Its lovely, why not be different?

Hello Emmeline,
Well a dark kitchen decor doesn't need to mean dark overall.. I love them! deVOL and Plain English dark styles.. I find these far more interesting than opting for white! Although in the right setting white can be fabulous. It's really down to the space.. I think of course it's also choice but people seem to be afraid of being bold or thinking creatively! The assumption is that if there is a lack of natural light for one example that you must counteract this with a light decor. Sometimes embracing the idea of dark can yield some dramatic results.. I have only ever seen 1 kitchen on houzz (big budget!) that I thought was truly amazing! It wasn't necessarily dark but it was creative in a most fabulous way - it was called Beirutful kitchen! :))

Love the dark kitchen phenomenon. I have dark graphite grey on my walls and a black floor which is spiced up with accessories in zingy oranges, lime greens and pink with a centred pink chandelier. Also ambient warm lighting above the cupboards helps make the space warm and welcoming. I love it.

Hello Emmeline, I love dramatic look of dark kitchens! They have a big trend now too but at the same time to be fair to say, you really should like the atmosphere they create. Personally I love the look but I don't know if I would be comfortable living with so much drama.

This particular kitchen is finished to an absolute perfection. New, creative, interesting, carefully designed to the very last detail. You can tell this masterpiece is created by a professional. Colour is not as important as the careful blend of the many aspects of the design. Extra lighting would drain the atmosphere away. I think the room has enough natural light and, more importantly, the high ceiling, clean lines and simplicity can afford the rich colour without being oppressively dark. Well done deVol.

In winter I think it would be nice and cosy with lights in the right places and splashes of colour brought in with vibrant fruit and vegetables, interesting ceramics or copper pots for example. However in summer I would find it too depressing and cave-like. Imagine waking up on a lovely sunny Saturday morning and going down to make your breakfast in there - that would be a real mood dampener. For that reason, overall, I have to say no to this look.

I think it depends on how much natural light is available and what other lighting options there are. I'd say there needs to be some contrast like the white worktop and splashback in the photo.

You know when you turn the page of a magazine and a navy /grey/purple kitchen pops out at you and you go,wow,I want that! Well this doesn't do it. Its not striking,its dull.A white and brass french range cooker would help and a gradient of greys behind the shelves. Bit depressing.

Simply Not

Dark kitchens are harder to pull off so when they're done properly they look amazing. Beats the bland white any day!

in the right room with good lighting a dark kitchen can look magnificent. I saw one some time back in Germany - framed ash door painted in black and it was extraordinary - like a gothic masterpiece!

We have also installed a few black high gloss kitchens in the past and because of the reflective surface there is no sense of claustraphobia - they can even work well in relatively small rooms

love it!

Looks lovely....and makes a huge statement. We did the same in a galley kitchen and the dark scheme added so much interest into the otherwise dull space.

Sloane Avenue Studio · More Info

Sloane Avenue Studio · More Info

Sloane Avenue Studio · More Info

I think the idea of dark colours is to give drama and elegance... but too much makes it look dark and dingy. Things to bear in mind are, size of room, natural light in the room and is there enough other lighting - ceiling lights, under cupboard lights. For instance if this picture had lighting in and above the shelving, and the extractor lights were switched on above the range cooker, it would look a lot better.

I love this kitchen, it is very dramatic. The white worktops add contrast and the stainless steel cooker with its mirrored doors bounce light around. This room looks as though it has fairly high ceilings and natural light, so it would depend on the space, as to whether this dark graphite grey would work for everyone.

I find even looking at that photo depressing .... and the knives displayed on the wall make it all the more macabre

I'm very conflicted, I look at this kitchen and my immediate response is 'wow!' I love all the moody drama and that would usually be enough to convince me. However for once the practicalities are worrying me, my present home is gloomy enough as it is (not my decor but the amount of light it gets!) and I just don't think it could take a dark kitchen despite all the design advice telling me I should embrace the 'cosiness' and paint everything black. Perhaps if my next home is a bit brighter, which I fully intend it will be, I might be able to 'go over to the dark side' :D

Very good points, I think the above kitchen is beautiful, but it won't work for every space. My own kitchen is white, but I've been looking at black ones recently. This one from Laura Lakin is lovely because it embraces both light and dark.

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Two tone kitchens are coming into fashion now, also incorporating wood accents.

I love it but each to their own.

I really like the concept & appreciate that it doesn't work in every context but when well executed, it is difficult to fault. deVOL have this down to a fine art- well worth having a peek at their website.

Agree that it really depends on how much natural light you have to play with. But I think for this particular space, the combination of dark walls and cabinets makes for a sophisticated and bold kitchen design with bucket-fulls of character.

Just looking through our portfolio, the kitchen below benefits from lots of light so can handle the deep blue-grey finish of the cabinets, which are hand-painted in 'Railings' by Farrow & Ball. But this is also balanced out with the lighter walls, worktops and flooring.

Thames Ditton Bespoke Contemporary Shaker Kitchen · More Info

Thames Ditton Bespoke Contemporary Shaker Kitchen · More Info