New This Week: 7 Stylish Kitchens With Bold Black Cabinets
See how an ultradark cabinet color creates drama and sophistication in a variety of kitchen designs
Dark and moody kitchen cabinet colors are among the home design trends on the rise in 2020. And many designers say their clients are becoming especially interested in black cabinets. The following kitchens show how a dramatic black or near-black color can work across a range of cabinet styles and spaces.
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Other special features. Natural walnut cabinets and paneled fridge. Quartz countertops. Matte white walls.
Designer tip. Recessing the fridge into the room behind the kitchen “allowed this entire plan to come to life,” Rodda says.
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Designer tip. Recessing the fridge into the room behind the kitchen “allowed this entire plan to come to life,” Rodda says.
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2. Gray-Black
Designer: Lyn Williams of Lyn’s Design Style
Location: Rupert, Idaho
Size: 323 square feet (30 square meters); 17 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. “My client wanted a white kitchen but didn’t want white cabinets,” designer Lyn Williams says. “She wanted something different. So to keep everything light and bring white to the kitchen, we added white on the walls and the counter. That kept the kitchen lighter even though the cabinets are dark.”
Cabinet color. Black Panther by Benjamin Moore. “My client wanted a dark cabinet but didn’t want black,” Williams says. “This color has a bit of gray or charcoal, so it’s not so black in color but still looks very dark.”
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Designer: Lyn Williams of Lyn’s Design Style
Location: Rupert, Idaho
Size: 323 square feet (30 square meters); 17 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. “My client wanted a white kitchen but didn’t want white cabinets,” designer Lyn Williams says. “She wanted something different. So to keep everything light and bring white to the kitchen, we added white on the walls and the counter. That kept the kitchen lighter even though the cabinets are dark.”
Cabinet color. Black Panther by Benjamin Moore. “My client wanted a dark cabinet but didn’t want black,” Williams says. “This color has a bit of gray or charcoal, so it’s not so black in color but still looks very dark.”
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Other special features. Walnut lower cabinets and hutch in a custom dark stain. Patterned wallpaper behind floating walnut shelves. Brass hardware, stools and pendant lights.
Designer tip. “You don’t just need to have kitchen stuff on your shelves or counters,” Williams says. “This kitchen has one-of-a-kind pieces — art and decor — that are paired with dishes and practical pieces. Add your own personal touch to your kitchen walls or counters to bring joy while working in your kitchen.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Originally the island quartz was also planned for the backsplash for the whole kitchen, but it became too expensive,” Williams says. “So we shifted gears and found an interesting tile with a great shape and texture for the backsplash behind the range.”
Pendants: Eclipse in brass and frosted glass, Elegant Furniture & Lighting; floorings: hickory wood in a clear stain; wall, ceiling and trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
Designer tip. “You don’t just need to have kitchen stuff on your shelves or counters,” Williams says. “This kitchen has one-of-a-kind pieces — art and decor — that are paired with dishes and practical pieces. Add your own personal touch to your kitchen walls or counters to bring joy while working in your kitchen.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Originally the island quartz was also planned for the backsplash for the whole kitchen, but it became too expensive,” Williams says. “So we shifted gears and found an interesting tile with a great shape and texture for the backsplash behind the range.”
Pendants: Eclipse in brass and frosted glass, Elegant Furniture & Lighting; floorings: hickory wood in a clear stain; wall, ceiling and trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
3. Custom Ebony
Designer: Pamela Standish of Usable Space Interiors
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Size: 153 square feet (14 square meters); 11 feet, 9 inches by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this new-build spec home, the owners wanted to upgrade some of the selections that had been included in the home plan, such as the light fixtures, paint colors and countertops. They hired designer Pamela Standish to help them make those upgrades. “We accessed the overall allowances and budget and focused on areas where we could justify spending more, so as to provide a bigger look for the dollar,” Standish says. “That way we could achieve the overall appearance my client wanted without being overzealous with our spending.”
Cabinet color. A custom ebony color chosen through the cabinet vendor. “It is a true black — flat and deep,” Standish says. “No gray overtones. Since open, light and airy is the overall concept of this home, we wanted to ensure there were elements and colors that would provide distinction, room to room, so it didn’t feel so open that there was no separation, which is often the challenge with very open-concept homes. Some separation and distinguished spaces are still necessary to create a satisfying flow within a home. Selecting black cabinets helped in accomplishing this.”
