Play with contrasts of black cabinets against white walls and countertops. Doing away with upper cabinets entirely will certainly help with brightness, both in terms of natural light and visual space. |
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If you don't have the luxury or desire to go without upper cabinets, consider opening them up to create a lighter feel. Open shelves present the opportunity for dust invasion, but swapping out solid doors for glass will do the trick. The dark finish and glass brings these simple cabinets to life.
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Wallpaper in the kitchen will always make a splash, but paired with black cabinets, the dose of drama is exponentially higher. Black cabinets also create a great backdrop for unique hardware, as this gorgeous jewel box of a kitchen shows.
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These rustic lower cabinets were treated with the look of a hand-rubbed furniture finish. The bronze accents dress it up, giving the space an Old-World aesthetic.
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| A contrasting island will always make a statement. A traditional kitchen with white cabinets suddenly becomes edgy and high-style with a black-based island. Black paint will mask scuffs in areas where feet come into contact with the wall — a great solution for areas with counter or bar stools! |
Of course, the opposite treatment will make an impact as well: A lighter, brighter island will provide a dramatic contrast against dark cabinets. Make this the heart of the kitchen, where guests gather, where meals are taken, craft projects are completed. Top with extraordinary light fixtures, and you've just carved out a real gem for yourself!
| One concern with black cabinets is that they might absorb too much light. This kitchen is proof that they don't have to. The semi-gloss provides just enough sheen to reflect light around the space, while the light countertops and light wood floors keep the overall feeling bright. |
by Urrutia Design
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If your kitchen isn't doused in natural light, but you'd still like to explore the idea of black cabinets, bring in other light-reflecting materials. The white upper cabinets, stainless steel appliances and hardware and the texture created by the white grout and black backsplash tiles work beautifully with the black cabinets.
An open kitchen is a great place to try black cabinets, as they may look more like furniture and blend with the nearby living spaces.
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| How to repaint your kitchen cabinets If you plan to take on a boring-to-black cabinet painting project, you're in for a high-impact, affordable boost. Here's how to do it:
Next: More Kitchen Color Ideas How to Set Up Your Kitchen Obsessed with Gray in the Kitchen Dark and Regal Kitchen Designs Backsplashes for Wood Cabinets |
Ideabook updated on Jan. 24, 2012.
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You are right about the paint sheen, stay away from flat as it will require a lot of cleaning. The glossier the better.
I would suggest an almost black, either dark, dark brown or dark, dark grey. It will look like black, but not be as harsh as black.
@fionamann: sounds exciting - post pics when it's done!
@dgsgmom: congrats!!
@katesink: I hear ya!
@satomesko: It looks to me like that's just small (1"x2" maybe?) Carrera marble tiles.
When I remodeled earlier this year, I had them paint the top cabinets black as well. I love the look in my small kitchen.
My next project is to get new countertops. Yea!
There are some really great water-based paints on the market now. I just painted my kitchen cabinets black using the Behr Interior Paint & Primer in One, Satin Finish. It covered in two coats and left a nicer finish than the regular Behr interior satin paint. I added a third coat in just one area that gets a lot of direct sunlight beating on the cabinets. Otherwise, two coats covered my previously unpainted, oak cabinets fabulously.
http://www.dejongdreamhouse.com/2012/04/introducingour-dream-kitchen.html