35 Kitchens That Prove Black Appliances Look Great in a Cooking Space

Black appliances do it all: they can look a little retro, a bit antique, or sleek and modern. They can be a more updated alternative to white appliances while being a bit more unique than stainless steel versions.

If you're thinking about upgrading to new black appliances or you're just simply trying to work with what you've got, it can be a bit intimidating to decorate around one.

Black is neutral, so it plays well with nearly any other color. Creams, greens, and blues tend to look better with black appliances in their earthy and muted versions, while bright colors like yellow make a great statement.

We've rounded up 34 specific colors that look beautiful with black fridges, ovens, and microwaves, plus corresponding examples to inspire your kitchen makeover.

Burnt Red

If you're going for a moody yet traditional look, burnt red is a great option to pair with your black appliances. Its warm undertones will prevent a black oven or fridge from appearing too sterile. There are several ways you can use this dark hue in a kitchen, but applying it to an island will create a sense of visual balance across your kitchen.

Light Green

Light green really pops against black appliances. It's an especially ideal choice for kitchens with butcher block countertops, since green and wood tones tend to go well together (just think of trees). Bonus styling tip: Complete the contrasting look with a black farmhouse sink.

Pitch Black

Even built-in and panel-ready stoves contain a small strip of metal for the knobs, and this strip is sometimes black. If you want to make the knobs blend seamlessly with your cabinets, consider painting your cabinets black.

Charcoal

Not every black kitchen appliance is a true black. Some are more of a charcoal, and others may even lean a little gray. Matching your countertops or cabinet paint color to the specific black of your appliance isn't always an easy feat, but that's where samples come in clutch.

Lavender

We love a kitchen that shows off some color. Purple can lean warm or cool, and black is a flexible neutral that can play well with it. Black appliances really pop against mid-to-light shades of purple, such as lavender.

Brassy Gold

In traditional kitchens with a timeless old-world look, brass accents are small details that make a big impact. If you're wondering whether brass can look great in a kitchen with black appliances, the answer is a clear yes.

In fact, some oven manufacturers add brass knobs to black ovens. Brass and gold tones create a sophisticated high-contrast color scheme when paired with black.

Silvery Chrome

Sometimes it's best not to overthink the color of your kitchen's fixtures. To achieve a more modern and sleek look, chrome is always a safe choice for a kitchen with black appliances. Similar to white, chrome is highly reflective, while black absorbs light. So, pairing black with chrome creates contrast in its most classic form.

Pure White

Black appliances can be beautiful showpieces in a kitchen, especially if they have a vintage design. If you want to draw as much attention as possible to these features, you can't go wrong with pure white cabinets and tile. You can repeat the color black through small details, such as your knobs and pulls. The end result will be a crisp, clean design that lets the black accents take center stage.

Medium Gray with Blue Undertones

On the other hand, if you want to draw some attention away from your black appliances, consider going a bit darker on the surrounding cabinets. A medium gray with blue undertones invites just the right amount of color moodiness into a kitchen with black appliances. It's a ideal go-to option if black cabinets are too bold for your taste.

Warm Medium Brown

Natural wood tones are making a big comeback in the world of kitchen design. Contrary to what old design rules may say, you can indeed pair brown with black. The key is to choose a brown that isn't too dark.

While neutral-toned woods can look beautiful with black appliances, wood with slight orange tones will add a sense of warmth to the space.

Pale Gray with Blue Undertones

If an all-white kitchen isn't your style but you're not ready to commit to a bright hue, light gray is always a good option to consider. A light gray with subtle blue undertones will invite just a little color and a lot of brightness into the space.

Light Tan

When selecting wood flooring or tile options to go with black appliances, consider picking up a few light tan samples. Wood flooring with a natural stain won't run the risk of looking too orange or yellow in the space, and it can really brighten up a kitchen with all-black appliances and cabinets.

Deep Teal

Black appliances lend themselves well to the dark academia aesthetic. To really embrace this interior style, consider using dark accents, such as a deep teal or midnight blue, on your back splash. To add just the right amount of brightness, a marble countertop will round out the look.

Pale Yellow-Green

Just like the color gray shifts dramatically depending on undertones and the addition of white or black, so does green. A light green with a slight yellow undertone is a cheerful yet calming antithesis to a black fridge. This makes it a solid paint choice for cabinetry surrounding black appliances.

Black with Brown Undertones

Even if your appliances are a true black, it doesn't mean you need to opt for the exact same shade for your cabinets. Add a little interest to a monochromatic design by opting for a slightly lighter black than your appliance.

A black with brown undertones invites a natural, warm look into the kitchen. You should also be able to source stone in a similar color, and perhaps even with a little brown veining.

Mint

There's something so comforting about the nostalgia of a retro kitchen. Pastel appliances were common features in 1950s kitchens. Rather than tracking down a matching set of reproduction appliances, you can opt for black appliances and apply a pastel color, like mint, to your cabinets. The black appliances will add a nice modern touch and keep the space from looking too dated.

Taupe

Black appliances work especially well in a neutral kitchen. Warm neutrals, such as taupe, can help you achieve a modern organic style in your kitchen. You can add the color taupe via flooring or window treatments.

