A home doesn’t need to be of sprawling square footage to hold a gorgeous and comfortably functional interior, the best ideas can come in very small packages. Take this couple of one room living spaces as great examples. These two compact studio apartments each incorporate bold features with a stand out sense of style. The furnishings have been cleverly streamlined and cleanly zoned to tick all of the boxes for a modern life of working from home, rest and relaxation, and even socialising. Inventive area planning, bespoke furniture design and considered colour schemes add up to make two cool compact living environments where perceived limitations of space dissolve away.
Designer:aTng 糖 & Dunqiang Chen
Our first one room living space has a smooth grey colour palette that evokes a relaxing atmosphere. Seating solutions span one entire wall of the living area. Of two matching bespoke bench seats, the first acts as banquette seating at a dining table, and the second as a slimline sofa situated in optical alignment with the television screen. A bed is located on a raised platform - an anchored installation that runs into the seating base structure.
A single trundle bed can be drawn out from beneath the double platform bed to provide sleeping quarters for a child; this kind of trundle design would also come in handy as a guest sleeper. A section from the steps leading to the double bed slide away to form the headboard of the single sleeper. The stepped headboard provides a small shelf that can be used as a bedside unit.
A swing arm wall lamp is positioned between the two bench seats to provide extra illumination when and where needed. All of the wall art on display is monochrome so that the small space does not become overwhelmed with clashing colours and styles.
On the opposite side to the dining banquette seating stands two modern dining chairs.
A humorous art print is propped casually against the wall. It adds to the spot hints of green placed around the grey and wood tone decor scheme.
When the second bed is not in situ, a set of unique coffee tables are moved into the centre of the lounge area and a cosy bean bag chair is pulled around to make a sociable seating space.
Below the TV, a wall mounted wood and concrete console unit incorporates a planter. Cacti inhabit the unit, along with a Rosendahl Kay Bojesen monkey .
Matching the finish of the console unit are a set of wood and concrete pendants, you can get these here .
Behind the dining table, a peg board provides wall hooks and handy shelving that can be quickly rearranged on a whim.
By the entry door, a narrow bench and a set of wall hooks provide simple organisation.
A small kitchen is recessed into a wall volume that flanks the length of the double bed.
A fridge-freezer, three cupboards and a washing machine complete the run of base units. Open kitchen shelving occupies the wall space next to a stainless steel extractor.
Designer:Cartelle Design
The second studio apartment is a 40.57 square metre home in Moscow.
This interior was designed for a young female homeowner who spends most of her downtime reading and relaxing. The homeowners love of reading is reflected in the book storage incorporated into the base of bespoke window seating.
The eating area of this small home is large enough to formally seat a party of four. A stylishly mismatched dining table chair combination makes the set appear less intrusive on the space. A linear suspension light visually anchors the rectangular dining table in position.
The dining area is dressed with a selection of art prints, stood at floor level.
The sleeping area is situated directly opposite the dining table, clearly zoned by use of bright colour.
aren’t an obvious choice for an ultra compact living space, but this sunny yellow design appears like a room within a room. The bed box base sits upon a yellow platform that has LED lighting around its perimeter, as if it were a floating island.
The bedroom-within-a-room also has its own pendant light, wall art and even its own window.
A tray table nestles to the side of the bedroom platform, complementing the wood and black framed finish of the neighbouring dining table.
A painted brick wall gives the quirky interior an industrial edge.
Hanging chairs work well in compact spaces.
Despite the tiny proportions of this home, there is a dedicated home office area.
A built in desk has been located in a nook between the combined lounge/diner/bedroom and the bathroom.
The desk chair design matches the dining chairs, providing the option of fluidly moving the seats around the apartment as needed whilst being in-keeping with the design of each zone.
Thanks to the window situated in the headboard wall, the modern home office benefits from borrowed natural light.
Recessed shelves provide neat storage by the work area.
The bathroom holds a black toilet and matching vanity unit.
Past the black and white facilities, pink tiling in the shower enclosure injects some colour into the bathroom.
A black heated towel rail at the end of the shower enclosure and black floor tiling tie the two areas together.
A closet is fitted opposite the home office.
