People’s preferences for kitchen aesthetics can vary greatly based on cultural influences, design trends, and individual tastes. Throughout the past several decades, the trends of home design have evolved. From the minimalistic ranch-style homes of the 1950s, and bright and bold couches and carpets of the 1970s, to black kitchen cabinets in the 2000s, a lot can change in the home in a short amount of time. 

One of the biggest kitchen trends of 2023 has been incorporating black kitchen cabinets into the interior design. It seems that people either love or hate the bold design choice for several reasons. If you’re considering adding some black into your home decorating, there are some pros and cons to consider before you make the choice.

Pros of Black Kitchen Cabinets

Sophisticated Look

One of the favorite reasons why people choose to have black cabinets in their kitchen is the sophisticated look it offers. Black is often associated with luxury and it can instantly elevate the overall ambience of the room. This style is great for people who appreciate a more refined and upscale atmosphere.

Light Contrast

The striking light contrast between the dark and light elements in a kitchen with black cabinets creates a captivating visual dynamic that adds depth, character, and a unique atmosphere to a space. The cabinets act as a focal point that instantly grabs attention because of the sharp contrast with the surrounding environment. Dark cabinets also create depth in the room with the ability to alter the appearance of the size of the room.

Hides Stain Marks and Scratches

Black cabinets have gained popularity not only for the aesthetic appeal but also for their practical advantages, particularly in their ability to hide scratches and stain marks more effectively than lighter-colored cabinets. The dark color naturally absorbs and diffuses light, which makes imperfections stand out less visibly. Stain marks, whether from spills, cooking, or other mishaps, are more likely to blend into the dark color. 

Complements Other Colors

Black is one of those colors that can go with anything. The color combination of black cabinets with white or light neutral elements creates a timeless and elegant contrast. Metallic tones in appliances can create a striking contrast to make an energetic and dynamic atmosphere. Wood tones complement the cabinets well to add a touch of warmth and comfort to the space. More bold colors can also look great to create a moody and dramatic aesthetic.

Cons of Black Kitchen Cabinets

Gets Dirty Easily 

The dark color of black cabinets tends to highlight imperfections like fingerprints, dirt, and smudges. Because the black reveals dust, lint, and debris more easily, the cabinets have to be cleaned more frequently to keep the clean look. If the surface of the cabinets isn’t totally flat and smooth, dirt and other particles can easily get trapped in grooves and crevices, making it difficult to thoroughly clean.

Doesn’t Work Well Alone

Black cabinets can create a heavy visual presence, and when used alone, they might overpower the space, making it feel smaller and overwhelming. Too much black with not enough light colors to balance it can create a cold and unwelcoming atmosphere, and it creates a lack of depth and visual interest. 

Diminishes Size of Space

Without proper lighting, the dark color can have the effect of making the room smaller. Black absorbs light rather than reflecting it, which can result in a visual reduction of the light of the room and creates the illusion of a smaller space. The dark color also has a greater visual weight than lighter colors. When used extensively, black can make a room feel heavier and more enclosed.

Ideas to Optimize Black Cabinets

Black Center Island

Utilizing a center island with black cabinets in a kitchen can be a visually striking design choice. The bold color of the cabinets serves as a focal point for the entire space. This is a great option for someone if they want to incorporate the black cabinets in a more subtle way than making all the cabinets black in the entire kitchen. 

Black Base Cabinets Only

If you’re aiming for a modern, industrial, or classic look, black base cabinets can be a bold and stylish choice that adds depth and drama to the space. When combined with a light countertop, the black cabinets can create a visually pleasing balance and prevent the space from feeling too dark. Matte black cabinets can be complemented by glossy countertops or backsplashes to create a textured combination that adds texture and depth to the kitchen.

Balance With Light Features

Balancing black kitchen cabinets with light features is an artful way to create an aesthetically pleasing space. Light colored countertops like marble, quartz, or light wood can add brightness and provide a visual break between the dark cabinets and the rest of the kitchen. Adding reflective surfaces like glass, mirrors, and stainless steel appliances can bounce light around the space and make it appear lighter.

