Tribal design has long been an inspiration in the world of interiors, bringing with it strong pattern, natural woven elements and interesting art. Often tribal interiors revel in hot tones but the modern tribal trend takes a different tack. These home tours show us how a cool monochrome treatment transforms tribal pattern into black and white geometrics. This at first glance may be reminiscent of a Scandinavian scheme but there’s an entirely different vibe pushing through. Majestic ethnic artwork overlooks spaces where natural materials are more dominant than in a Scandi setting, and large handcrafted vessels create bold focal points.
Visualizer:Home D
Located near the sea in Odessa, Ukraine, our first apartment has a crisp modern backdrop. Layered over the minimalist wooden kitchen, huge basketweave light shades fill the space above a central breakfast bar. A series of large ceramic pots, in deep earthy brown tones, create moments of interest around the light open plan room.
A low-level wooden coffee table and decorative bowl continue the natural tones over in the lounge area.
Striking ethnic artwork sets the tribal tone immediately on entering the home. The design elements around the rest of the room draw from the tonal shades of this piece.
Above two kitchen stools we can see that the edge of the breakfast bar has a naturally curvaceous edge to it.
The sides of the black bar stools let slivers of light through, echoing the woven style of the rattan kitchen counter pendants .
The skull and backward-curling horns of a North African Nubian Ibex adorn one ice-white wall.
By the front door, a recessed nook of shelves are decorated with a set of feathered arrows and a matching vase; plus two coordinated wicker baskets for organising small items such as gloves and hats. A round mirror is hung by a leather strap slung over a wooden hook, perfectly positioned for that last minute appearance check at the door.
Walls and floors throughout the apartment are whitewashed. Black louvre doors conceal storage space in the entryway, next to a modern black coat rack.
The kitchen units form a frame around a section of backsplash. The white kitchen backsplash is of an uneven rustic texture.
Rattan storage baskets nestle under a bench that is draped with plaited rope.
Screened off by organic linen curtains, a sleeping area has a simple scheme.
Behind the louvre doors in the hallway is a walk in closet. In here, the white washed wooden floor continues up and over the walls. A circular hemp rug decorates the space.
Baskets are used in here for storage on the highest shelves, to hide away out of season items.
Dried fronds fill a vase placed on top of the bathroom vanity unit.
The bathroom basin is shaped like a half formed clay bowl on a potter’s wheel; it appears to emerge directly out of the countertop.
Visualizer:Nguyễn Thanh Tùng
Our second modern tribal inspired home has a slightly busier energy than the first. We find a greater use of tribal pattern and artefacts. Similarities lie in the whitewashed backdrop though, and another cool dome shaped wicker dining pendant light , which you can find similar to here .
Tribal wall hangings make up an ethnic themed gallery wall behind the wood based sofa.
Over in the dining area we find wicker chairs teamed with black wooden ones.
The kitchen is of a more traditional style but a small floor rug ties it in with the monochrome tribal scheme.
The trio of black pendant lights over the breakfast bar are of a modern style but echo the basket weave found elsewhere in the home.
Wooden shelves and wood countertop warm the look of the white kitchen.
In the master bedroom, pattern meets pattern -meets pattern! The menagerie of monochrome designs are broken gently by the introduction of natural tones, found in the rustic headboard and woven storage baskets.
The grey contemporary cushioned chair has a handmade wooden frame.
Visualizer:LIB Team
Our third home tour is a relaxing interior that pushes the tropical side of tribal, creating a high-end resort look.
Living fronds and palm tree prints set a tropical botanical tone.
Deep toned chunky wooden furniture gives weight to the light scheme.
Large ceramic vessels adorn the display shelves of the dining area.
Rattan chairs surround a family-sized dining table.
A decorative nook holds the hallway storage.
African inspired vessels are displayed above a central kitchen island.
An African dream awaits in the master bedroom. A suspended frame above the bed supports a floating white canopy. Below the rattan bedroom bedroom pendant lights , bedside tables are made from rough cut tree logs. The main bed linen is kept white to allow the tribal patterned cushions to shine.
adds a touch of the wild to one of of the bedside units.
A round jute rug fills the floor space at the foot of the wooden bed. Echoing the design, a circular mirror hangs on the wall above the wooden dressing table.
A wicker chair, layered with tribal cushions and throw, sits at the chunky console table.
Woven doors make a feature of the closet.
The bathroom is a sumptuous mix of earthy materials meeting with contemporary.
Bronze fixtures and fittings accessorise the neutral bathroom scheme.
