Tips for Designing a Black, Modern IKEA Kitchen

Move over, little white kitchen. White may be a timeless color choice for your IKEA kitchen, but black has its place too. Everyone knows black is the classy color choice for any event.

That’s why you see so many articles claiming that something is “the new black!”

No good can come from this mindset. In the 1970s, someone said, “Goldenrod and avocado are the new black!” and some kitchen designer covered my childhood home’s kitchen in those colors, from the linoleum to the wallpaper and even the appliances. It already looked dated when we moved in in 1988.

Let’s face it: there’s no such thing as the new black. Black is classic. Black is timeless. And best of all? Right now, black is the new black. Especially when it comes to your IKEA kitchen.

IKEA’s Affordable Options for a Black Kitchen

IKEA has a wealth of options for those of you who want to make a bold brown-black statement in your kitchen:

• LERHYTTAN or KUNGSBACKA doors (If you want to add some glass doors into the mix, try JUTIS!)
• EKBACKEN or SALJAN countertops
• GAMLESJÖN and TOLLSJÖN black kitchen sink faucets

Real-world Customer Tips for Designing a Black IKEA Kitchen

Here, we look at four real-world tips from our customers’ IKEA kitchens en noir, including:

1. Contrast is essential.
2. Mix the old with the new.
3. Lighting creates a dynamic look.
4. The power of accessorizing.

Contrasting Light and Dark

Light floors and countertops provide the necessary contrast that makes this IKEA kitchen stunning.

Note the combination of traditional and glass LERHYTTAN doors on the SEKTION cabinets to add some variety while maintaining the color scheme.

Whether you prefer a black-and-white look for your kitchen or a pop of color, IKEA has everything you need.

Mix the Old and the New

Remember the old saying, “black goes with everything, and everything goes with black”? Maybe you want to integrate certain elements of your existing kitchen with your new design, just like Miranda did in her rental unit.

She paired black GNOSJÖ door panels on the bottom to match her appliances, and white APPLÅD doors on top to keep things bright. (Note the name changes! When AKURUM became SEKTION, GNOSJÖ became TINGSRYD, and APPLÅD is now VEDDINGE.) Added bonus? Dark on the bottom conceals dirt.

IKEA Lighting Adds a Dynamic Look to Black Kitchen Design

Consider lighting at different heights to keep your kitchen from becoming a black hole. Mix pendant, ceiling, and under-cabinet lights for a dynamic look. The HEKTAR pendant lamp brings warmth to this industrial IKEA kitchen.

If your kitchen has large windows and skylights, be sure to take advantage of that natural light, as well!

Accessorizing a Black Kitchen Adds Elegance

The right accessories are your keys to a successful black IKEA kitchen. Fixtures, hardware, and appliances can all serve as accent pieces to make the black kitchen elements really stand out.

This IKEA kitchen design we created wasn’t featured on Popsugar only because of the custom Semihandmade black doors–it also shows just how much of a difference accessories can make. Think of the GLENN bar stools as an elegant pearl necklace paired with the timeless little black dress.

The end result is nothing short of glamorous.

Image credits
All images of customer kitchens are used with permission.
“Lyle Doing Dishes” by Flickr user Homini:) is licensed under CC BY 2.0.