Often used in bedroom design , the soft appeal of grey can cool many interiors. Yet one secret power remains - its subtle transformation of kitchens. Often left in the cold for warmer wooden tones, its ability to make a kitchen look fresh and contemporary works wonders for a range of home styles. Whether blending into white, creating the industrial or making smooth moves in charcoal, its range and depth of hue rival many traditional kitchen colours. Paired with brighter yellows and tonal blue gradients, it offers a clean palette without the drama of white or black. Look at our top 41 picks for yourself.
Designer:DesignSpace London
Striking yet muted in mid-grey-panelling, a strip of LED-lighting sits pretty above contrasting white peonies.
Source:Biografen
A touch of difference to a white wall and light flooring, this grey hue keeps it fresh while storing books.
Visualizer:Armine Avetisyan
Wall-to-floor tiling embraces grey and white, as bauble lights join the party. Under-cabinet lighting draws the eye from the dining area.
Visualizer:Cristian Gentile
Mimicking a game of tetris, this multi-shaped wonder with a large, slanted window keeps everyone guessing.
White and grey segment this wooden-floored space, a series of oblongs and squares. A teardrop mirror designates the bench.
Designer:De Rosee Sa
Grey cabinetry and marble provide texture and interest to this wide-paned design, complete with wine-glass drop chandeliers.
Visualizer:Cristian Gentile
Teal and charcoal combine in an artistic kitchen fit for a chef. Wide block shelving offers storage space, a living panel nature. Wooden bar stools help add in some warm accents.
Source:Snaidero
Concrete and wood battle it out in this industrial design. Spot and multi-level hanging lights frame one side, a cupboard-panel-as-art-piece the other.
Visualizer:Michael Temnikov
Small spaces can benefit from grey the most. This light-grey design only slightly contrasts with wooden panelling, while a minimal bench offers class in slate.
Visualizer:Konstantin Kildinov
Corrugated plastic adds modernity to this kitchen, an unusual find with concrete benching. A slither of wood acts as a focal benchtop.
Designer:LCGA Design| Photographer:Hey!Cheese
A workshop is evoked with this stencilled interior, complete with ladder. Shades of grey provide the eclectic while keeping the colour palette clean.
Visualizer:Cristina Modringa
A marble splashback and bench win favour in this grey-framed kitchen. A simple wooden table keeps the space open.
Visualizer:KYDE architects
Minus table, this charcoal-panelled kitchen holds no clutter. Ambient lighting under cabinetry keeps focus on the inlet.
Designer:Stephen Tsimbalyuk & Vadim Kuchman
A set of three LEDs foreground another sleek kitchen frame, in mid-grey. A dark-grey wooden panel draws the eye, while mottled tiles retain interest.
Visualizer:Robby Brymer
Exuding warmth, this blue-grey kitchen meets brown in the most charming of ways. Three polished wooden stools are lit by copper-inner lights, while a concrete wall is lit brown down the hall.
Designer:Cesar
Want a kitchen with a café vibe? This steel-and-wood creation holds simple wooden shelving on matte walls and grey wooden floors.
Visualizer:Serhii Seinov
Almost out of a picture book, this kitchen’s spiderweb chandelier, rounded ceiling, snaking extractor fan and windy bonzai add something of the spooky to mealtimes. A grey concrete floor and darker wood features keep the look far from kitsch.
Photographer:Seth Powers
Grey need not be boring. This wood-encased design injects blue into the mix, with same-colour walling extending the space.
Visualizer:Iqosa
Give the Italian kitchen a revamp with exposed brick walls, wood and cabinetry in grey. A set of five steel drop lights separate the dining area.
Visualizer:Pavel Alekseev
Prefer to be unique? Why not hang an art piece on grey matte walls amidst hanging potted plants, an L-shaped bench, and draping modern chandelier ?
Visualizer:Elena Lapshina
Textures reign king in this design marked by brushed concrete and wavering wood. An industrial tap hovers amidst a series of block grey and wood shapes.
Visualizer:Plus Form
Separate the traditional elements and re-house them in wood and grey. This concrete-floored design features an oven in a wood block and a bench as a central table.
Visualizer:Ngurah Arya
Grey can be a supporting act. This mostly-white design sits pretty against a dark charcoal wall with chrome cabinetry bottoms. The round kitchen table throws in some dark hues to the mix too for increased contrast.
Visualizer:Dimo Dimitrov
Only have a corner space? Make the most of it with sleek grey cabinetry and a copper inlet.
