Your Guide to Black Kitchen Cabinets: Shopping, Design, and Installation
Whether your taste leans towards modern vibes or traditional charm, black kitchen cabinets are a timeless choice for any household. The popularity of black cabinets has been on the rise in recent years, prompting various cabinet manufacturers to include at least one black or charcoal option in their lineup. With numerous shades of black existing in the interior design world, some cabinet makers have even adapted to this trending color by providing not just one, but multiple black color options. This means you’ll have a large variety of materials, finishes, and accessories to consider when choosing black cabinets for your new kitchen. Be it designing cabinet doors in the traditional shaker style or opting instead for sleek flat panel doors, the Kitchen Search team is at your service to help create the black kitchen cabinet design you’ve been dreaming of.
Why Opt for Black Cabinets in Your Kitchen?
Black cabinets can bring a touch of warmth and elegance to any kitchen, creating a captivating and surprisingly cozy, welcoming space. If you want to introduce a sense of drama and depth to your kitchen, though, black cabinets can do that too. They are stylistic shapeshifters and can both blend with and create contrast against your other design elements like countertops, backsplashes, and appliances with ease.
Because the color black complements a wide range of design styles and serves as a neutral base that pairs well with various color schemes, you can build virtually any theme off of this bold, punchy foundation. Every style, from farmhouse chic to Scandinavian minimalist, can utilize black cabinets in their design and end up with something that is somehow both classic yet trendy, modern yet traditional. Not many kitchen trends can make that claim, so we don’t doubt that the popularity of black kitchens is here to stay, even if for no other reason than their sheer versatility.
Apart from simply being beautiful, black cabinets are also functional. Let’s start with the concept of potentially needing to repaint, touch up, or replace some element of your cabinets 10 years down the road. Maybe your teething puppy took a bite out of a cabinet corner, maybe your husband left the cupboard open and you walked into the door and broke it. Whatever the scenario, there will be a limited need to “color match” when seeking a fix. Black cabinets are quite a popular choice, and just like purchasing a common car, you won’t have a hard time finding replacement parts or trying to blend different stains or wood grains to fix your simple black kitchen cabinets.
Top Material Choices for Black Cabinets
A world of materials is yours to choose from when it comes to picking your black kitchen cabinets. Options include stainless steel, melamine, metal, wood, and thermofoil. Luxurious, solid wood cabinets might be the immediate go-to in a customer’s mind, but the best choice for your kitchen can vary widely depending on your chosen design and budget. A breakdown of the material choices is provided below. However, it’s advisable to consult with our Kitchen Search design team to determine the most suitable option for your space, needs, budget, and style.
Solid Wood Cabinets
Solid wood cabinets are usually pricier than other options due to their durability, potential for future refinishing, substantial feel, and timeless appearance. They come in various wood species, grain patterns, and stain options. Choices typically include oak, maple, cherry, and walnut. Black solid wood cabinets can add a bold, high-quality punch to any room. However, though they’re durable and easy to repair, they might require more maintenance compared to other materials. The good news is that they’re also environmentally friendly considering that they are built from renewable resources that degrade quickly and naturally.
Stainless Steel Cabinets
Stainless steel cabinets are a great choice for a contemporary, industrial, or European-style kitchen. They’re known for durability and easy cleaning, qualities essential in commercial kitchens, but did you know that they’re also making their mark in residential settings?
Melamine Cabinets
Melamine is an engineered wood (particle board) that is coated with smooth resin. These cabinets are some of the most budget-friendly out of all the material options. They’re easy to maintain and come in a wide array of colors and styles. However, some users find them to have a less high-quality feel to them than something like solid wood cabinets. Additionally, melamine cabinets usually can’t be refinished like solid wood, often leading to replacement.
Metal Cabinets
Metal cabinets come in numerous colors and cabinet door styles. They channel vintage vibes but can easily complement eclectic and modern aesthetics, as well. They’re solid and easy to clean, allowing for unique and bold designs. The only downside is that they’re susceptible to scratching and denting which typically means they need to be replaced.