Designer: Pamela Standish of Usable Space Interiors
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Size: 153 square feet (14 square meters); 11 feet, 9 inches by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this new-build spec home, the owners wanted to upgrade some of the selections that had been included in the home plan, such as the light fixtures, paint colors and countertops. They hired designer Pamela Standish to help them make those upgrades. “We accessed the overall allowances and budget and focused on areas where we could justify spending more, so as to provide a bigger look for the dollar,” Standish says. “That way we could achieve the overall appearance my client wanted without being overzealous with our spending.”
Cabinet color. A custom ebony color chosen through the cabinet vendor. “It is a true black — flat and deep,” Standish says. “No gray overtones. Since open, light and airy is the overall concept of this home, we wanted to ensure there were elements and colors that would provide distinction, room to room, so it didn’t feel so open that there was no separation, which is often the challenge with very open-concept homes. Some separation and distinguished spaces are still necessary to create a satisfying flow within a home. Selecting black cabinets helped in accomplishing this.”
Other special features. Tumbled-stone backsplash. Stainless steel hardware. Granite countertops.
Designer tip. “The clients’ main concern with black cabinets was that the home may feel like a dark dungeon,” Standish says. “However, as you can see, by pairing the black cabinets with light countertops, white walls and a splash of wood and stone, the black cabinets allowed for a bold room with strong focal points.”
Wall paint: Extra White, Sherwin-Williams
Designer tip. “The clients’ main concern with black cabinets was that the home may feel like a dark dungeon,” Standish says. “However, as you can see, by pairing the black cabinets with light countertops, white walls and a splash of wood and stone, the black cabinets allowed for a bold room with strong focal points.”
Wall paint: Extra White, Sherwin-Williams
4. Custom Charcoal With Smoky Green Overlay
Designer: Brittany Steptoe Wright of BSW Design
Location: Aurora, Ontario, Canada
Size: 175 square feet (16 square meters); 10 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. A functional, clean space for cooking and gathering. “Their last kitchen had a detailed cabinet face that captured all kinds of mess, so a slab-style door was a must,” designer Brittany Steptoe Wright says. “Because the kitchen is open concept and the focus of the home, they wanted it to be bold but not overly trendy.”
Cabinet color. A custom color developed by BSW Design. “It has a base tone of deep charcoal with a smoky green overlay,” Wright says. “In most light it looks black but actually has a deep green undertone. It lends a warmth to the color and feels very grounded.”
Designer: Brittany Steptoe Wright of BSW Design
Location: Aurora, Ontario, Canada
Size: 175 square feet (16 square meters); 10 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. A functional, clean space for cooking and gathering. “Their last kitchen had a detailed cabinet face that captured all kinds of mess, so a slab-style door was a must,” designer Brittany Steptoe Wright says. “Because the kitchen is open concept and the focus of the home, they wanted it to be bold but not overly trendy.”
Cabinet color. A custom color developed by BSW Design. “It has a base tone of deep charcoal with a smoky green overlay,” Wright says. “In most light it looks black but actually has a deep green undertone. It lends a warmth to the color and feels very grounded.”
Other special features. Handmade Spanish tile in a matte finish for the backsplash. White oak beam and flooring. Marble-look quartz countertops. “The interiors of the cabinets are a custom walnut product, which adds a sense of interest when opening drawers and cupboards,” Wright says.
Designer tip. “With the odd window layout, it was difficult to give this kitchen a true sense of balance,” Wright says. “By creating a tall pantry at one end and the fridge at the other, we were able to create the appearance of symmetry.”
Wall paint: Winter White, Benjamin Moore
Designer tip. “With the odd window layout, it was difficult to give this kitchen a true sense of balance,” Wright says. “By creating a tall pantry at one end and the fridge at the other, we were able to create the appearance of symmetry.”
Wall paint: Winter White, Benjamin Moore
5. Near-Black Brown
Designer: Lisa Janzen of KC Interior Design
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 232 square feet (22 square meters); 12 feet by 19 feet, 4 inches
Homeowners’ request. For this new-build home, “the husband wanted a sleek, minimalistic, light, modern look and loved the look of gloss cabinets — a nod to his European roots,” designer Lisa Janzen says. “The wife liked more traditional styling, color and warm tones. They had existing Shaker cabinets in their previous home and both were ready for a change, so the slab doors were an easy decision. The compromise was an overall feel of the house to be warm and inviting while still maintaining clean, simple lines and void of clutter. The primary focal point in the entire house was to be the valley view.”
Cabinet color. “The cabinets were a full compromise between the owners — sleek and simple cabinet profiles but the warmth of the darker cabinets,” Janzen says. “They are actually a warm dark brown tone. The showstopper really is the view, so the rest of the kitchen had to be simple but still stunning to complement the amazing view.”
