Black fitted kitchens are back… and we couldn’t be happier. While a black kitchen may not be for everyone, our design team gets a particular thrill when a new client tells us they’re considering black. Usually, they’ve already decided – the debates have been had and black is the chosen one. It’s a bold choice and we enjoy working with a client when they’re willing to take a risk with black, or any very dark colour.
You would be forgiven for thinking that we just don’t have enough natural light in Ireland for black cabinetry. It’s certainly not a colour for every home, but with bright new extensions, roof lights and fabulous reflective quartz, natural stone, or stainless steel countertops, sometimes a dark colour on cabinetry is a necessity to help ground the space and provide a solid focal point.
Open plan (or broken plan – more on that later) living can sometimes feel a bit too open, and a dark kitchen or other dark elements can help to define spaces when needed. Black doesn’t have to be cold; when combined with the right materials in flooring, countertop, handles and lighting, it can be rich and luscious.
A big concern for many of our clients is fingerprints, particularly on dark cabinetry. Whether it’s wardrobes or the door of an integrated fridge (prime smudge zone) dark colours can show up marks more than light tones. There are a few ways around this issue. A solid wood door painted in your chosen colour can disguise smudges, as the wood grain creates texture that is quite forgiving.
If a contemporary fitted kitchen style is more your cup of tea, then a matt finish door is a likely choice. New super-matt materials are available with incredible fingerprint proof technology which eliminates the need for constant buffing and polishing. So if a matt black door is what you’ve been dreaming of, we can make that happen.
If black isn’t the right choice for your home, but you want something striking, other dark colours can also work well. Very dark blue-grey tones and intense greens complement Irish light and bring real luxury to the domestic interior.
Still not sure if a dark kitchen is for you? Check out our 4 touch-points below.
Dark kitchens can be classic or contemporary
A black or very dark kitchen isn’t just for very contemporary homes. If your heart is set on a dark colour, but you haven’t seen anything in the style you like, have a look through black projects we have completed for inspiration and talk to us about your ideas.
Think about the space as a whole
If your kitchen is in an open plan space, it’s worth thinking about how you might break up that space. We call it ‘broken-plan’ – breaking the space with other furniture can define zones and also tie spaces together. If you are considering a black or very dark kitchen, you could consider bringing that colour into soft furnishings too, like cushions or rugs. This can help your dark cabinetry look very considered and intentional, rather than being the only dark piece of furniture in what might be a big space.
Consider your palette of materials
When thinking about colour, it’s important to consider all materials in the room and even the view outside. Every material you intend to use matters and when you look at the space as a whole, considering flooring, handles, tap, countertops, those dark cabinets might not seem so dark after all.
Remember, it’s your kitchen
Trends come and go, don’t be a slave to them. If you truly love a colour and you’d like to consider it for your kitchen, don’t let the opinions of others dissuade you. When we start work on a design for you, we will consider colour, but you don’t need to make a final decision until we get to the sign off stage. We love to advise on colour and we can show you realistic visuals of your kitchen in different colours when you’re ready to bite the bullet.