Forest Green

Forest green and black is a classic color combo. Both of these dark hues are different enough to stand out, but they still harmonize well together. Aside from painting your cabinets this color, there are other ways to add a nice green pop to your kitchen. Opting for green bar stools is a low-stakes way to introduce green into the space.

Turquoise

Pale blue and pale green tend to look great with black, so it's no wonder that the two colors combined also do. You can make a statement in your kitchen with black appliances by adding some turquoise tile to a kitchen island or backsplash. Turquoise will add a nice costal flair to a neutral kitchen.

Orange-Brown

True black appliances don't really have warm or cool undertones present. This means you can easily pair these features with either warm or cool colors. If you choose to go the warm route, you don't have to lunge for a bright primary color like red or yellow. An orange-brown is a beautiful earth-tone color, and you can incorporate it into your kitchen via natural materials like leather and stone.

Bubblegum Pink

If you're team millennial pink, let it be known in your kitchen. The color black adds a sophisticated edge to this playful pink, so it's a wonderful hue to explore in a kitchen with black appliances.

While painting your cabinets pink is a hefty time and cost commitment, introducing this color into your kitchen through wall paint or small accessories is an easy way to explore this trend.

Off-White

If you're trying to hone a timeworn and vintage look in your kitchen, explore the world of off-white paint and tile. Off-white doesn't create as stark of a contrast with black appliances as bright white does. However, it still lets chic black appliances be the focal point.

Gray with Green Undertones

If you like the earthy look that green adds to kitchens with black appliances but you're a bit hesitant, a gray with green undertones is a good alternative. Black appliances will really highlight the green undertones in the best way because it will give the eyes a reference point of a true neutral.

Muted Green

If you want to take a gray with green undertones a step further, try a muted green. This color may read as more of a medium gray at night, but when the sun is shining, it will look like a stunning yet understated green. Muted green looks especially great with black kitchen appliances with a hint of gray in them.

Muted Red

Much like yellow, red is a cheerful color to pair with black. However, too much bright red can be a little overstimulating in a kitchen with black appliances. If you want to utilize the color red in your kitchen in a more subtle way, consider adding a vintage woven rug to the space.

Sky Blue

Dusty pale blues are extra in vogue right now. This hue especially pairs well with black ovens with brass accents and a European flair. Together, they evoke the look of a modern French country kitchen.

Warm Yellow

Black appliances are bold in themselves, so why not lean into that even more with yellow cabinets? This cheerful color adds a sense of energy to the color black. It can keep the room from appearing too dark and dingy. When weighing your options for backsplash, try out light gray, which has a grounding effect on black and yellow.

Slate Blue

Slate blue has the perfect amount of nuance. Depending on the weather or the time of day, it can lean more blue or gray. Black appliances look lovely surrounded by slate blue cabinetry because the dark pop adds a sense of depth to the medium shade.

Navy Blue

We've already established that you can indeed pair brown cabinetry with black appliances. This same rule applies to navy blue cabinetry and black. You just have to ensure that the pairing looks intentional. These dark and moody colors play exceptionally well together.

Bright Orange

Black appliances certainly make more of a statement than white or chrome appliances. In the spirit of go bold or go home, why not add a little pop of bright orange to the mix? Orange via a kitchen island or copper backsplash adds warmth and playfulness to an otherwise dark and sterile kitchen.

Chocolate Brown

Dark cabinetry is no longer considered dated in a kitchen. In fact, when you pair it with crisp neutrals like bright white and stark black, you get a classic yet modern look. Black appliances and dark-stained wood are a timeless combo.

Dark Blue-Green

When choosing the paint colors for your kitchen, don't forget to consider the role light plays in how the color reads. Black appliances tend to feature few, if any, undertones. Since black is technically the absence of all colors, a black fridge will still look black in direct sunlight.

A dark blue-green may look black if you apply it to a surface that gets only a little natural light. However, on a kitchen island that sits in the sun, this color can really pop and contrast with the black appliances.

Light Greige

Light greige is just slightly darker than a creamy off-white, so it creates a softer contrast with a black oven. We especially love greige next to a black oven with brass knobs. The golden hues really play up the beige.

Pale Peachy Pink

Peachy pink and black may seem like an unlikely pairing, but they look stunning next to one another. You even see these colors play well together in nature. For example, the sky often turns a golden shade of peach before setting and transforming into a black nighttime sky.

Peachy Orange

Peachy orange is another version of peach that looks stunning next to a black oven. Take another nod from the sky and consider throwing a couple of pale blue appliances into the mix too.

How to Design a Kitchen With Black Appliances

Black is a neutral color, so it's hard to go wrong with decorating around black appliances. Start by deciding whether you want to fully lean into a dark and moody vibe or if you want to offset the darkness with a lighter cabinet and tile color. The style of your black appliance can also guide your overall kitchen design. For example, an antique-inspired black oven would look beautiful in a traditional-style kitchen.

What Color Appliances Are in Style?

Lately, we've been seeing other colors challenge stainless steel as the leading kitchen appliance material. While stainless steel is still inarguably popular, black appliances are coming in close second. We're even starting to see more colorful statement appliances make their way into homes, like retro blue fridges and even red ovens.

Read the original article on The Spruce.