30 Timeless Black and White Kitchen Design Ideas

ByGiezl Clyde Ilustre - Interior Designer Kitchen Designs

These days, you can have your kitchen in virtually any color and finish possible, but for some people, too many choices can be overwhelming. There’s nothing bad with going back to basics – to your standard black and white kitchen design combination. Not only is it easy, but it’s a color combination that is timeless and versatile and will never go out of style.

Black and white kitchen with white cabinets, black island and black lamp shades

The picture above is a contemporary design with black-and-white cabinets with updated finishes and materials. If you have a traditional-style space and want to give it a bit of an update, a little matte black paint on the island base could give it a more contemporary look. Use black hardware and use modern lamps to amp up the look.

If you have existing wooden cabinets, it will be easy to repaint to match this scheme. Others might think that this color combination is boring, but you can always play around with various tones (warm or cool whites, etc), textures (wood texture, smooth, pebbled), and finishes (matte, satin, or gloss).

Laminated models also come in a variety of finishes, so you don’t have to worry about being limited with options. Even black has different tones available! Play around with the available finishes, and you’ll be surprised with the many different combinations you can make.

Aside from playing around with cabinet colors, there are also various countertop material choices available in black-and-white. If you want a smooth, clean look that is non-porous and easy to maintain, consider using a solid surface, especially for large/long counters, so you don’t have to worry about joints.

Quartz is also a good option if you want a bit of pattern, but it is more low-key than natural stones. But if you have an extra budget, you can always go for granite, marble, soapstone, and other natural stones.

A contrasting base and countertop color is popular these days – dark cabinets with white top or vice versa. When choosing a material for your countertop, consider your budget, the size of the counter (natural stones tend to have size limitations), and the style you are going for. Don’t forget to consider the care & maintenance for the material you have chosen to ensure it will last long and remain mold-free!

If you already have white kitchen cabinets, another way to pull off a black-and-white themed look is by using dark built-in appliances or hardware finishes to contrast with the light cabinetry. The result creates a subtle contrast, and you won’t need as much effort as repainting cabinets will entail.

Classic farmhouse-style additions often have visible hardware (hinges and pulls). If they’re still in good condition, you can also carefully paint them over with black, if replacement is not an option. Aside from that, you can also find fixtures in dark, such as sinks, faucets, and metal racks.

Below are a few great examples of design ideas you can take inspiration from for your next home improvement project:

Open concept kitchen with black cabinets white island and white tile backsplash

While most people have dark-painted cabinets as an accent, you can also have the dark-hued models as your main color and use white for your island for a more contemporary approach. If flat black is too dark for your tastes, you can explore using gunmetal shades, and soften it but pairing it with light or stainless steel hardware.

Luxury kitchen with white shaker cabinets black island dark wood flooring built in dining bench

Stainless steel furniture and accessories also work well with these cabinets. The stainless steel accents give your space a more industrial vibe, even if the cabinet style is more classic.

White Kitchen With Black Hardware

Modern kitchen with black cabinets white island with waterfall quartz counter black marble backsplash

For modern modular cabinets, having matte additions with matching hardware, combined with pure white island, gives a really refreshing and elegant contemporary look. The main fixtures and the island equally stand out, and the use of dark marble with light streaks gives a little texture to the counter surfaces.

Kitchen with black cabinets and white countertops with white subway tile backsplash

You can also have dark cabinets, paired with quartz countertop. Gold or brass hardware look great against dark fixtures and is a good alternative to stainless steel or dark hardware.

Modern kitchen with black island and white cabinets dark quartz backsplash

Some modern models prefer the low-profile designs, with no visible pulls, but instead use push to open hardware. This creates a really clean look for the kitchen. In this example, they are white with black appliances and countertop. This is paired with a flat-black island, which nicely complements the main fixtures.

Contemporary kitchen with black and white cabinets white counters

You can also mix your dark cabinetry with white. In his example, overhead models are in white, while the rest are in gunmetal color. Paired with stainless steel hardware, it creates a simple but stylish design.

Contemporary kitchen with black cabinets white quartz countertops white subway tile backsplash open shelving

Pair deep dark-toned fixtures with clean solid surface counters create a really nice bold contrast. The addition of gold hardware and small wood shelves softens the overall look, giving it a more homey vibe.

Modern Black and White Kitchen

Modern kitchen with dark cabinets white quartz counters

If you prefer more texture, many veneer and laminate options have dark finishes while keeping that natural wood texture visible. This is perfect for those who prefer a more natural feel to their kitchen.

Modern kitchen with black lower cabinets and white upper cabinets with quartz backsplash

Combining hardware-less light overhead cabinets with dark laminated types for the base creates a nice balance. The marble backsplash also helps add a nice pattern to the surface to help counter the monotones.

Modern kitchen with black cabinets white quartz counters wood flooring

Modern homes usually have open plan and flat white wall paint all over the interiors, so using dark cabinets won’t darken the ambiance. All-black fixtures pair nicely with light solid-surface countertop & backsplash.