Ever felt your interior could look more artistic? There’s a piece of furniture that’s as functional as it’s creative – the sculptural chair. Crafted out of acrylic, bamboo, corrugated cardboard, wicker cane or wood, these chairs are designed – by famed designers across the globe – to surprise and delight your senses. As concepts in exhibitions or working prototypes, many of these chairs are not for sale – but don’t let that hinder their intent for inspiration. See how stretched ash wood can wrap around a person’s frame. Imagine turning the pages on 220 blueberry-shaped balls. Imagine interior style differently, with our top 50 list of innovative, sculptural chairs.
Designer:UUfie
Let your inner peacock shine. These chairs, first designed in 2011, create drama and effect in stretched acrylic composite. Take a pretty seat upon them to satisfy your inner king or queen.
Designer:UUfie
Looking for your little princess? These coloured versions, stretched a little less in size, form a kid’s chair all the neighbours will envy.
Complement your interior with a classic. Designed in 1962 by design great Warren Platner, this chair shows steel wire innovation, with as many as 1,000 welds per piece. Finished in bright nickel or 18-carat plated gold, choose a cover in knoll velvet, boucle or leather – or find cheaper replicas
here
.
Designer:He Mu and Zhang Qian
Build a veritable library around your chair. This circular seat lets you pick a book from every angle.
Designer:Marc Venot
Love pillows? Surround yourself with 14. Named after the glorious Central American quetzal, French designer Marc Venot changes the colour of its feathers – or pillows – by simply turning them over.
Designer:Nina Bruun
Create a human nest. Inspired by the world’s chaos, Nina Bruun’s birch straps fold under and around a comfy seat in the centre.
Designer:Carl Durkow
Want your feet to touch the ground? Don’t buy this chair. Developed to take us back to a childhood state, this polystyrene foam and wool felt creation was a NYCxDesign student award winner.
Designer:Mast
Stretch out and relax. Named after the manta ray, this lounge chair sits you not quite straight, not quite fully down.
Designer:Jakob Jørgensen
Fall into Thumbelina’s modern-day cradle. Made from oak, plastic and metal, this seat curves around your form like a wooden leaf, folding down to a flat-pack when it comes time to move.
Designer:Bae Se-hwa
Bent through an innovative use of steam, South Korean designer Bae Se-hwa makes his seats out of walnut. This chair’s prismatic lines symbolise the push and pull between man and environment.
Designer:Branca Lisboa
Want a shell in birch plywood? This stylish design comes with four natural cotton or leather cushions. Get it for your interior here .
Designer:Robert Van Embricqs
Up, up and away! Handmade, numbered and signed, this stunning piece lifts to form a chair, folding back down afterwards to a slatted mat.
Designer:Marc Newson
Originally designed for an Australian crafts council, this slatted beech wood chair is as much focal design piece as it is ‘double-curved’ seat. Place it beside a window to watch the light stream through.
Designer:AE Superlab
Want a rocking chair that doesn’t look old? Inspired by Arabic Diwani calligraphic script, this chair of the same name cradles your form in natural white birch or plywood.
Source:Piegatoo
26 sections of laminated banak wood create this seemingly one-piece chair. Pick it up for your living room in eight different shades.
Designer:Alexander White
Even chairs try to mimic Marilyn Monroe. 83 components swivel on a single axis, replicating Monroe’s classic pose over a New York City subway.
Designer:Velichko Velikov
Almost a prototype, this chair literally bends over backwards to accommodate your form.
Designer:Kishimoto
Think wood couldn’t form a teardrop? Think again. Bent ash veneer sits on black-painted steel, creating a feature chair that works by itself or behind a dining table.
Designer:Glid
Encapsulate Carnaval. This chair’s ‘warm and festive spirit’ results in one smooth curve and a seat of fabric cords.
Designer:Stéphane Leathead
Twist and turn it any way you please. Rotating on a central axis, this chair lets you lie down and sit in a variety of poses. Available in white oak, cherry, walnut, maple and Mozambique.
Designer:Kishimoto
Create your own cocoon. This chair in ash wood and steel encloses your senses and builds a safe haven.
Designer:Joseph Walsh
Base your back on a seat of satin. Stripped olive ash wood mingles with copper and silk, creating a seating option that screams artistic masterpiece.
Designer:Frank Gehry
Designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, this corrugated cardboard chair wriggles under your backside.
Designer:Ventury Labs
Want it in black? Get something similar to Gehry’s, with this ribbon-bottomed chair made of textured carbon.
