Revive Your Black Kitchen Cabinets With These Gorgeous Color Combos

If you have sophisticated black kitchen cabinets, you know they can easily make a kitchen feel dark and gloomy if paired with the wrong colors. The key is choosing a color scheme that balances out the bold black cabinets to keep your kitchen feeling bright and vibrant.

Black kitchen cabinets are dramatic and striking, instantly creating a bold look. However, too much black can overwhelm a space, making it feel like a cave rather than a functional kitchen. By balancing deep black cabinets with lighter wall colors and pops of color throughout the space, you can keep things from feeling too heavy or monochromatic.

Avoid Going Too Dark With Wall Colors

When designing a kitchen with black cabinets, it's imperative to avoid very dark wall colors. Painting the walls black, charcoal, or navy to match the cabinets will create a cavernous feeling that swallows up the light. Dark walls paired with black cabinets can feel claustrophobic and cave-like rather than stylish and sophisticated.

Instead, look to lighter wall colors to provide contrast against the dramatic black cabinets. Painting the walls white or a very light neutral shade will keep the space feeling open and airy. Darker accent walls can work, but use them sparingly to prevent a gloomy effect.

Soft Greys Prevent a Cold, Stark Look

For a lighter wall color that's warmer than bright white, soft greys and greige (a blend of grey and beige) are excellent choices. While white walls provide great contrast, all that stark brightness can feel cold and sterile. Pale greys add a subtle touch of warmth while still keeping things light.

Look for grey shades with beige, taupe, or even lavender undertones for a wall color that complements black cabinets without competing. Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray or Revere Pewter are great options. Stay away from darker grey shades, which can still run the risk of feeling dreary.

Warm Neutrals Add a Bright Backdrop

In addition to greys, warm beige and cream neutrals make excellent wall colors for kitchens with black cabinets. They provide soft, neutral backdrops that keep the space feeling bright and cheery.

Benjamin Moore's White Dove or Classic Linen are fail-safe options with a touch of warmth. For a slightly bolder neutral, try shades of camel, beige, or greige. Avoid going too dark with the depth of the color, as you still want the black cabinets to pop.

The Classic Black and White Combo

Nothing provides contrast against black cabinets quite like clean, bright white walls. The classic black and white color scheme is timeless and elegant, allowing the dark cabinets to stand out strikingly.

White kitchen walls serve as a simple, neutral backdrop that keeps the space feeling open and light-filled. Stark white paint has a brightness that prevents black cabinets from feeling oppressive or overwhelming. It's a foolproof combination that always looks polished.

Options Beyond Basic White

If basic white feels too sterile for your taste, there are other very light colors that offer a similar brightening effect. Benjamin Moore's Cloud White has a subtle warmth, while Chantilly Lace features a tiny hint of gray for depth. Decorators White by Sherwin Williams also has a touch of creaminess.

Barely-there pastel shades like rose, mint, or buttercream can also provide subtle pops of color against white walls if you want to incorporate more color than just black and white. Keep the pastel shades very pale to prevent overwhelming the dramatic black cabinets.

Black and White Accessories Pull It Together

Once your walls are bright white, have fun accessorizing with black and white patterns and prints. Graphic artwork, black and white patterned tiles or textiles, and throw pillows with black and white motifs help reinforce the color scheme.

This two-tone approach of white walls and black cabinets allows you to really play up the contrast with fun black and white accessories throughout the kitchen.

Make a Statement with Bold, Vibrant Colors

For contemporary kitchens with black cabinets, vibrant pops of color on the walls create an energizing, bold look. Primary shades like cobalt blue, cherry red, and citrus orange make the dark cabinets the dramatic anchor point in the kitchen.

Much like a little black dress, black cabinets serve as the perfect neutral backdrop for bright colors to shine. The deep black cabinets ground and balance out vivid wall colors that could otherwise feel overwhelming.

Peppy Pastels Work Too

If primary colors feel too intense, lighter pastel versions can provide the same contrasting pop against black cabinets. A pale robin's egg blue, washed out peach, or minty pistachio green add just a touch of color to warm up white or neutral walls.

Pastels keep things looking light and airy but still pull together a complete color scheme with the deep black cabinets. Too much pastel can look dated, so use it sparingly as an accent.

Tie in Color With Decor and Small Appliances

Once your kitchen walls feature pops of color, pull it all together with complementary decor and small appliances. Mix and match colorful kitchenware like canisters, dishes, and utensils. Change up your toaster, mixer, and coffeemaker to match your wall color for a coordinated look.

For black cabinets with blue walls, bring in navy dishes or appliances. With a red accent wall, incorporate cherry red decor. Repeat and reinforce your chosen color to create a bold, lively scheme.

Warm, Earthy Accent Colors Provide Character

While vibrant primary colors make a bold statement, accent walls in warmer earth tones can add a subtle burst of color that feels a little more natural and organic against the sleek black cabinets.

Unique earth tones like emerald green, mustard yellow, brick red, burnt orange, and rust add pops of color that feel both homey and sophisticated. Keep the rest of the kitchen light and neutral to allow the accent wall color to shine.

