This moody kitchen colour trend 'simply oozes high-end cosiness' – and is here to stay

Step aside, all-white kitchens – it's time to shed the spotlight on dark kitchen ideas because according to experts, they're the rising kitchen trend to know about and they're here to stay.

Light-coloured kitchens have long been the timeless interior choice as far as kitchen ideas go, but there's a bolder option often overlooked that's well worth considering if you're in need of an update to your typical kitchen colour scheme.

Dark kitchen trend

'Recently we’ve seen a sharp increase in orders of dark kitchens with searches for grey shades up by 93 per cent in six months. Equally popular are dramatic shades of deep green and navy, with searches and orders reflecting that dark kitchens are here to stay,' explains the design director of the eponymous kitchen brand, Tom Howley.

Mor Kriser, head of design at Caesarstone adds: 'Contrary to what people often think, black or dark kitchens aren’t always sombre or austere. Dark colours can be bold and dramatic or warm and cosseting.'

It's no secret that dark kitchens have long been an eye-catching statement interior style, from darker grey kitchen ideas to black kitchen ideas, the depth and interest this painted kitchen idea provides to a home is certainly one worth shouting about.

Our very own Editor in Chief, Heather Young, agrees: 'I fell head over heels in love with a dark kitchen on an Ideal Home photoshoot and was obsessed with the idea while planning my own kitchen renovation.'

Heather Young

Heather Young has loved interiors since asking for a bedroom makeover for her 11th birthday present! Heather's been working on interiors magazines for over 20 years – she's seen inside many of the UK's most gorgeous homes and has written endless features on style and colour. Heather's on her fifth home renovation – she started with a one-bed flat in Peckham and her current project is a four-bed Victorian porter's lodge which she moved into with her husband and tween twins in November 2020.

'Having painted my living room black (I used Farrow & Ball's Railings, £54 at B&Q), I was dead set on a similar paint colour for our kitchen cabinets. It was a complete 180 from the white gloss kitchen we'd had in our previous house, but I love the impact of dark cabinetry, and I think it looks expensive and upmarket, even if you're doing it on a budget.'

'Unfortunately, black wasn't available when I was buying my kitchen, so instead I opted for the darkest grey they had. I absolutely love it, especially teamed with white worktops. One word of warning though – the dark surface does really show up fingermarks so I'm always wiping it down with a microfibre cloth to get rid of them!'

And the endless ways to style and decorate a dark kitchen don't stop there. Caesarstone’s Mor Krisher is a 'big fan of dark worktops paired with natural woods like oak or walnut and metallic accents like brass, copper, or steel taps and handles.'

'Lighting plays a huge part too, dark surfaces are great for creating a moody atmosphere, be sure to factor this in when planning your lighting choices. Soft or dimmable evening lighting will make it the perfect space for entertaining.'

Mor adds: 'Pairing a dark surface with lighter cabinetry or light-wooden flooring will help to keep the space feeling open and neutral, which is helpful if your kitchen isn’t vast in size.'

Additionally, if you're working with a small kitchen and are after a space that 'simply oozes high-end cosiness,' design director at Tom Hawley recommends 'white surfaces with mirrors to help bounce light around and open out smaller spaces.'

Opting for a darker kitchen may at first be an intimidating switch, however, given that you find a way to style it according to your tastes, it might very well be the best decision you make to date.