Designer: Lisa Janzen of KC Interior Design
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 232 square feet (22 square meters); 12 feet by 19 feet, 4 inches
Homeowners’ request. For this new-build home, “the husband wanted a sleek, minimalistic, light, modern look and loved the look of gloss cabinets — a nod to his European roots,” designer Lisa Janzen says. “The wife liked more traditional styling, color and warm tones. They had existing Shaker cabinets in their previous home and both were ready for a change, so the slab doors were an easy decision. The compromise was an overall feel of the house to be warm and inviting while still maintaining clean, simple lines and void of clutter. The primary focal point in the entire house was to be the valley view.”
Cabinet color. “The cabinets were a full compromise between the owners — sleek and simple cabinet profiles but the warmth of the darker cabinets,” Janzen says. “They are actually a warm dark brown tone. The showstopper really is the view, so the rest of the kitchen had to be simple but still stunning to complement the amazing view.”
Other special features. Paneled fridge and freezer.
“Uh-oh” moment. “We had selected a beautiful metallic glass tile for the backsplash, but when it got installed you could see the trowel lines of the mastic behind it,” Janzen says. “We had to rip it all off and source a new glass tile that had a completely opaque painted back so you couldn’t see the mastic. We ended up with a white tile that blended in with the upper cabinets, but they still had the bit of gloss and shine we were looking for from a glass tile.”
Cabinets: Klyn Kitchens; stools: Eiffel in beech walnut and cream colors, sohoConcept; island lights: Exos in black and pearl glass, Hubbardton Forge; wall paint: Kestrel White, Sherwin-Williams; project photography: Carsten Arnold
“Uh-oh” moment. “We had selected a beautiful metallic glass tile for the backsplash, but when it got installed you could see the trowel lines of the mastic behind it,” Janzen says. “We had to rip it all off and source a new glass tile that had a completely opaque painted back so you couldn’t see the mastic. We ended up with a white tile that blended in with the upper cabinets, but they still had the bit of gloss and shine we were looking for from a glass tile.”
Cabinets: Klyn Kitchens; stools: Eiffel in beech walnut and cream colors, sohoConcept; island lights: Exos in black and pearl glass, Hubbardton Forge; wall paint: Kestrel White, Sherwin-Williams; project photography: Carsten Arnold
6. Basic Black Stain
Designer: Susan de Ridder of Live Well Interiors
Builder: Knight Custom Homes
Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 264 square feet (25 square meters); 11 by 24 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this ski vacation home, the owners wanted to update the kitchen to work better for their extended family and friends. “The timbers, ceiling and new hickory flooring already added a lot of wood finishes to the space, so I wanted to build the cabinets mostly black so they would stand out and not compete with how much wood already existed in the home,” designer Susan de Ridder says.
Cabinet color. The black cabinets are ash wood with a low-sheen basic black stain. Some of the upper cabinets are ash wood in a natural stain. “The black was chosen to create a strong, masculine kitchen that would work well with the impressive timbers and high ceilings,” de Ridder says.
Designer: Susan de Ridder of Live Well Interiors
Builder: Knight Custom Homes
Location: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 264 square feet (25 square meters); 11 by 24 feet
Homeowners’ request. For this ski vacation home, the owners wanted to update the kitchen to work better for their extended family and friends. “The timbers, ceiling and new hickory flooring already added a lot of wood finishes to the space, so I wanted to build the cabinets mostly black so they would stand out and not compete with how much wood already existed in the home,” designer Susan de Ridder says.
Cabinet color. The black cabinets are ash wood with a low-sheen basic black stain. Some of the upper cabinets are ash wood in a natural stain. “The black was chosen to create a strong, masculine kitchen that would work well with the impressive timbers and high ceilings,” de Ridder says.
Other special features. Matte black backsplash tile. Custom antiqued black steel range hood. Black-and-brass lights, cabinet hardware and faucet.
Designer tip. “The cabinets in this kitchen are 101 inches high [8 feet, 4 inches],” de Ridder says. “Because the room is 17 feet high, the scale of the kitchen needed to be large enough to visually fill the room.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Once the original flooring was removed, the concrete for the in-floor heating needed to be replaced, which increased the overall budget as an unforeseen cost,” de Ridder says. “Also, the original build did not include a humidifier, which was now added to protect the homeowners’ investment in wood flooring, cabinets and the timbers.”