Designer:Jolyon Yates
Another rocking chair in a contemporary design, this birch-clad and satin-lacquered piece works well in a Scandinavian interior.
Designer:Kamil Kurka
Available in wood and white or mint green and silver, this innovative pod is supported by its ‘X’ in front.
Designer:Made In Ratio
Able to rock a child or stand still, these unique chairs by Australian designer Brodie Neill were inspired by the beached seashells that adorned his childhood. Pick one up in light or dark wood, or black.
Designer:Simone Cappellanti
Love calla lilies? Buy a chair that pays homage, with these beautiful seats in a range of modern shades.
Designer:Tejo Remy and René Veenhuizen
Re-live your South-East Asian holiday with a chair in bamboo. This sturdy and environmentally-friendly medium can stretch its form to many ideas, such as this easy-to-build and easy-to-collapse sculptural phenomenon.
Designer:Alexander Christoff
Why not be ergonomic, while you’re at it? This elegant, high-backed chair features a red-upholstered gym ball as its seat. Your posture will thank you later.
Source:Riva
Take two work desks out of your chair. Italian designer Paolo Nava created them out of solid cedar, finishing them off by hand.
Designer:Finn Stone| Source:Made In Design
Want a chair that’s a bit more durable? Made in ABS plastic, these cute pods come in many different colours, and work indoors or out. Their highly-lacquered finishes ensure no bumps or scratches.
Designer:Lina Bo Bardi| Source:Arper
Sometimes, nothing can beat a bowl. These handcrafted chairs are limited to a run of 500, and come in your choice of black leather or seven different-coloured fabrics.
Designer:OdesD2
Be shockingly geometric. This white chair carries the angles of a diamond and the cushioning of a couch.
Designer:Carlo Colombo
Lie in luxury on a bed of blueberries. 220 balls of crush-proof polyurethane create several layers of comfort, while a wooden structure lifts it up inside scratch-proof ABS. Buy it for yourself in white and red, or full black.
Designer:Nendo
Go back to basics. Showcased in London’s Saatchi Gallery, this minimalist find mimics sketches on a notepad, and turns them 3D. Its simple lines give weight and volume to the spaces in-between.
Designer:Kenneth Cobonpue
Rattan, nylon and steel comprise this original seat, an almost-tribal design which brings the garden inside.
Designer:Philipp Aduatz
Philipp Aduatz used polymer and car paint to create this over-sized spoon, a technical marvel inspired by the contours of a leaf.
Designer:Ignacio Ruiz
Prefer forks? Get yours in wood and seat them around a dinner table, with these bold pieces from Mexican designer Ignacio Ruiz.
Designer:Alexander Nettesheim
Black, white and minimalist, these simple pod chairs would look a treat in an office.
Designer:Maximo Riera
Looking for the latest addition to your octopus decor ? Designer Maximo Riera carves chairs out of animals, and this quilted octopus is no exception. Check out his collection to see more walruses, rhinos, hippos, elephants, beetles and buffaloes.
Designer:Jean-Pierre Martz
Like the look of tubes? Make a chair in their shape. These finds come with outers in light wood or acrylic, and a variety of coloured cushions sold as their centre.
Designer:Natalie Musorina
Buy a chair that’s both beautiful and practical. This white rocking chair won Silver in the A’Design Awards for its innovative plywood and fabric-thread form. Its nifty 7kg base can hold up to 15 times its weight.
Designer:Hans Wegner
Buying for the beach house? Made in oak or ash, these accent chairs designed by a Hans Wegner are covered with vegetable-tanned leather, which creates its own hue from its time in the sun. Here is a replica if you are looking for something cheaper.
Source:The Family Love Tree
Want a peacock-themed decor piece that’s a bit less obvious? Available in black, white or brown, its splayed back is the perfect setting for your sweetheart.
Designer:Benjamin Hubert
Love the feel of hammocks, but not their look? These chairs have the best of both worlds, with a back in polyester and a seat in wood and powder-coated steel.
Designer:Verner Panton
It wouldn’t be a list of the world’s best chairs without the Panton S. Injection-molded polypropylene creates one long-line form that’s stood the test of time.
Source:Zuco
Like the form, but not the matter? These understated seats come in your choice of fabric or acrylic tops, wooden or metal legging.
Source:Artisan
Classic designs can be the longest running. The simple contours of this wooden chair can befriend any interior.
Source:Morelato
Ash wood creates an airy frame worthy of any household. Choose your seat’s covering to make this flexible design your own.
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