Photographer:Joakim Johansson| Via:Mimmi Staaf
Go almost-white in this kitchen twisting the Scandinavian. A rough-shod wooden floor and white tiling do the talking.
Source:IKEA
IKEA can do all the classics, and grey is no exception. This simple six-doored design sits against the same hue, as a row of white tiles hang the necessities.
Designer:Phil Nicols
Create a grey and white kitchen by combining dark charcoal benches with white side cabinetry. Wind chime kitchen island lighting adds interest.
Via:Scandinavian Homes
The little fixtures can be the heroes. Grey backgrounds a marble-grey benchtop, a series of plants and two idea lights.
Visualizer:Lugerin Igor
A Japanese theme revels in this kitchen’s grey tiles and feature wall. Pops of wood and beige tiling keep warmth, while a darker inlet serves food.
Visualizer:Nordes Design
Frame an unusual scene with this glass-and-stencil border. Matte grey cabinetry adds elegance, wooden fixtures the natural.
Visualizer:Marco Podrini
Heighten a low space with shortened grey cabinetry. Placed on a grey strip of tiling, lining cabinet tops in black gives the illusion of height.
Visualizer:Elena Zhulikova
Studio apartments are made for this charcoal-and-wood creation. A patterned grey-tiled inlet adds distraction without clutter.
Visualizer:PLASTERLINA
Grey and yellow kitchens are not for the faint-hearted. Muted charcoal and wood panels allow bright yellow to shine.
Visualizer:Vic Nguyen
Hide grey’s influence with this kitchen with darker-shade borders. Teal kitchen bar stools and white features are greeted by a steel extractor fan.
Visualizer:SCIC
Dark, mid- and light-grey oscillate in a range of shapes and sizes. Striped-wood cabinets and three filigree feature lights add artistic balance.
Architect:Newick Architects
Grey and wood juxtapose nicely in this light, bright, and breezy interior. Grey adds enough difference to create a dreamy, not sleepy, design.
Architect:Sreten Jovanovic & Maja Urh| Visualizer:Anna Fedyukina
Grey plays in filigree stools and high-reaching cupboards in this kitchen of white accents.
Visualizer:Bartosz Domiczek
Charcoal and wood mix up cool and warm hues in this kitchen. Grey cabinetry extends the living room wall, allowing LED-lit wood to shine. A huge collection of indoor herb planters add in some luscious greenery to this kitchen.
Source:Dada Web
After just a little less black? Go for grey’s darker shades in a matching bench and cabinetry, overhung by a fascinating steel stencil feature.
Visualizer:Radoslav Rabota
Make your extractor fan the feature, as wood and charcoal surround. This contemporary kitchen further lightens the space with white hanging lights and popping porcelain.
Visualizer:Rodolfo Dias
A concrete kitchen island is complemented by a corner of concrete wall units in this modern concept. Metal pendant lights complete the industrial-inspired look.
This glass console table with rustic shelf is a clear winner, creating a charming aesthetic for a cozy dining space, living room, or a welcoming home entryway.
Dark isn’t the first theme that comes to mind when designing a kitchen. Stereotypical assumptions are of white and bright kitchens matched by light wood—something like the color of breakfast pancakes. Have you ever thought otherwise? Perhaps something like a modern dark kitchen?
We’ve got a collection of stunning spaces sure to switch up your vision. This black kitchen design inspiration is the sexiest interior design can muster. All divulging in shades of black, navy, or dark brown, they add what white kitchens cannot—a seductive allure that says sleekness and sophistication at the same time. Take a peek at some brilliant interiors on the darker side to see if a modern luxury black kitchen could be for you.
Modern Dark Kitchen Design Ideas to Inspire Your Next Renovation
1. Make it an All Black Kitchen
Visualizer:Design At Sketch
Almost completely covered in black, a few minor elements shine in chrome and wood in this kitchen interior. We love how the textures do the talking, especially through the matte table under black wood-panelled walls. But having an open approach like this means that every one of your accessories on display—including knives, wine glasses, mugs, cutting boards, teapots, cookie jars, etc.—need to be on point.
2. Add Wooden Elements
Visualizer:Bogdan Tovstyy
This black beauty edges towards wooden elements. We see a speckled floor, a white wall, and a central bench. Rounded black lamps hover over the island, providing functionality and style. If you’re wondering how visual intrigue is added to this modern black kitchen… a huge credit goes to the abstract art!