A backsplash is a beautiful accent to any kitchen. It offers a space that has infinite scope for personalization and adding visual interest. Today we explore several different creative backsplash ideas.

Designing the Perfect Backsplash

The list of creative backsplash ideas is nearly endless. If you want to install a professional backsplash, you’ll need to have the design you want in mind before you begin. There are many aspects in choosing the best backsplash for your kitchen, and we consider the most prominent here. 

Materials 

The material you choose for your backsplash will help define the style of your kitchen, from sleek and modern to cozy and traditional. Materials like stone or brick add visual and textual interest no matter what the rest of your kitchen looks like. Laminate is a smooth choice and is good on a budget, while metal is sanitary with a touch of the industrial. 

If you want a really interesting and creative backsplash, consider combining the solidity of stone and the natural elegance of wood in your design. You might also consider brick, either faux or real, or the completely unique appearance of marble. Looking for an array of textures? Try a mosaic of stones, glass, or tile. Some of the latter choice even come in a peel-and-stick variety.

Color

The color of your backsplash should reflect the rest of your kitchen’s color scheme, either by blending in or by standing out in contrast. If you have a neutral-toned kitchen, you may stick with that theme for your backsplash or you may choose to opt for a bold color or pattern to really make an impression.

Pattern

An interesting texture isn’t the only creative backsplash idea for spicing up the kitchen. Patterns can do so in two dimensions. Geometric shapes like hexagons or triangles are common, as is chevron. Interlacing subway tiles or latticed patterns offer a sense of pieces working well together. In a departure from straight lines, you might consider patterning your backsplash in florals. 

Creative Backsplash Ideas on a Budget

There is no law stating that a beautiful and creative backsplash has to break the bank. You also don’t have to leave it in the hands of the professionals. It is very possible to find beautiful pieces on a budget if you know what you are looking for. 

Temporary Backsplashes 

Sometimes the appeals of a creative backsplash have an expiration date. Temporary backsplashes are perfect for renters who want to spruce up a place without permanently changing it. There are many kinds of temporary solutions for making a backsplash more interesting:

• Peel and stick wallpaper—Some wallpaper is designed to be temporary. These sheets come in all colors and designs, and renovators need only cut out the right shape, peel off the backing, and apply the wallpaper behind the sink or stove.
• Adhesive vinyl—Along the same lines as wallpaper, vinyl sheets can be cut to the custom sizes and shapes. The appeal of vinyl is that it is waterproof as well as temporary, an important consideration in the kitchen. Vinyl is pretty inexpensive, making any mistakes when cutting less of a problem. Vinyl can be cut with scissors or a machine built for the purpose. 
• Plywood planks—Plywood planks are a semi-permanent solution depending on how they are installed. They also have the most permanent appearance, lending an elegance and sophistication. Consider treating the planks with waterproof caulk and semigloss paint to protect your backsplash from kitchen activities. If you want your planks to be truly temporary, apply them with strips of Velcro.

Creative DIY Backsplashes

If you love a good project, you can create your own creative backsplash with a little imagination and grit. The limits to how you design your kitchen’s backsplash is determined only by your own creativity. Paint is a simple solution, and you can make your backsplash unique by using a stencil with your own design.  

When getting creative, look for unique materials. Fabric, though not waterproof, offers an almost limited design scope. Apply it to the wall with liquid starch. Beadboard is an economical alternative to tile, and installation is relatively simple. Panels can be cut to the precise size and shape necessary, and application can be conducted with just about any adhesive. Nails will secure the effect. 

You can also use materials that you have around the house or that represent your unique preferences. Broken pieces of glass can be used from any container, and they come in a wide array of colors which look beautiful in the light. Glass can be set with tile grout. If you love wine or simply like the look of corks, create a mosaic to add an offbeat kind of charm.

