Deep Dive: How to Make Dark Cabinetry Work for You
As dark kitchen concepts are more uncommon than lighter kitchen concepts, many assume that dark kitchen cabinets will not work for their overall kitchen cabinet design. A dark cabinet or bench design can look dramatically stylish when designed correctly. Read on to learn how we suggest you use dark cabinets and benchtops in your new kitchen design.
Minimal design
The easiest way to work with dark coloured cabinets is to pair them with a minimalist kitchen design. This can be achieved in a variety of ways such as using open-plan design, large floor to ceiling windows and streamlined cabinetry that ties in with the benchtops.
Minimal kitchen design often utilises colour blocking. Try combining black kitchen cabinets and kitchen benches with white coloured walls and floors. Keeping things simple will mean you can pair darker coloured benchtops such as slate, grey and navy with the rest of your kitchen design and achieve light and dark contrast.
Dark wood
Dark wood kitchen cabinets will add a sense of warmth in both modern and classic kitchen designs. Wooden kitchen cabinets are considered a luxury kitchen material due to their ageing properties and come in a range of deep shades of oak.
In modern kitchen design, dark wood cabinets are often paired with grey marble floors or white oak floorboards to create a design with a striking contrast.
Use white highlights
White is often used in kitchens because it breaks up darker tones and reflects light to give the illusion of a larger kitchen space. If you have decided you are going to use deeper coloured tones for your kitchen cabinetry, make sure to incorporate a mix of paler colours which will work as highlights throughout the kitchen design. These highlights will illuminate the darker assets within the kitchen and create light and shade, giving an overall contrast to the kitchen environment.
One idea could be to incorporate a white benchtop with black cabinets or adding one or two feature cabinets in a lighter shade. If you are looking for an all-over dark coloured kitchen, consider including a large skylight above the kitchen to attract in natural light.
Keep it cohesive
Modern use of dark kitchen cabinetry sees monochromatic tones incorporated cohesively across the entire design. You can achieve this by pairing dark kitchen cabinets and benchtops with a unifying element such as black cabinet handles to match black kitchen benchtops.
Keeping the colours the exact same tone will create a seamless, considered look across the overall design. Another way to keep your kitchen design cohesive is to select kitchen artwork and accessories in the same shades as the cabinets and benches.
Mix materials
Have fun with mixing materials. Try framing black granite kitchen benchtops with a lighter timber veneer on the cabinets for a contrasting effect.
Black marble island benchtops also look great when set against grey subway tiles. Another way to mix materials is by using different shades of wood throughout your island bench to create a striped effect. Or, try to combine different dark materials in the same colour in your island bench for a contemporary spin.
If you need expert advice for your home renovation, at Apollo Kitchens, we’re here to help you. Reach out to us today for a free consultation.
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