3. Complement the Black Kitchen with Orange
Source:Vancouver House
A bit of curve rounds out the hard edges—adding some much-needed warmth. This wave-design bench leads up to an orange-hued enclave in this black-and-silver interior. The burnt orange sure makes a design statement (apart from the unique central island).
4. Keep Your Dark Modern Kitchen Simple
Visualizer:Panda Fox Studios
A simplistic look makes this black kitchen a winner. We see the basics: a light floor, a black minimalist island, and sleek cabinetry. But the contrast between light and dark keeps the ambiance interesting, while the large window welcomes plenty of natural light.
5. Make it Dark… Or Not?
Visualizer:Who Cares Design
If you’re eyeing a dark kitchen aesthetic but are hesitant to make the change, this is it. Introducing more light, this black kitchen is hardly dark at all. Black benches, cabinetry, fixtures and stools are intersected by large-panel windows, a white shelving stand and light flooring.
6. Make Use of Asymmetry in the Black Modern Kitchen
Visualizer:Visual Method
This modern black kitchen takes another angle on this kaleidoscopic space, breaking all spatial boundaries. Black and glass alternate in this chic kitchen as the interesting ceiling design keeps the space unconventional. We’ve also got to appreciate the cherry blossoms, doubling as decor even within the interior.
7. Factor in Some Warmth
Source:Modulnova
This warmer-looking kitchen makes a move to brown. It strategically achieves the purpose with the use of wood. This not only introduces natural textures but also makes the ambiance inviting. Talk about a modern style that’s equal parts welcoming!
8. Place a White Island in a Black Modern Kitchen
Visualizer:Jean Regauer
An instant way to brighten up a dark kitchen (we mean, get the best of both worlds)? This kitchen space shows us how by using a white island on a black floor. The backsplash further enhances this dark-and-light effect, while the cowhide rug adds just the right amount of coziness.
9. Make Marble Your Best Friend
Architect:Chamberlain Javens Architects
If you’re looking to create a modern luxury black kitchen, you know what you’ve got to do: Go big on marble! This natural stone adds the luxe factor to any space, especially as a large, central island, as seen in the kitchen above. You can also add it through the backsplash.
10. Make it Mysterious
Visualizer:Tomek Michalski
You can double the visual intrigue in your all black kitchen by adding some mystery. In this kitchen, mood-lighting sets the scene in black and grey, while a marbled bench acts as the hero. The back inlet and flooring create contrast and depth. Taken together, these elements make the space an interesting one.
11. Layer Gray and Gold
Visualizer:Mitaka Dimov
Black kitchens are cool, but what if we layer in gray and add accents of gold? This stunning kitchen space uses gray flooring to add diversity to the otherwise black palette. The thick gold panel is one way that makes the space look incredibly high-end.
12. Add French Style to Black Kitchen Design
Visualizer:Aeroslon
Make your kitchen both modern and French with traditional black cabinetry. In this space, standing armoires act as sinks, and all other displayed items remain black. The stark white clock can surely act as the focal point of the space!
13. Consider Soft Elements
Visualizer:Julia Sultanova
Rough, light wood and low-hanging white lights set this kitchen interior a world apart. You can also notice a layer of light gray cabinetry, adding variation to the otherwise dark color palette. These elements factor in softness to the black kitchen design.
14. Let the Accessories Do the Talking
Photographer:Mikko Ryhänen
In this black-and-wood creation, the accessories take center stage in adorning the interior. We love the houseplant, but the crockery deserves a special mention for doubling as decor. The light oakwood backdrop further warms the space up.
15. Consider a Matte All Black Kitchen
Visualizer:HDR Designer
Neat square panels perfectly line up to emphasize the stark black minimalism that is at play here. We love how the cabinetry is matte black with no hardware, adding a sense of simplicity. The herb planters are a healthy green addition to bring the otherwise simple space.
16. Add Some Stencilling to Black Kitchens
Visualizer:Julia Sultanova
Fine lines and stencilling set this monochromatic space apart. Lined by black magnetic lights, black stencils and glossy white facades, it makes its mark on a light wooden floor.
17. Build a Shape Out of Black
Visualizer:Huso
18. Create a Modern Dark Kitchen with Gradients
Visualizer:Mario Nogueira
If you’re wondering how the intrigue in this space is working… It’s the gradients from black, to charcoal, to light grey. White surrounds in the walls and a monochromatic hanging light. This clever design technique makes sure the space is anything but boring, even if it’s using mere neutrals (minus the stunning orange dining chairs, of course).