Extending your living space into your backyard is an excellent way to transform a property into a home. If you plan to add a kitchen-like space on your patio, complete with sink or stovetop, you’ll need to make sure you choose the right outdoor countertop material to complement it.

What Countertop Material Is Best for Outdoor Use?

The outdoor countertop material you choose plays the biggest role in how long the countertops hold up. With that in mind, the decision is not one to make lightly. While considering things like appearance and installation ease, the most important determining factor should be durability under outdoor conditions. With that in mind, natural stone, concrete, or tile will be your best bet.

Natural Stone

Granite is a commonly commonly used outdoor countertop material. It has many qualities in its favor, including impressive durability in both wet and hot conditions. From heavy to snowfall to perpetual UV exposure, granite can take it. Though granite does have to be sealed regularly, once it has been, it is highly resistant to stains, mildew, and mold. This makes it an ideal outdoor countertop material if you plan to have barbecues with grease and ketchup.

Soapstone provides another option for outdoor countertops. Though the color choices are limited to grays and blacks, it too is very hardy. It holds up well under heat, so even if a hot pan is accidently placed without a pot holder, the stone won’t suffer. Like granite, it is also stain resistant. Unlike granite, soapstone is nonporous, so it does not have to be sealed regularly. Soapstone also holds up well under acidic conditions. You can cut your limes or tomatoes right on the countertop without having to worry about etching the stone. 

Marble, on the other hand, isn’t a great outdoor countertop material, though with some determination and elbow grease it can be made to work. It too has to be sealed upon installation and regularly afterwards. Otherwise it begins to look dingy. For a marble-like appearance that fares better in outdoor environments, take a look at quartzite. Quartzite has a composition and characteristics similar to granite.

Concrete

When you think of concrete, you very likely think of driveways or sidewalks. While concrete is often used in such capacities, it can also be used as an outdoor countertop material. Unlike natural stone, concrete is poured, providing homeowners with incredible flexibility for their countertops’ thickness, width, and overall shape. Concrete countertops tend to look clean and contemporary, so if that is the kind of atmosphere you want to create on your patio, they may be a good fit. 

One thing to be wary of is that concrete can crack if the installation is not performed correctly. This is true even if the material is reinforced with tensile steel. You can avoid this issue by entrusting the installation to an experienced team. A good installer will handle the process with finesse and care and is likely to have an array of custom color options to choose from.

Tile 

Tile is the quirkiest outdoor countertop material on our list. It is also probably the most diverse. Tile can be arranged in unlimited designs and patterns in any color under the sun. It can even be cut to look like other countertop materials. It is a good choice for those who prefer to manage installation on their own. 

On the other hand, tile presents some challenges when installed in an outdoor setting. Grout, even sealed grout, stains pretty easily, though you can mask this by choosing a darker variety. If you live in a place (like Utah) where the temperature dips below freezing, the free-thaw cycle can cause grout and tiles to shift or even crack. Mitigate this issue by using porcelain or another freeze-proof tile instead of ceramic and by installing a waterproof board for your counters’ base.

Outdoor Countertop Materials to Avoid

As we’ve touched on the materials that make good outdoor countertops, we should probably hint at what to avoid. For all its similarity in name to quartzite, quartz is not a good material for external countertops. Quartz is a manmade material, and the resins in it tend to turn yellow under UV exposure, altering the color of the entire countertop.  

Quartz and other manufactured countertops, like those made of recycled glass, usually contain pigments that are only intended for indoor use, so they also generally fade (or completely change) after too many sunny days. Laminate, though it is an effective and inexpensive indoor countertop material, is made of particleboard, meaning that it warps and rots in conditions that are warm and wet.

Caring for Outdoor Countertops

No matter what outdoor countertop material you decide to use, some level of care will be required to keep them looking nice. This starts at installation. Don’t skimp on the material you choose, for inferior craftsmanship is significantly more obvious in outdoor conditions, and poor quality materials will deteriorate quickly. Regular cleaning is a must, especially after a party or an especially dusty or windy day. Attend to routine sealing as necessary, and generally treat your countertops well.