By Kim Cook\u2009|\u2009AP<\/p>\n
The kitchen\u2019s often a room to experiment \u2014 with decor, as well as food and drink. Over the years we\u2019ve seen yellow, turquoise, avocado green, greige and white take their turn as favored hues.<\/p>\n
But right now, black is back.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes perfect sense, style-wise,\u201d says New York City designer Elaine Griffin. \u201cWe began seeing the rise of black appliances as sleek and stylish non-white alternatives to pricier stainless options at the new millennium, and black as the \u2018new neutral\u2019 wall color has been gaining popularity over the past decade.\u201d<\/p>\n
You can go ultramodern or traditional when bringing black into the kitchen.<\/p>\n
High-end, Euro-style lacquered cabinetry from companies like Boffi, Poliform and Bulthap is sleek and sexy. Marble countertops and geometric fixtures can create a glamorous, jewel-box kitchen, great for entertaining.<\/p>\n
Put the hue on Shaker-style cabinets, add rustic French tile, smooth quartz counters and hand-rubbed brass fittings, and you\u2019ve got a sophisticated space. Or add a walnut or maple slab island and saddle leather stools for an industrial look.<\/p>\n
A few things to remember if you\u2019re going to get a black kitchen right:<\/p>\n
Contrast is key. Going overboard with black will get you a kitchen that resembles a bad mall hair salon, says Griffin. Use black on the cabinets and a paler hue on counters and floors, or vice versa.<\/p>\n
Maria Killam, a color expert and designer in Vancouver, British Columbia, agrees.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure your floors and countertops are very light to balance and contrast the super-dark cabinets. Working with black is a balancing act and requires some skill,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n
\u201cSimple white tile with black grout is a great way to get some light in the space and give a nod to classic kitchens.\u201d Ikea offers the Sektion kitchen cabinets in black, and there is a range of coordinating black kitchen fittings there too, including drawer pulls, storage items and trash cans. (www.ikea.com )<\/p>\n You can repaint existing cabinetry if you\u2019re budget-conscious. Consider Benjamin Moore\u2019s Midsummer Night, Sherwin-Williams\u2019 Black Fox, Valspar\u2019s Raven Black or Behr\u2019s Black Suede. Many shades of black pick up other hues in an interesting way \u2014 midnight blues, chocolates and sooty grays, for example. Choose the right finish: Save the glossy paint for trim or you\u2019ll be swabbing fingerprints forever.<\/p>\n \u201cLike a little black dress, accessories make a statement in a black kitchen, so choose your hardware and fixtures with care,\u201d advises Griffin. \u201cPolished or antiqued brass and black is a white-hot finish option right now, for both contemporary and traditional looks.\u201d<\/p>\n Add a cool stool; Houzz has a big selection. Recent offerings include stools with chic, slim hairpin legs, as well as comfy-looking upholstered ones, and several stools in snazzy hues like red, orange and blue. (www.houzz.com )<\/p>\n Embossed or painted concrete, sculpted limestone, pressed tin, or wallpaper would be striking complements to black cabinetry and fittings.<\/p>\n Add an Art Deco touch to a black kitchen with Giorbello\u2019s Water Jet glass tiles. Daltile\u2019s Bamboo Forest faux wood tile would be a durable, style-savvy backsplash or floor. Italian ceramic tile maker Fap has a matte-black subway tile in its new Boston collection. (www.wayfair.com ; www.italytile.com )<\/p>\n The right lighting is important in a black kitchen. Killam likes skylights and large windows to take advantage of natural light.<\/p>\n To avoid what Griffin calls \u201cblack hole syndrome\u201d, install lights at multiple height levels: ceiling, pendant, under-cabinet and even countertop lamps.<\/p>\n Lamps Plus has forged-iron and rubbed-bronze chandeliers and pendants. Hudson Valley Lighting\u2019s Lydney polished black nickel pendant would work well in any style of kitchen. (www.lampsplus.com ; www.hudsonvalleylighting.com )<\/p>\n [Not a valid template]
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\nKillam suggests including wood elements like a butcher-block island countertop. \u201cWood lower cabinets would work with black countertops and upper shelving, for example. I would keep the wood finishes as natural as possible … and relatively pale so the overall effect isn\u2019t too heavy,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n