Is black stylish or gloomy? What to combine it with? How does it affect mood? These and other questions are asked by everyone who has decided to make a kitchen in this ambiguous shade. In our article, we will answer them and tell you how to use dark colors correctly.
When thinking about how to decorate the kitchen space in an original way, many people opt for extremely dark colors. A black kitchen looks spectacular and unusual, but, like any beautiful solution, such a design has nuances and pitfalls that must be taken into account.
Features of the black interior
How the design of black kitchens turns out depends largely on the way this color is presented.
It is multifaceted and full of meanings, so, on the one hand, you can embody the most daring fantasies with it, and on the other hand, it can easily spoil everything and make being indoors unbearable.
This color is inextricably linked with the concept of style and respectability. Elegant evening dresses, luxury cars, expensive leather furniture – luxury goods are often painted in rich shades of crow’s wing. And the kitchen in this palette also looks solid and rich.
This is austerity and asceticism: the appearance of the room will be much more restrained and even austere compared to rooms in life-affirming orange, yellow, and beige tones.
At the same time, it’s more than just an achromat: it’s essentially the absence of color. It can be frightening and depressing if used in large quantities. Surrounded by anthracite, people become more nervous and irritable, and they may experience an inexplicable feeling of melancholy. But if you don’t get carried away by blackness and control its amount, it turns from aggressive and disturbing to mystical and mysterious, creating a special atmosphere in the room.
Kitchens in black have a bad effect on appetite. In dark walls, it is easier not to overeat, which means that you can lose weight faster. At the same time, the food can seem even more delicious: the absence of bright tones around allows you to fully concentrate on the taste sensations.
As a compromise, this color can be used pointwise, so that it occupies no more than half of the room. In this case, it will provide the proper level of elegance, but will not start to press and cause anxiety.
Pros and Cons
The widespread belief that a dark palette makes a room look smaller is only partially true.
When used correctly, the room, while slightly shrinking visually, at the same time becomes deeper, like the midnight sky with stars twinkling in the distance. Looking at the photos of black kitchens in the interior, you can find their other advantages.
Pros
- The black color gives the room austerity and neatness, it looks imposing and prestigious.
- Any shades become more noble in his presence. Everything that usually looks frivolous and kitschy (lemon-orange, carrot, powdery pink, light green) acquires dignity and gloss in his company.
- Ink tones add contrast to the interior when combined with all but the darkest colors.
- Without this color, it is difficult to imagine some design trends. Brutal loft, laconic minimalism, provocative pop art, technological high-tech — in one way or another, the anthracite palette is used in these styles.
Cons
- In large volumes, dark color has a negative effect on the psyche, causing sadness and even depression. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to limit its use or dilute it with lighter and more joyful colors.
- The color of licorice and soot can turn a very small room into a real black hole, in which all other shades and light will dissolve. Therefore, graphite-asphalt paints are used to a limited extent in such premises.
- Raven-colored furniture and walls need to be constantly cared for: any crumbs, dried drops of water and even the touch of fingers leave noticeable marks on them. And you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to wipe the black backsplash for the kitchen, cabinet doors, and countertop many times more often and thoroughly than before.
What to do with black
In graphite-resin tones, you can make both one thing (floor, walls, furniture) and the entire room. But only really large rooms are completely darkened, where such a color looks advantageous and unobtrusive.
An all-black matte kitchen looks just as stylish as a high-gloss one, but it is easier to care for because there are fewer marks and other dirt is not as visible. In addition, the matte is more cozy and conducive to communication: non-shiny surfaces are less strict and pretentious.
If the footage is very small, then moderation is important with dark colors. As a rule, the reviews for a small black kitchen are not the most flattering: even if it faces south and is lit by the sun all day, it will still be cramped and uncomfortable. It is better to make only part of the decoration or furniture in shades of charcoal and graphite, and give preference to gloss – it will additionally reflect light and expand the space.
In general, for average apartments, designers recommend using the charcoal-anthracite range in doses and combining it with a chromatic palette. How to distribute it indoors?
- 50/50 option: About half of the interior is made dark, and the rest is light or bright. For example, it can be a kitchen with a black countertop and the same upper facades with lower light ones. Only the floor is painted in an anthracite shade and the dining table is selected to match it. A good idea would be a furniture set made of natural wood covered with dark varnish.
- An interesting move is a composition of several elements of the same shade. A black sink, a kitchen faucet, and the same refrigerator will easily unite the entire interior into a single whole. In the same way, you can make the work area onyx-colored by adding similar curtains and a small carpet to it. Two or three such large accents will be quite enough.