Thermofoil Cabinets
Thermofoil cabinets are made from MDF wood that is covered in a vinyl veneer. The vinyl layer guards the moisture-sensitive MDF, thus making it possible to use this material in high-moisture environments. Thermofoil cabinets have a smooth appearance and can be printed in a huge selection of colors and patterns and can even mimic wood. However, the vinyl veneer can delaminate or scratch over time.
Popular Door Design Options for Black Cabinets
You’ve selected the perfect material and settled on a bold black theme for your kitchen cabinets. Now, you can figure out what type of cabinet doors best suit the style and feel you’re aiming for. Thankfully, there are many door styles to choose from. Among the most common are the shaker, flat or slab, raised, and European panel designs. Additional possibilities include beadboard, arched cathedral, and mission styles. We’ve provided an overview of the most popular options, below:
Shaker Style
Shaker-style doors are often the top pick for black cabinets. They feature simple rectangular frames around recessed center panels. These doors carry an old-world feel with traditional historical use but can easily adapt to other design concepts depending on the appliances, countertops, and backsplash you choose.
Flat or Slab Style
Flat panel doors have a simple and sleek surface that gives off a modern vibe. People often associate this style with minimalistic, European, and contemporary designs. You can choose to add handles or knobs or go without them. If you include handles, it typically tones down the modern look. But if you prefer a super modern feel, you can go for bare black slab cabinets.
Raised Panel Style
Raised panel doors feature an elevated central panel within a framed border. Usually, the border has the same raised profile as the elevated central panel and a detailed groove divides them. This type of door is usually used for more traditional kitchen designs.
European Style
European-style doors completely cover the cabinet frame. They’re an excellent choice for a minimalistic kitchen design, and their stylistic adaptability allows them to be used in either a cozy traditional theme or a sleeker modern aesthetic. If you wanted the former, you could choose a natural wood grain, but for the latter, black cabinet doors would be ideal.
Essential Accessories for Black Kitchen Cabinets
The functionality of kitchen cabinets heavily relies on the accessories, shelves, and inserts integrated into them. Elements such as cabinet pulls, handles, range hoods, trash can storage, and drawer organizers are vital enhancements that transform your elegant black cabinets into storage galore. At Kitchen Search, you’ll find a comprehensive selection, including:
- Pegboard Drawers
- Charging Drawers
- Simple and Double-Tier Cutlery Drawers
- Wire Peg Inserts (for things like Pots and Pans)
- Deep Roll-Out Trays (for things like appliances and other miscellaneous items)
- Stemware and Bottle Holders
- Wall Spin Trays
- Half-Moon Pull-Outs
- Basket Pull-Outs
- Pantry Pull-Outs
- Tray Pull-Outs
- Spice Pull-Outs
See our catalog for even more accessory options.
Finishes That Complement Black Cabinets
Cabinet finishes play a crucial role by impacting not just a kitchen’s design, but also its durability, ease of cleaning, and maintenance. Like the other elements we’ve covered, a wide array of choices are available for finishing your black cabinets including paint, stain, glaze, laminate, distress, veneer, natural, high-gloss, matte, patina, glass, and practically any combination of these. To make the best selection for your project, chat with a Kitchen Search Specialist about your dream kitchen, today!
Key Features of Kitchen Search’s Black Cabinets
We are all about people. We love serving and helping our customers make their kitchen projects easier and more fun! You can rest assured that you are in good hands and getting the best design service when you work with the Kitchen Search team. Our simple and easy 3-step process makes your time investment minimal while allowing you to leave with the assurance that you are making the right decision. During our initial call, we will answer all the questions you might have. To contact us, call or text: 215-253-5800. You can also schedule a 15-minute video consultation at kitchensearch.com/go.
Price Range of Kitchen Search’s Black Cabinets
Our prices are typically 30-50% lower than big box stores. This is the best alternative to traditional kitchen buying out there! We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy quality cabinetry at a better price.
Black Cabinet Projects Undertaken by Kitchen Search
Kitchen Search worked with the owners of this beautiful home to create an open, luxurious kitchen packed with storage and organization accessories. It was important to our clients to incorporate a large island to allow the kitchen space to flow effortlessly into the living and dining areas while maximizing countertop prep space. Our team was also able to provide an alternate dining area with countertop seating that doubles as added seating for large gatherings.
