Decorating & Design

The Enduring Appeal Of The Black & White Kitchen

Author: Wendy Jacob

Updated on February 14, 2024

What is it about the black and white kitchen that we love so much? Over the years, we’ve flirted with other colors — think bubblegum pink and turquoise in the 1950s and sunset hues in the ’70s — and lately, natural wood is back in vogue, along with kitchens painted in today’s trend hue of muted green. And yet, the classic combo of black and white — like the little black cocktail dress — never goes out of fashion. From the English-style scullery kitchen, with its black painted cabinets, to the sleekness of white, seamless, Euro-style spaces, black and white keeps appearing in the most fashionable kitchens.

It probably all began with the elements: white marble for counters, black for French cast-iron stoves and English “hobs,” black and white for linoleum tile floors, and gallons of white paint for cabinets. And then, the evolution of the kitchen from a tiny hidden room to the heart of the house, the “great room” of today, has had a big impact on how we dress our kitchens. You can imagine a dress-up dinner party in a black and white open kitchen as easily as you can picture a casual family meal in a country-style kitchen like the one on our cover.

Scroll down for three examples of how talented designers used this palette in very different ways!

Source:

House & Home March 2022