- The third option is just one thing, but really noticeable and stylish. For example, it can be a large, unusual black hood for the kitchen. With it, the room looks elegant, but at the same time, there is no lack of light. Instead of a hood, you can use large appliances (oven, refrigerator, stove), dining table, etc.
Color combination in the interior of black kitchens
White
A black-and-white kitchen is one of the most common combinations.
This is a win-win option for all times: as design trends change, you can update curtains, tablecloths, and other textiles in accordance with current trends, so that the interior looks fashionable and stylish all the time. In addition, white tames the aggressiveness of blacks, but at the same time do not deprive them of solemnity.
Grey
A black and grey kitchen is the choice of those who do not like sharp contrasts.
The lighter cousin of charcoal softens it and makes it less provocative. In such an environment, there will be no excessive pomposity, on the contrary, the room looks calm and cozy.
This combination allows and even welcomes the use of bright accents that will add cheerfulness and energy, because without them the environment may seem dull and dreary. You can also liven up the interior with fresh flowers and plants.
Red
If you want to have lunch and dinner in a truly luxurious environment, choose the most spectacular and memorable design: a black and red kitchen.
These two colors will transform a modest room, turning it into an island of fashion and glamour. There is another advantage of such a duet: scarlet tones act opposite to dark ones – they activate, stimulate the psyche, and increase appetite, minimizing the depressive effect of black.
Beige
Light brown shades perfectly balance the dark palette.
With them, it does not oppress or oppress. The black and beige cuisine with a predominance of cream and cream colors is relaxing and soothing. If most of them have anthracite paints, the room will be more austere and formal.
Pastel versions of beige will add a touch of contrast to the interior and make it more daring. The honey-walnut part of the spectrum, on the contrary, will give the space softness and coziness. If you add white to any of these combinations, the design will become lighter and more weightless.
Bright colors
A place for lunch and dinner, decorated in a juicy rich palette, is the dream of many.
But such paints often look too simple and artless. A solution may be to add charcoal-soot tones. The black and yellow kitchen is especially good – bright, daring, and catchy: it will be pleasant to eat, communicate with loved ones, and just relax. The combination with green, terracotta, pink, or azure blue is no worse because licorice shades can ennoble any part of the spectrum. A duet with gold and bronze will also be good – you can decorate lamps or fittings in these shades.
If the contrast is excessive, use color spots as small but noticeable accents, or replace them with pastel ones.
Tree
A black and wooden kitchen is the case when you don’t have to think long about the combination of shades.
All types of wood are in harmony with any dark tones, from deep charcoal to more neutral graphite. The natural texture of the wood looks good on the anthracite background and softens it. Moreover, when the furniture is made of solid wood, it further emphasizes the elegance and richness of the furnishings.
Things to consider
Having chosen an interior in obsidian shades, you should remember that they can be insidious and unpredictable. There are three main factors that affect how they manifest themselves: the size of the room, the light sources in it, and the materials used.
Room Dimensions
The larger it is, the wider the possibilities for using the dark palette.
Compare photos of black-and-white kitchens and completely dark kitchens (even if they’re in softer graphite tones) to see how big the difference is between these seemingly similar designs. Licorice shades often reduce the size of a small room, literally turning it into a pantry. At the same time, spacious rooms in anthracite-soot colors, on the contrary, look better, becoming more compact and home-like.
Lighting Features
Its intensity should be directly proportional to the amount of dark colors in the room.
If you only have black chairs for the kitchen and, for example, the same kitchen backsplash, you will only need a slightly brighter bulb or illumination of the work area. But when dark shades predominate, and even more so if they are matte, you will need not just a lot of light sources, but a lot of them. However, if you did not foresee this at the renovation stage, you can always add table and wall lamps.
Material Selection
Popular and inexpensive MDF, LAMINATED CHIPBOARD, FIBERBOARD, and their analogs are painted in the darkest colors. Sufficiently saturated charcoal shades can also be obtained by painting solid wood.
The most expensive due to impurities and inclusions will be stone and marble. If you choose black marble, the kitchen will turn out to be unique, because the countertops and backsplashes made of it are covered with a unique pattern of white lines.
It is important to understand that not all materials are compatible with each other. If the kitchen has black stone (artificial or natural), wood and glass are a good combination. If you try to combine a cheap laminated chipboard or steel sink with a marble-like work surface, it will be strange and inappropriate. All the furnishings should be approximately from the same price category, then it will look organic.
