Decorating & Design
30+ Dark & Moody Kitchens That Are Totally Dreamy
Updated on September 9, 2020
For many years, white kitchens ruled the roost. These days, though, we’re seeing a move to the dark side with deep, saturated colors and bold, statement-making patterns. From inky black cabinetry to rooms doused in midnight blue or even emerald green, these dreamy dark kitchens will beckon you in.
For food lovers Moez and Marissa Kassam, the kitchen’s wood-burning pizza oven was what sold them on their sophisticated family home in Toronto. We also love the fiery red bar stools and black woven light pendants.
“The space is big enough to handle black and it ties in with the beams,” says designer Cameron MacNeil of this modern farmhouse kitchen. A calming blue runner keeps the black, modified Shaker-style cabinetry from feeling too moody.
If you’re going to embrace moody hues in the heart of your home, don’t be shy. The key to this trend is going big and bold. Just look to this luxe kitchen swathed in Casearstone’s 5101 Empira Black, whose dark stone and fine white veining create beautiful dimension.
In this cozy ski chalet‘s kitchen, custom alderwood cabinets are stained a smoky brown for a cocooning effect. Matching beams on the ceiling bring the country-chic vibe home.
The pièce de résistance of this high-contrast kitchen is an apron-front soapstone sink with subtle veining. “The color was a perfect compliment to the dark cabinets,” says Ines. She added warm wood shelves and a galvanized iron pendant to soften the look.
This ultra-cool condo kitchen by AyA Kitchens in Toronto’s posh Yorkville neighborhood is anything but basic. The black lowers and open shelving create contrast with the glossy white backsplash and LED lights illuminating the space.
In this hip yet hardworking kitchen (housed in a renovated rowhouse), open shelving, touches of wood and charcoal gray cabinetry create an industrial-rustic aesthetic.
“This kitchen has modern, minimal and earthy elements to it,” says designer Molly Kidd of Light & Dwell. “The dark cabinets really speak for themselves in giving this kitchen a moody look. We created balance by doing dark elements (paint, barstools, rug) on the bottom half of the space, and bright and airy elements on the top half (countertops, hood, vertical shiplap, open shelves).”
To prevent the pale floors and white cabinets from looking bland, designer Lorraine Franklin added black furniture and accents in her contemporary cottage kitchen. “The colors are all very neutral, so the black just punches out the design,” says Lorraine.
If charcoal or black is a little too moody for your taste, might we suggest navy blue? Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue gives this farmhouse kitchen plenty of heritage charm and country appeal.
How about green? This old world kitchen feels bespoke, thanks to forest green cabinetry, antique brass accents and heavily-veined marble. “I love the dramatic presence of the Lacanche range in that off-black color; it’s soothing against the green,” says designer Jack Creasy.
A timeless black and white kitchen gets a more personal touch with a framed photograph the homeowner took herself on a trip to Sri Lanka, fresh foliage and ceramics.
For designer Patti Rosati, dark doors on the lower cabinetry and appliance wall give her kitchen a moody gravitas. After all, when your condo feels like an art gallery, there’s no such thing as over the top.
You won’t believe this sleek, modern kitchen is in a condo. Flat-cut, ebonized white oak cabinets, a glossy black vent hood and Iranian Pietra Grey marble flooring are the epitome of luxury.
Montreal-based designer Catherine Lazure gave her tired 1980s kitchen a complete overhaul with deep green cabinets from Ikea. “We were drawn to that muted shade that transforms beautifully with the light, and that reminds us of the surrounding nature,” says Catherine. “It gives a modern and edgy look to the space, while still being in character with the rest of the house.”
Painting double doors the same blue-gray as the cabinets draws the eye to the outdoors and creates a uniform look. “My clients requested dark cabinets, but they were also drawn to rustic elements, so I interspersed the dark paint finish with light wood for contrast and visual relief,” says designer MaryLynne Meschino.
In homeowner and blogger Mable Cheung‘s glamorous black and white kitchen, Ikea cabinets with matte black slab fronts create a striking design moment. “The dark, moody feel of our kitchen gives the perfect amount of drama to our home, while still keeping with our very classic and minimal aesthetic,” she says.
H&H alum Morgan Michener chose classic black for her cottage‘s cabinetry color — a hue that, when set against the red cedar–log envelope, feels decidedly rustic.
A graphic black and white palette with stainless steel accents makes homeowner Meredyth Hilton’s kitchen pop. “I like my interiors to have strong backdrops,” she says.
Midnight blue on the cabinetry, ceiling and walls makes a striking statement in this English kitchen. A copper backsplash adds a hint of shine.
Champions of bold decorating, H&H Designers of the Year, Richard Ouellette and Maxime Vandal of Les Ensembliers, opted for a smoky gray and black kitchen in their Toronto pied-à-terre. “People are scared of black,” says Maxime. “They think it makes a place feel small. To us, it accentuates a space and makes it feel expansive.”
Open shelving keeps dishes and a collection of cookbooks within arm’s reach in restaurateur Jackie Kai Ellis’s industrial kitchen.
Try five of Jackie’s favorite summer recipes.
Emerald green may not be the usual go-to hue for kitchen cabinetry, but this deVOL kitchen proves how luxurious the color can be. Brass hardware is a handsome contrast, and artwork displayed on open shelving adds a personal touch.
Flat-front cabinetry and integrated appliances give designer Erika Floysvik’s Toronto kitchen a sleek, modern appeal. Bold, large-scale artwork adds drama to the space.
The high-contrast veining of the marble countertop was the inspiration behind the kitchen’s ebony and white palette. “A modern black and white kitchen could look austere, and while this is streamlined, the materials feel rich and warm,” says Erika.
deVOL’s own Flint paint color on the cupboards and walls of this Shaker-style kitchen has a cocooning effect. Copper hardware warms up the room.
Homeowners Trevor Ciona and Curtis Elmy entertain in style in their glam penthouse kitchen in Saskatoon. Gold accents, dark glossy cabinetry and a dramatic backsplash and countertop make the space sing.
A slim walnut island offers an extra workspace in this moody galley kitchen designed by Jeffrey Douglas. “I wanted this kitchen to have cosiness and warmth,” he says of the dark color scheme.
If you love the idea of black in the kitchen but don’t want to commit to cabinets, opt for a black backsplash, like Alana Firestone and Jordy Fagan of Collective Studio did in this high-contrast kitchen.
“The colors are complementary, so they work well together,” says Theresa of this kitchen’s deep red cabinetry and dark green countertop.
Flat-front black cabinetry and charcoal wall tiles deliver visual drama in Jim Johnson and Mark Robert’s country home kitchen. Exposed, rough-hewn rafters are a stylish contrast to the space’s clean lines and industrial outlook.
Espresso-colored cabinetry and dark gray marble define restaurateur Philip Haddad’s Toronto kitchen. “I wanted a kitchen that was functional but not so modern that it felt precious,” he says.
French doors at the back of the kitchen flood the space with light, with dark grey muntins adhering to the room’s color palette. Dinner parties often begin at Philip’s giant waterfall island, which he says is now the most-used part of the house.
Dark colors create high drama in this Oakville, Ontario, kitchen designed by Lynda Reeves. A rustic farmhouse table replaces the ubiquitous island, with professional-grade stainless steel appliances injecting a restaurant vibe.
“The intent was to make the cabinetry look more like cabinetry and less kitchen-like, so that the space would blend in with the rest of the main floor,” says designer Charlie Coull of this sleek kitchen. The black of the patio doors is carried into the space via matte black cabinetry for a truly bold look.