A black kitchen is instantly dramatic. Balance is key to its design, though. These homes from the ELLE Decoration archive show how designers harness the depths of a black palette and then introduce pops of colour, metallic accents and warm wood panelling to create a harmonious scheme that, crucially, straddles dark and light.
A bespoke black kitchen by Richard Hutten
This converted garage is the home of trailblazing Dutch designer Richard Hutten. A 300-square-metre, open-plan living area is the heart of the home and includes a bespoke black kitchen he designed. A white ‘Layers’ table, also by the designer, provides contrast to the space.
The Hamburg kitchen that accessorises with black
Incorpoating your appliances into a colour palette creates a sleek look. In this Hamburg apartment, the kitchen features black cabinetry, with a refrigerator and island by Vipp. Even the lighting has gone to the dark side – the ‘Spin’ candlestick by Tom Dixon sits atop the island and the chandelier above is a ceramic piece by American company Entler.
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Black meets brass in this country home
This home in Lorne, a seaside town in Victoria, Australia, uses a limited materials palette of concrete, brass and timber. The kitchen cabinetry is stained black, whilst the gleaming brass splashback and countertops add a metallic warmth to the earthy home.
An ashy Shaker-style kitchen
This dark and moody kitchen in a Seattle home by interior designer Heidi Caillier is a foil to the boisterous patterns that run throughout the rest of the rooms. ‘I am 100 per cent onboard with chintz,’ she says. The Shaker-style cabinetry is a backdrop for a large island and ‘Arc’ bar stools by Skylar Morgan.
The black oak kitchen designed for entertaining
Designed by Studio Duggan, this home is made for parties, with the statement kitchen part of a larger entertaining space. The cabinetry, made of black oak and unlacquered brass, was the work of 202 Design, while the island is crafted from an impressive block of Verde Guatemala marble. The trio of pendant lights above are the ‘Sarnen’ by Visual Comfort and the bar stools are a bespoke design by the studio.
A revamped kitchen in a Parisian apartment
A new kitchen needn’t mean a gut job – when renovating this 1930s Parisian home, the team at studio OUI repainted the existing cabinetry in a matte-black shade to match the woodwork throughout the house and tie in with the original black and white marble floor, the marble benchtops and splashbacks.
The black kitchen with zingy orange accents
Designed by Blax Kitchens for a client in north London, the sleek, handleless black cabinets here are warmed up with a textured brass splashback and punchy tangerine glassware and ceramics.
The jet kitchen in a London penthouse
An inky colour palette extends from the kitchen to the dining area in this London penthouse. Vintage chairs, a custom table by designer Hubert Zandberg and consoles work cohesively with the black cabinetry and island to create a dining area with character.
The black and steel Melbourne kitchen
Black tiles and cabinetry combine with stainless steel to create a sleek, industrial-style kitchen in this Melbourne home. Clutter is kept at bay thanks to the black dividing wall which also conceals a pantry.
Statement black marble in a French country house
This ebony-hued kitchen in the home of Marie-Lise Féry, founder of fantastical lighting brand Magic Circus Éditions, uses a piece of Brescia marble from Marbrerie Ancelle as a splashback and to create the impressive island. The bar stools are the ‘Tractor’ by BassamFellows, while the vases are by ceramicist Pierre Casenove and Manufacture de Digoin.
A black kitchen in a beachside home
The team at Olson Kundig designed the cabinets and the industrial, pulley-style pendant lights for Sun Valley Bronze in this Sydney kitchen, while the handles are from the ‘Tom Kundig’ collection for 12th Avenue Iron. The bar stools and dining chairs (the ‘Square’ design by BDDW) surround a table that has been custom-made in the home’s materials palette of steel, wood and resin by Jo Nagasaka, founder of Schemata Architects.
