Sometimes simple is best. While it’s nice to embrace colour every now and then, there’s something rather special about how a black and white kitchen can create a huge impact with so little effort. Let’s face it, you can never go wrong with monochrome – it’s timeless, sophisticated, and never goes out of style. Better still, it will mesh well with any interior style. Modern, traditional? Take your pick. It lends itself to all. Read our guide to find out how to introduce this easy combination into your kitchen.
Monochrome kitchen ideas
Monochrome has made a defiant appearance lately and is quickly rising to the top of the kitchen style stakes. For a striking result, we’d always recommend making one of the colours the grounding force, while letting the other take a backseat.
More than just white
Monochrome doesn’t have to always be about just pure white. Try pairing black with a contemporary off-white hue such as cream, eggshell or vanilla. Teaming it with a softer shade will help to create a sense of comfort. If you’re planning on using an intense black in your design, combine it with a variant of white to lessen the contrast, as it might look too harsh otherwise. A creamy hue will also combine well with a smoky shade of black, evoking a relaxed and homely feel.
Kitchen walls
Making your walls the primary focus in your monochrome kitchen will create a striking statement. You could paint the walls all white and then incorporate entirely black units, worktops and tiles – ideal for achieving a futuristic kitchen look. An alternate option could be to create a black feature wall, either with tiles or paint. Choose black units to sit this against and make the rest of the space white.
Feeling inventive? Black and white tiles will showcase your creativity. Create a checkerboard look for an art deco feel, or arrange one shade of the tiles in patterns e.g. zig zags or diamonds etc. Creating eye-catching shapes will bring an extra dimension to your kitchen.
Kitchen cabinets
There are numerous design strategies you can use to achieve a monochrome look with kitchen cabinets. Combining white kitchen units with a black kitchen island will transform it into a striking centrepiece. Another technique for creating stand-out style could be to have black kitchen cupboards overhead and white units along the bottom or vice versa. Designing the layout like this will create a huge impression on your guests.
Kitchen worktops
Working the monochrome trend through your worktops is pretty straight forward – either have your worktops all black and the units white or in the reverse colours. To go that one step further, decorate one side of the kitchen with black worktops and white units, and the other side of the kitchen with white worktops and black units. This will add instant personality to your space. If you’re planning on having a kitchen island, you could choose a work surface in the opposite colour to the rest of your kitchen design to make it stand out.
Black and white kitchen accessories
Bringing monochrome into your kitchen doesn’t necessarily have to be all about the units. You can easily inject black and white through your kitchen accessories. Incorporating little flashes of black in this way will bring impact across your décor. Try pairing a black oven and oven hood with black worktops, then make the rest of the kitchen design white.
Black stools are a stylish way to punctuate your space and will add definition to a white kitchen island or breakfast bar. Or, you could install oversized black light fittings above a mainly white kitchen design to make it the centre of attention.
Achieving the monochrome look could be as simple as choosing an all-black sink and contrasting it against white worktops. Or, make the tap the focus by combining a statement black fixture with a white sink. For subtle hints of black or white through your space, choose handles in the opposite colour to your units.
Black and white kitchen flooring
For the ultimate monochrome look, take inspiration from 1950s dining room décor and lay out your tiles in a black and white checkboard arrangement. Monochrome doesn’t have to be restricted to blocks of colour either: geometric floor tiles are a stylish way to introduce black and white into your kitchen. If you’re opting for bold patterns, ensure the rest of the interior is muted to prevent them from feeling overpowering.
Black and white kitchen décor
A black and white kitchen serves every kind of style. Whether you’re a fan of modern or traditional, you can make your kitchen reflect either of these trends. We show you how, below
For a modern kitchen
For a contemporary take on black and white kitchen decor, look towards glossy worktops. You could even choose Tek walls. These scream contemporary, and will amp up the minimalist feel immediately. Quartz worktops are a good option if you’re looking to introduce some texture into your contemporary theme. There’s no reason why you can’t add flashes of colour either. Black cabinets, white tiles and a pastel backdrop make for a winning combination and will evoke modern appeal.
A Scandinavian-style kitchen is another on-trend way to capture a modern black and white aesthetic. To achieve this look, keep the kitchen all white and bring in black through your accessories.
For a traditional kitchen
Even though you might associate the monochrome trend with a modern kitchen, that’s not to say it can’t be used in a traditional kitchen either. When done correctly, black and white can actually feel rather cosy. To master this look, lean towards wooden black and white wooden finishes – whether that’s handles, accessories, or worktops.
By choosing organic textures, you’ll create a sense of warmth – a key ingredient in a traditional setting. As white is synonymous with comfort, we’d recommend making it the primary colour across your scheme. In terms of traditional décor, a period-style kitchen theme is a good choice as black and white are both prominent colours in this look.
So, there you have it – all the tips you need to design a classic black and white kitchen. Interested to see what a monochrome theme would look like in your kitchen? Our kitchen planner will help you envisage your dream look, or book an appointment to come see us at your nearest showroom.
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