Terracotta and Olive Green Offer Subtle Richness

Specifically, deep green and orange earth tones work beautifully with black kitchen cabinets. Benjamin Moore's Kittery Point Green offers a sophisticated mossy green. For orange, try terracotta or burnt orange shades with brown undertones like Firecracker Red or Caramelized Orange.

These colors have more subtle richness than bright primary colors. They feel bold and welcoming without overwhelming the space or competing too heavily with those dramatic black cabinets.

Tie it Together with Natural Textures and Materials

To play up the earthy color schemes, add natural textures that complement the black cabinets. Stone or brick backsplashes, wood countertops, rattan light fixtures, and linen curtains reinforce the organic warmth of accent colors like emerald and terracotta.

Black cabinets mixed with these materials and colors create a grounded, welcoming kitchen environment layered with personality.

Metallic Finishes Add Polished Contrast

For a kitchen rich with beautiful contrast, incorporate metallic finishes and hardware against the solid black cabinets. Warm metals like brass, copper, nickel, and bronze add polished sheen.

Try brass or nickel hardware on the cabinets themselves - like knobs, pulls, and hinges. Swapping out basic hardware for metallic finishes elevates the look of black cabinets, letting them serve as a bold anchor in the kitchen.

Mix and Match Finishes For Interest

Don't be afraid to mix up the metal finishes for added diversity. For example, brass knobs and nickel hinges or a chrome faucet with bronze light fixtures. Just be sure the finishes play well together and complement each other.

You can also incorporate metal finishes through table bases, bar stools, pendant lighting, or appliances. Just a touch of mixed metals adds elegant contrast and dimension against solid black cabinets.

Silvery Metals Tone Down the Boldness

For contemporary kitchens with black cabinets, cool-toned metals like stainless steel, chrome, and nickel provide sleek contrast. The silver tones feel more modern and help tone down the commanding boldness of black.

Try stainless steel appliances paired with simple silver cabinet hardware. Chrome lighting fixtures also complement this palette. The mix of black cabinets and silvery metals creates a streamlined, refined kitchen.

Design Elements For a Unified Look

When designing a kitchen with black cabinets as the focal point, consider how other elements like countertops, backsplashes, and flooring impact the overall look and color scheme.

Countertops That Complement Black Cabinets

Dark countertops like black granite can feel like overkill alongside black cabinets, making the space feel dark and heavy. Lighter countertops help brighten up the kitchen.

White marble, soapstone, light granite, or quartz countertops provide contrast. Butcher block or wood countertops also add nice warmth. Just be sure to avoid a clashing undertone.

Backsplashes Provide Personality

Creative backsplashes let you incorporate color, pattern, and texture against black cabinets. Handmade tiles, colorful glass, or geometric patterns enliven the space.

Mosaics in shades complementary to your wall color scheme tie everything together. Or stick with classic white subway tile for a light, clean look. Just avoid dark backsplashes, which can compete with black cabinetry.

Floors That Ground the Space

With dramatic black cabinets, stick with neutral flooring as opposed to patterned or colorful. Light oak or grey-toned wood floors complement most color schemes. Or try tiles or vinyl planks in natural stone shades.

If you want color underfoot, earth tones like terracotta work well. Just avoid busy patterns that compete for attention against the statement cabinets.

Pulling it All Together Stylistically

Now that we've covered complementary colors, textures, metals, and materials, how does it come together based on different stylistic aesthetics? Here are some ideas for various design aesthetics.

Sleek Modern Style

For a slick modern look, pair matte black cabinets with glossy white or light grey walls, concrete-look countertops, and pops of chrome. Stainless steel appliances and track lighting complete the contemporary vibe.

Rustic Farmhouse Charm

Give black cabinets rustic flair by pairing them with wood countertops and open shelving. Wood floors, woven textiles, and brass accents add to the homey charm. Try earthy accent wall colors like sage green.

Retro-Inspired Kitchen

For retro appeal, combine black cabinets with checkerboard flooring or bright retro wallpaper. Chrome details, colorful appliances, and light wood laminate counters create a 50s-60s style.

Minimalist Elegance

Keep it elegantly minimalist with matte black cabinets, white quartz countertops, light oak floors, and shiny metal hardware. Crisp white walls stripped of accessories embody minimalism.

Boho Eclectic Personality

Make black cabinets part of an eclectic mix with Moroccan tiles, colorful textiles, and vintage wood counters. Paint an accent wall burnt orange and add an abundance of plants for an earthy boho vibe.

Black kitchen cabinets offer plenty of drama and bold impact. But take care to balance out all that darkness with an intentional, well-thought-out color scheme. Lighter wall colors, metallic hardware, and pops of color throughout the kitchen prevent black cabinets from feeling too imposing.

Whether you love classic black and white, eclectic primary colors, or moody earth tones, this guide provides color combination inspiration to refresh your black cabinet kitchen. With good contrast and visual interest, your dark cabinets can anchor the space in style.