Black & White Kitchen Backsplash

Kitchen with white cabinets black and white backsplash shiplap island

If painting your fixtures dark or changing your countertop is out of the question, you can also use the shade for your backsplash material. This example uses patterned black and white ceramic tiles to give more life and texture to this small kitchen space.

Kitchen with white cabinets black hexagon tile backsplash

If bold patterns are not your style, you can go for a more subtle effect which uses hexagonal mosaic tiles to pair with these cabinets and countertop.

White kitchen with black counters and black and white backsplash

If you feel a little more bold, you can even use two different patterns of backsplash tiles to give more personality to your cabinets!

Kitchen with black lower cabinets and white upper cabinets

This classic style kitchen is an almost dark, gunmetal gray with a few touches of white to soften the over-all look. These counters and overhead cabinets really balance out the dark fixtures. Dark backsplash tile with white grout creates an interesting design feature that flows from counter to ceiling. See more gray and white kitchen ideas here.

White Kitchen Cabinets with Black Countertops

Kitchen with white cabinets black and white checkered floor tile

If you’re feeling experimental, how about incorporating a retro-style checkerboard pattern tiles for your kitchen? This goes well with the light fixtures with a dark countertop and will be sure to turn heads. See more kitchen countertop ideas with white cabinets here.

Black and white galley kitchen

For galley designs, going too dark on your cabinets, especially if you already have dark floors, is a bad idea. An all-white cabinet paired with black granite countertops provides a more subtle contrast, perfect for small spaces.

White Kitchen Cabinets with Black Granite

Country kitchen with white cabinets black granite counters walnut flooring

Farmhouse-style kitchens usually have light cabinets, so it’s an easy base to use for a black-and-white style. This example has all-white farmhouse style fixtures with stainless hardware, paired with black galaxy granite countertop.

Galley style kitchen with black cabinets white quartz counters

This modern design goes for a slightly different approach to black-and-white designs. Instead of flat cabinets, it uses gray-laminated models with thick, white solid-surface countertops, and dark matte-black hardware for added contrast.

Kitchen with white cabinets and black soapstone countertop island with white tile backsplash and quartz main counters

Sometimes, you don’t even have to go all-out with these scheme. This classic style kitchen only added the dark-hued element to its large island countertop by using matte black soapstone, making it stand-out from the all-white fixtures and counters.

Kitchen with black cabinets white quartz countertops and backsplash

Give your traditional style kitchens an updated look by changing the cabinet colors to black and replacing countertops and backsplash with gorgeous marble with bold black streaks.

Black and white kitchen with wood laminate flooring

This closed kitchen combines black base cabinets with white overhead cabinets. Plain white solid-surface was the countertop of choice, to help balance out the carrara marble tiles used on the backsplash. The whole look is tied together by the the golden hardware consistently used on all fixtures.

Kitchen with white cabinets black countertops black light fixtures and hardware with laundry room barn doors

This is a contemporary approach to farmhouse style kitchen – it uses classic light cabinets paired with black countertop and white subway tiles for the backsplash. Small black hardware/pulls were use to add a little detail, and a barn sliding door was also an nice element added to complete the look.

Modern corner kitchen with black and white cabinets

Because this small layout is very tight, glossy-black laminates are used on the base cabinets to help them reflect some light and create an illusion of more space. This is paired with matte overhead fixtures for a clean & clutter-free look.

White Cabinetry and Black Appliances

Black and white farmhouse kitchen with wood island

Using black appliances on light cabinets is another simple way to achieve the black-and-white look. This is especially practical if you’re buying or moving into a house with no existing appliances yet. A contrasting kitchen island with a different color cabinet can be another creative way to give the design some visual interest.

Small kitchen with white cabinets black countertops white subway tile backsplash and peninsula

Because this is a small kitchen, the additions are in matte white and use a black granite countertop for a little contrast. For smaller layouts, black-and-white design ideas that utilize white cabinetry can help the room appear larger and brighter.

White kitchen with black quartz peninsula and black tile

If you have dark-colored flooring, white base cabinets are recommended. Use black countertop material for a little contrast. In this example, black soapstone was used, so it looks a little softer.

Kitchen with black soapstone counter island and white cabinetry subway tile backsplash

If most of your fixtures and additions are plain white, using a black marble countertop would be a nice touch to give it a little more personality.

White Painted Cabinets and Black Island

Contrasting kitchen island with black base cabinet and white main cabinets with beige granite countertops

This is another example of a classic style black-and-white kitchen. In this design, only the massive island is in black. Instead of paint, however, a wood stain was used, and the method of application allowed the original wood color to peek through to give it a bit of texture.

Kitchen with black soapstone countertop island and white cabinets with white shiplap ceiling

For this traditional style kitchen, the use of a matte finish for the black countertop instantly gave it a modern upgrade. The soft matte countertop surfaces help tie the whole look together. Visit this page to see more white kitchen cabinets with dark countertops.

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