There is something very luxurious about the grand combination of misty veined marble and rich wood grain. The teaming of natural materials brings life to a modern apartment interior and can be incorporated in a myriad of ways. Floors, bathroom tiles and kitchen backsplashes have long been clad in marvellous marble finishes, but how can we apply other areas of organic patterning to add interest and movement to hard contemporary surroundings? Wood tone is ideal for furniture, floors and panelling but how can we freshen our use of the material? These two apartments show how to create soft neutral backdrops of marble and wood that won’t leave a sophisticated decor scheme falling flat.
Visualizer:Quadro Room
Beyond shining globe pendant lights , a slatted wood wall adds dimension over an entertainment wall in our first featured home. A flat screen television is mounted partially over the wooden slats, with its lower half hanging over a white, grey and golden tone marble panel. A strip of white LED lighting runs through the cross section.
Two round glossy white coffee tables with black frames complement the white marble backsplash and black kitchen wall cabinets behind the lounge.
catch the light in a more interesting way than a flat wall panel could, creating areas of light and shade. Placing flat wood panels adjacent to a slatted feature provides an attractive change in texture.
The dining pendant lights provide a little colour within the white marble and wood decor scheme, though are still in-keeping with an earthy palette.
A slender white floor lamp stands by the bedside on a light wood bedroom floor. A matching bedside table lamp sits on the opposite side, on top of a dark wood bedside unit. Behind the wooden drawer unit, a tall smoked glass bedroom mirror echoes the height of an adjacent glass closet.
The glass closet is a walk-in design, where the wood flooring from the bedroom continues seamlessly.
The contents of the wardrobe are on view to the bedroom, making the space look like a trendy clothing boutique. At the foot of the bed a bespoke wooden volume has been crafted to hold a contemporary feature fireplace, and to divide the room into two separate zones. The hearth of the fireplace spans the volume in a stripe of white marble. The combination of wood and marble makes the new installation appear established and permanent. Behind the dividing wall stands a home office area. The side of the dividing wall has been fitted with bookshelves, which are easily accessible from both the desk side and the bedroom.
The sleek wood and metal desk is equipped with a small designer table lamp .
In the bathroom, a modern bathroom vanity , freestanding bathtub, toilet and bidet are of a beige colourway that brings out the colours in the surrounding marble that clads the walls and floor.
Black metal framing and black faucets give the marble cladding a contemporary edge.
Designer:DE & DE Studio| Visualizer:Vizline Studio
Our second apartment is a summer home located in a luxury resort area, situated by the Finnish bay just outside of Saint-Petersburg.
The TV wall decor is a combination of marble and wood panelling. The golden patterning in the marble works in perfect harmony with the blonde tone of the wood. A plain white console unit is wall mounted beneath the television, with a darker wooden shelf top.
A beige modern sofa sits on top of a textured area rug that complements the texture and colours of the marble feature wall.
A wooden herringbone floor in the lounge runs into a marble floor towards the kitchen diner and hallway.
Sophisticated marble floor tiles are showcased in this soft beige minimalistic kitchen. A slatted wooden wall makes a partial divide between the lounge and the living room, and provides an effective visual stop. The wooden legs of the kitchen bar stools tie in with the look of the slender light slats.
White glass orbs in the unique kitchen pendant lights match the sheen of white marble.
In the hallway, sliding closet doors are constructed to match the marble and wood decor. Home storage systems and decorative marble constructions in this home were custom made according to the architects’ drawings.
nestle within the recessed shelving of a white concrete wall.
Two gold modern wall sconces light one half of the headboard wall. Four backlit marble panels illuminate the other side.
Ridges run down the marble wall panels to create an interesting modern look. The glossy surface of the marble feature wall reflects the glow of a gold bedroom pendant light .
A marble dressing table appears to extrude from another wall panel. A tan leather and copper vanity stool picks out colours from the decorative feature.
Herringbone wood flooring and a wood tone dresser complete the bedroom.
Heavily streaked marble appears like a work of art over the walls and floor of the bathroom. Its deeper colours are brought out by black bathroom fixtures and fittings. A black and white unique faucet and sink combo stands at each of the floor to ceiling bathroom mirrors.
A bespoke wooden ceiling panel draws the eye up and over.
Soft LED lighting adds to the high-end look of the luxury bathroom scheme.
The mirror lights brightly gleam over the glossy marble floor.
By the entry door, a storage console has lighting underneath and appears floating over marble tile. Wood slats flank either side of a hallway mirror, giving the tiny zone its own special identity.
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