Cabinets: Wegener Cabinetry & Woodworking; wall paint: Balboa Mist, Benjamin Moore
Designer tip. “The cabinets in this kitchen are 101 inches high [8 feet, 4 inches],” de Ridder says. “Because the room is 17 feet high, the scale of the kitchen needed to be large enough to visually fill the room.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Once the original flooring was removed, the concrete for the in-floor heating needed to be replaced, which increased the overall budget as an unforeseen cost,” de Ridder says. “Also, the original build did not include a humidifier, which was now added to protect the homeowners’ investment in wood flooring, cabinets and the timbers.”
Cabinets: Wegener Cabinetry & Woodworking; wall paint: Balboa Mist, Benjamin Moore
7. Custom Black Stain
Designer: Amanda Hamilton Interior Design
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Homeowners’ request. For this 1950s bungalow, the new owners wanted to bring back some midcentury modern style through a renovation. In the kitchen specifically, they “requested functionality for the space but trusted our team to have free rein on the design and layout itself,” designer Amanda Hamilton says.
Cabinet color. Custom black stain on rift-cut white oak. “This color was chosen to set the kitchen apart from the rest of the house, which is muted in tones but playful with color,” Hamilton says. “We used black plumbing fixtures throughout this space, and brass hardware to offset and soften the matte black finish of the cabinets.”
Designer: Amanda Hamilton Interior Design
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Homeowners’ request. For this 1950s bungalow, the new owners wanted to bring back some midcentury modern style through a renovation. In the kitchen specifically, they “requested functionality for the space but trusted our team to have free rein on the design and layout itself,” designer Amanda Hamilton says.
Cabinet color. Custom black stain on rift-cut white oak. “This color was chosen to set the kitchen apart from the rest of the house, which is muted in tones but playful with color,” Hamilton says. “We used black plumbing fixtures throughout this space, and brass hardware to offset and soften the matte black finish of the cabinets.”
Other special features. Marble-look quartz countertops and backsplash (Ella by Cambria).
Designer tip. “We always say to clients, ‘Never be afraid to mix metal finishes,’” Hamilton says. “It seems most people think this is a design faux pas, but as you can see, the use of mixed metals in this space helps soften the overall feel. I also love adding unique cookbooks with covers that match the overall aesthetic of the design when we are styling a kitchen. They don’t clutter the space, and they look intentional. My team and I are also firm believers that you can never have too many cutting boards or plants in the kitchen.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “This project was an interesting process, because the client was very design-forward and had a very specific style that we couldn’t quite put our finger on,” Hamilton says. “We ended up calling this style of home ‘midcentury Scandinavian Palm Springs Art Deco glam minimalistic.’ Finding a way to integrate all of these styles into one home was a challenge, but when we look at the final product, the challenge was worth it.”
Cabinets: Elegant Woodwork; chandelier: 12-light chandelier, Studio Bistro collection, Visual Comfort; wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
More on Houzz
6 Home Design Trends on the Rise
New This Week: 6 Welcoming Kitchens With Wood Cabinets
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Designer tip. “We always say to clients, ‘Never be afraid to mix metal finishes,’” Hamilton says. “It seems most people think this is a design faux pas, but as you can see, the use of mixed metals in this space helps soften the overall feel. I also love adding unique cookbooks with covers that match the overall aesthetic of the design when we are styling a kitchen. They don’t clutter the space, and they look intentional. My team and I are also firm believers that you can never have too many cutting boards or plants in the kitchen.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “This project was an interesting process, because the client was very design-forward and had a very specific style that we couldn’t quite put our finger on,” Hamilton says. “We ended up calling this style of home ‘midcentury Scandinavian Palm Springs Art Deco glam minimalistic.’ Finding a way to integrate all of these styles into one home was a challenge, but when we look at the final product, the challenge was worth it.”
Cabinets: Elegant Woodwork; chandelier: 12-light chandelier, Studio Bistro collection, Visual Comfort; wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
More on Houzz
6 Home Design Trends on the Rise
New This Week: 6 Welcoming Kitchens With Wood Cabinets
Find professionals
Shop for home products
Designer: Tina Rodda of EYDER Curated Kitchens
Location: Falmouth, Maine
Size: 288 square feet (27 square meters); 12½ by 23 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They wanted a black-and-walnut kitchen in their new-construction modern farmhouse home,” designer Tina Rodda says. “They also knew they wanted Dacor appliances in Graphite, including a 48-inch range and a 42-inch refrigerator.”
Cabinet color. Ultramatte black lacquer on rift-cut oak.