Dark Kitchen Interior Trends & Ideas

Dark kitchens have been on the rise for the past few years, with searches for them increasing by 90%. Whether you’re lusting after an all-black touch, cool grey tones or moody navy splashes - dark kitchens are taking over. Darker colours have the ability to add a mysterious touch to create a unique interior, and interior designers have been jumping on board the dramatic and daring trend.

Brooklyn Dome Pendant – 8 Inch – Brass, by Industville (Image supplied by Kettle & Co.)

Go Grey

Grey is one of the most versatile colours out there. Known for being incredibly chic and modern, the popular colour has been taking over all the rooms in our house, especially the kitchen. Grey kitchens can go with any style your heart may desire - whether it’s modern, contemporary, industrial or streamlined, grey will complement any interior perfectly. There’s been a rise in kitchens over the past few years having grey kitchen cabinets as the bold, yet contemporary and flexible colour has the ability to match any colour.

Brooklyn Cone Wall Light – 7 Inch – Copper, by Industville (Image supplied by @Dreambound74)

Stay Subtle

If you want a splash of dark but don’t want to go overboard, you can still introduce subtle hints of grey to create a dramatic and on-trend interior. The versatile colour can be the perfect base colour for other colours; it can be used to make other colours and designs stand out, which makes it the perfect subtle colour! Our fabric flex cables are the ideal way to incorporate a subtle hint of grey in your interiors.

Opt For Cool Or Warm Tones

The adaptable and flexible colour has hints of other colours lying within the undertones. Cooler toned greys have hints of greens and blues within them, whereas warmer tones have purples and browns underlying. Both tones will emit a different kind of look and feel than each other. Therefore, it’s key to decide which tone you want to opt for. Our retro lights complement both tones equally well!

Brooklyn Cone Pendant – 12 Inch – Pewter, by Industville (Image supplied by Chorleywood Kitchen)

Be Dramatic

Grey is the idyllic colour to create a dramatic and creative scene. Kitchen interiors are moving away from the bright colour schemes and turning towards the dark side. A splash of dramatic colour has the ability to refresh any interior; darker colours work seamlessly in kitchens as these spaces tend to be of larger size. We’ll see a rise of pendant lights placed over kitchen islands this year, which make a bold and dramatic statement.

Brooklyn Dome Pendant – 13 Inch – Pewter & Copper, by Industville (Image supplied by @Dreambound74)

Interview With Shaker & May

We had the pleasure to speak to Julia from Shaker & May, who specialise in designing, manufacturing and installing bespoke kitchens. Working with clients from the gathering ideas at the beginning, all the way through to the installation. Being the kitchen experts they are, we couldn’t wait to speak to Julia about all things kitchen design, from how she gets inspiration to the trends for 2019.

1. When designing kitchens, where does your team get inspiration from?

Every client is different, and much of the inspiration goes with the client’s comments - their house, where they live, their surroundings. New trends come in, judging by the colours sometimes they work with their landscape, it’s almost everything taken into consideration. 

2. How would you describe the perfect lighting in the kitchen?

Lighting is a really tough subject. If you get it wrong, the shadows just go all over and could affect the whole look. I suggest going subtle; subtle light is the way to soften the look of the kitchen. You need to consider lighting during design too, from the right position to the right colour of the light and think about getting the shadows in the right place. Don’t go over the top with the lights; it’s very important to have a plan during the layout of the kitchen. I recommend keeping the light itself warm, effective and welcoming.

Brooklyn Dome Pendant – 8 Inch – Pewter, by Industville (Image supplied by @prospecthouseyork)

3. What style of lighting is trending with kitchens?

LEDs have really come a long way. It started with warm halogen lights and now to the strip LED lights in kitchens because there is so much choice. It’s more about subtle light now; it’s definitely clear, warm LED lights give a homely feel and look lovely.

4. As we can see colour schemes such as cool greys and dark kitchens are trending, is this the new kitchen obsession?

Dark colours were in last year - dark greys, dark navy, darks in general. Grey is very much in and important. However, I do see pastel colours coming up; it’s a soft, elegant look that’s timeless.

5. One of your projects use greys that match with our dome-shaped lighting; do you think our lights are versatile?

Yes, definitely. When you do the kitchen with over the island accent light, that can be more of a key feature for the whole kitchen. Unlike cabinets that are more subtle features, islands are more flamboyant, and there’s the option to have pendant lights hanging over them. There’s so much you can do with light, you can add a splash of colour over the island which works well with the lighting. If the client wants to go bold then that’s where your lighting comes in with that light shaker concept and industrial-style lights, they pair so well. Rather than having a plain shaker, you can combine it with a contrasting industrial style light and together it makes a perfect look together which goes really well, and again adds uniqueness and character to the client’s kitchen.

Brooklyn Dome Pendant – 13 Inch – Light Pewter, by Industville (@shakerandmaykitchens – Shaker & May by Pete Helme Photography)

6. One of your kitchen designs has exposed wood; do you think raw materials, such as exposed wood, marble and metal, are trending in interiors?

I can imagine natural products going well with the modern loft style. Raw materials paired with your lights definitely go great, I think it will never go out of trend. Raw materials, natural soft materials and the industrial elements all together create this trendy look. It’s also about mixing it up; it can be quirky, unique and stand out.

Brooklyn Cone Pendant – 7 Inch – Copper, by Industville (Image supplied by @shakerandmaykitchens - Shaker & May by Pete Helme Photography)

7. What do you think are the up and coming kitchen interior trends for 2019?

I think interiors should look simple, elegant and timeless. Each room is different, but it should have that light, airy and cleanliness feel that a kitchen should have. Kitchens should be modern with a warm and welcoming feel. It’s the heart of a home; we can create that feel and with beautiful lighting to soften the minimalism.

Brooklyn Dome Pendant – 13 Inch – Light Pewter, by Industville (Image supplied by  @shakerandmaykitchens – Shaker & May by Pete Helme Photography)

8. What new lighting concepts are you seeing in the last few years?

The exposed overhead light, that’s the pendant lights, over the table and islands are something that almost everybody wants. The feature in the middle is what creates a very strong focal point in the room added with the pendant light. I think wall lighting is being ignored; it comes up really good when placed right, and I think it’s trendy. 

9. Lastly, what do you think about Industville lighting?

Oh, I love it. I’ve seen it before; I link your website to my clients when they ask. I think Industville has got a lot of choices, great style and website. Personally, I don’t think there’s any light I dislike on the website!

Again, when adding lights, it’s very important to consider their place right at the beginning of the process as it can be difficult once it goes wrong. It’s functional, but it needs to be used effectively. You need lights that make a statement piece, and that’s it!

We loved speaking to Julia about kitchen interiors; it’s one of our favourite rooms in the house as we spend on average six hours per week cooking. Dark kitchens started to become increasingly popular in 2018 and continue to dominate the kitchen interior world this year. If you need some kitchen interior inspiration, browse our Pinterest and Instagram profiles for bundles of inspiration!