19. Leverage Black Textures
Visualizer:Nefeli Kallianou
One instant way to add interest to a black kitchen is with textures, as seen in this metallic matte kitchen. This accounts for decorative presence in the light and bright space, providing character to an otherwise simple room.
20. Work on the Functionality of the Modern Dark Kitchen
Visualizer:İbrahim Ethem KISACIK
This dark modern kitchen makes sure it’s as functional as is stylish. The central island is paired with a black dining table, while all necessary appliances are fixed into the cabinetry. We also see pendant lights and lighting under the hood providing just the right illumination.
21. Create a Modern Classic All Black Kitchen
Visualizer:A&L Interior Design
Folks seeking an inviting all black kitchen can look towards this modern classic space. It merges contemporary elements (through sleek black cabinetry) with traditional ones (as seen in the wooden backsplash) to bring together the best of both worlds.
22. Put Essentials on Display in Your Modern Black Kitchen Interior
Visualizer:Polygon
Yet another kitchen that uses black and wooden elements to create a dark-themed interior. What sets this one apart is the hanging pans. They do offer easy access as the residents cook, but they also double as decor! (Note how the pans also use black and wooden elements to stay coherent with the theme).
23. Add the Industrial Style to the All Black Kitchen
Via:Emotion School
Industrial style lovers, rejoice! This is THE inspiration to set up your favorite interior design style, the dark way. This kitchen uses rustic wood and exposed elements for the ceiling to create an industrial black kitchen interior.
24. Make a Statement with Black Chunky Lamps
Via:HomePicture.in
All eyes on the two chunky lamps hanging in this monochromatic setting. They do add focus but also allow the contrasting white inset to shine. Not to forget the central island, providing plenty of storage space.
25. Make Room for Keepsakes
Visualizer:Maxim Goryachev
There’s nothing like personalizing your space to who YOU are. This kitchen serves the purpose by adding keepsakes and heirlooms. Also, black leaves room for details, so it’s one of the best colors to use if you’re hoping to display knick-knacks.
26. Use Black to Add Intimacy
Visualizer:Helen Bank
Who says dark colors make small spaces feel smaller? We only see black adding luxury to this compact space (with some credit to the white flooring adding brightness). This kitchen—with black marble backsplash—speaks opulence, and for all the right reasons!
27. Enhance Black Kitchen Design with Patterns
Visualizer:Ksenia Lenski
This black kitchen interior makes a design statement with the patterned marble island. Its sleek metallic legs lift it off the floor, creating an illusion of space. Simultaneously, the textured inset makes sure visual interest is added.
28. Don’t Forget a Black and White Rug
Visualizer:Nada Aboelrous
If you’re not in for a complete kitchen renovation, simply painting your cabinets black and adding a black-and-white patterned rug will achieve the purpose! We love how this kitchen keeps sets the base with white and tops it with black.
29. Let the Lighting Make a Statement in the All Black Kitchen
Architect:Artpartner Architects
When everything else is understated, letting the lighting create a statement is a good idea. This matte black kitchen interior uses rod lighting to do the talking. It sticks to the all black kitchen color scheme, though!
30. Tone it Down
Visualizer:Valeria Mosolova
This open floor plan uses dark gray throughout, showing us that black can work in more spaces than the kitchen 😉 It sure makes a design statement for those cooking and dining—or lounging!
31. Consider a Black and Wooden Bar
Visualizer:Amir Emami
This is the ultimate modern luxury black kitchen! After all, what’s better than displaying your favorite collection of beer right behind the black kitchen island? The low-hanging pendant lights also add to the black kitchen design.
32. Add the Gothic Vibe
Visualizer:Sebastian Lorio
This dark-gray kitchen is super simple with its sleek, hardware-less cabinetry. Well, except the far left end. Here, we see a statement piece of art and intriguing layered lighting created a focal point.
33. Stick to the Minimalist Style for Black Kitchens
Visualizer:Miguel A. Ramos
This compact kitchen space follows the simple rule: white walls paired with black cabinetry and an island. Even in this nook, the space is able to make a style statement while providing optimal functionality. The window here gives a contrasting element of light to the otherwise dark modern kitchen.
34. Layer Lighting in the All Black Kitchen
Visualizer:Tatiana Durnescu
We see shades of gray and black coming together to bring this modern dark kitchen to life. What we especially love is the multiple types of lighting, all layered together to bring visual interest to the space.
35. Set the Backdrop For Your Living Space
Visualizer:Sasha Zolotukhin