The beautiful dual-tone theme throughout the kitchen is both stylish and welcoming and features a bold black kitchen island paired with white cabinets in the rest of the kitchen. Both neutral yet powerful colors enhance the modern, updated feel of the stainless steel appliances and also help warm up the space with open wood shelving and a black faucet. If you love the look of this kitchen, let us help you achieve something similar in your home!
Elevate Your Kitchen with Stylish Black Cabinets from Kitchen Search
Ready to revolutionize your kitchen? Look no further than Kitchen Search – your trusted ally in bringing your kitchen dreams to life.
At Kitchen Search, we recognize that your kitchen holds more significance than being just a cooking space; it’s the very heart of your home and a place where memories are made. Our curated range of black cabinets can serve as the ideal canvas to shape a space that fits you.
Whether you’re aiming for a minimalist modern aesthetic or a cozy traditional vibe, our Kitchen Search design team can adapt every design to our customer’s individual needs and desired aesthetic. Our dedication to quality ensures that your cabinets are not just stunning but also durable, making the most out of your investment.
Our team of experts is committed to guiding you through every step of the journey – from envisioning your ideal kitchen to selecting the perfect black cabinets, all the way to installation. With unparalleled craftsmanship and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Kitchen Search is here to help our customers with their black kitchen cabinet projects from start to finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are black kitchen cabinets in style?
The short answer is yes! Black kitchen cabinets are very much in style, but not to the point of being trendy and temporary. We can’t see into the future, but black is such a neutral color and can suit so many design tastes and concepts that you can bet that black kitchen cabinets won’t go out of style any time soon. This is especially true when you consider that you can change other elements in your kitchen to match your evolving style over time, like your backsplash or appliances.
If your goal is to keep an updated look over time, it will matter how you style them throughout your kitchen’s lifetime. For example, farmhouse decor often features black cabinetry, and this general style has arguably seen its apex in terms of popularity and has now become somewhat niche. However, this simply comes down to accents and accessories rather than cabinetry color as a whole. If you still love the rustic feel of a farmhouse kitchen and would like to utilize black cabinets, you might consider a “cottagecore” or “maximalist” theme which is making a huge comeback in design magazines everywhere and achieves the same vibe without being overdone.
Are black kitchen cabinets a good idea?
This depends on the customer! Do you like black cabinets? If so, then yes! Even if you didn’t think you were a black cabinet type of person, you may have seen a jaw-dropping kitchen featuring bold black cabinets or possibly a dual-tone kitchen on a Pinterest pin that is everything you never knew you wanted. But let’s set taste aside for a moment. Black cabinets also provide a neutral base for a variety of styles and can be changed over time to suit your style in that particular era without having to renovate your entire kitchen.
Black cabinets are also a good choice if you want a more budget-friendly cabinet material. That’s for a few reasons. The first is that unlike with solid wood cabinets, you aren’t painting over beautiful wood that some argue should be showcased, not covered. Some even think painting over solid wood defeats the purpose of purchasing such a luxurious material. Another reason is that black is a simple color to match and pair with other cabinet elements. As noted, every manufacturer has a black cabinet color option, and if they don’t, you can likely paint a cabinet component yourself to suit your needs. This means that black cabinets are also easier to maintain over time and find replacement parts for. Additionally, whether it’s paint, colored resin, or vinyl veneer, the black coating can come in a variety of materials which means you can also choose from a variety of cabinet construction types – melamine, thermofoil, wood, etc.
Are black kitchen cabinets difficult to clean?
No, black cabinets are no more difficult to clean than any other color of cabinetry. However, they might show dust and fingerprints more obviously than, for example, white or grey cabinets. This could be both a good thing and a bad thing, depending on who you are. If you are a very neat and tidy person, this might be a bonus for you. When you clean your cabinets, you’ll know that there is no dust hiding somewhere that you just can’t see. If you are a busy mom of 5 young kiddos, this might be a negative for you. However, because most black cabinets will be slick and smooth to the touch, whether it be paint, veneer, or resin, you can be sure that a quick wipe with a damp microfiber towel will do the trick, making them very simple and easy to clean.
