38 Black and White Kitchens to Outlast Every Trend

Black and white kitchens are both practical and easy on the eyes, a classic choice for a timeless look that can work in any interior, no matter your style. A black and white kitchen is simple but not boring; by limiting color, you can focus instead on creating the right balance between dark and light elements, depending on the look and feel you want to achieve. Limiting your color choices to black and white makes it easier to mix styles while maintaining a cohesive look. And the absence of fretting over mixing and matching colors leaves you free to focus on adding texture to your black and white kitchen space that will bring the hub of your home to life.

Check out these black and white kitchens in a range of styles and settings to help inspire you to embrace the simplicity and effortless chic of a black and white kitchen that will outlast trends.

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Add Edge to Farmhouse Style

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Alexandra Ribar

A black painted farmhouse table and chairs and two-tone black-and-white shiplap walls add a modern edge to this kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors. Limiting the palette to black and white allows the stuff of kitchen life—such as colorful fruit, vegetables, and dishware—to provide an ever-changing panoply of color accents.

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Go for Black Subway Tile

Jessica Nelson Design / Carina Skrobecki Photography

Jessica Nelson Design covered the walls of this modern black-and-white kitchen with pale grayish-black subway tiles that function as a backsplash and complement the black hood range, countertops, and large central island. The kitchen includes wraparound cabinetry painted bright white with gold accents that provide contrast.

Where to Buy the Best Kitchen Cabinets in 2023

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Keep It Minimal

Brexton Cole Interiors

Brexton Cole Interiors added vintage decor accents to warm up this minimalist black-and-white kitchen that has a glossy white tile walls, black stone countertops, and white cabinetry with aged brass hardware.

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Warm Up With Leather

Michelle Berwick Design

Michelle Berwick Design added a line of cognac leather bar stools that add warmth to this sleek open plan black-and-white kitchen. Black grout on the tiled backsplash wall complements the black island, range hood, cabinetry pulls, and pendant lighting.

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Hang Black-and-White Art

Design by Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

The black-and-white theme of this sunny kitchen designed by Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson Design is reinforced with black-and-white tile flooring, a large vintage-style refrigerator in a glossy black finish, and strictly black-and-white wall art and photography on the white walls that give the space a pulled together and intentional feel.

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Accent With Black

Kara Mann

Kara Mann used black accents to add graphic interest to this otherwise all-white Nantucket kitchen. A mix of white and black decor gives the space a coastal chic look without using a touch of blue.

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Use Geometric Black-and-White Tile

Design by Emilie Fournet Interiors / Photo by Rachael Smith

This open U-shaped kitchen kitchen from London-based Emilie Fournet Interiors has a lively geometric black-and-white tile backsplash on two walls and the range hood that adds pattern, personality, and movement to the bright space.

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Add Black Detailing

deVOL Kitchens

This English coach house kitchen from deVOL Kitchens has vaulted ceilings, a pair of skylights, soft white walls and cabinetry and a well balanced smattering of black accents—from the metal frames on the windows to the ceiling pendant light, kitchen island, and stove—that have a sharp graphic effect that brings it all into focus.

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Embrace Scandi Style Minimalism

Fantastic Frank

This Copenhagen kitchen from Fantastic Frank has a contemporary Scandinavian feel with its streamlined layout and minimalist white flat-front cabinetry. Here, the kitchen island has a lip on one short end that accommodates bar seating for two, leaving the long side unencumbered by bar stools and full of under-island storage that helps maintain an uncluttered look. A nearby dining table in the open plan room accommodates sit-down meals for friends and family.

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Choose a Focal Point

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Styling by Hilary Robertson / Photo by Erin Kelly

An all-white kitchen becomes a black-and-white space thanks to a central focal point that sets the tone, like the integrated black stone backsplash, countertops, and modern farmhouse sink in this kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors.

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Use Two-Tone Cabinetry

deVOL Kitchens

A mix of white oak and blackened wood cabinets, an industrial-style black metal and glass partition separating the entryway from the cooking area, and stainless steel accents gives this London space from deVOL Kitchens a modern minimalist feel.

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Choose Black Bar Stools

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Christian Torres

Black Scandi-style bar stools and pendant lights hanging over the kitchen island of this Southampton Village space from Chango & Co. add a graphic element to the otherwise white and pale wood kitchen.

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Install Black Flooring

Design by Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

Black flooring, a large pendant light, and sculptural bar stools give this contemporary kitchen from Sissy + Marley Interior Design a contemporary feel. White walls add brightness, and a mix of white and dark brown wood cabinetry adds a layer of softness to the mix.

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Add Midcentury Modern Details

Fantastic Frank

This small eat-in kitchen from Fantastic Frank mixes soft shades of white with graphic black accents and midcentury modern touches like the Danish modern pendant light, George Nelson wall clock, and black molded Eames Eiffel chairs to lend it some timeless style and anchor the cozy dining table.

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Revisit Victorian Style

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Alexandra Ribar

Leanne Ford Interiors modernized the kitchen in this Victorian home with a black-and-white palette, from the classic penny tiles on the floor to the subway tile walls, and the black paint on the island and the back door.

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Add a Giant Chalkboard

Design by Sissy + Marley Interior Design / Photo by Marco Ricca Studio

This black and white kitchen from Sissy + Marley Interior Design features a large framed chalkboard on the wall that is both practical and playful.

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Mix Black and White Stone

Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Erin Kelly

A dramatic mix of black and white marble gives this kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors a glamorous feel. Contemporary lighting and seating complement the black and white palette, while dark hardwood flooring adds warmth.

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Color Block It

Alvin Wayne

Interior designer Alvin Wayne gave a small NYC apartment kitchen a streamlined update with color blocking on cabinetry and countertops in black and white, then tied it together with a piece of black-and-white wall art. A mix of matte black and bright white lacquer finishes adds subtle texture to keep the design from feeling too flat.

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Accent With Red

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

A black and white kitchen can work on its own terms but remains a blank canvas if and when you want to inject some color into the mix. In this kitchen from Chango & Co., a red patterned runner adds a splash of energizing color that could be swapped out for any other color down the road, changing the whole look of the kitchen without any renovation work.

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Add Drama

Louis Duncan-He Designs / Photo by Eymeric Wildling

Louis Duncan-He Designs sharpened up this open plan industrial farmhouse style kitchen with bold black accents on the massive island, pendant lighting, and dramatic range hood.

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Try Black Countertops

Home Consultant

Home Consultant gave this galley-style kitchen a crisp look with white walls, black countertops, and plenty of warm wood accents on the cabinetry and flooring.

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Mix in Rustic Features

Desiree Burns Interiors

Desiree Burns Interiors renovated this kitchen with a modern mix of black and white finishes and fittings, but preserved the rustic dark wood ceilings and exposed beams, hardwood flooring to give the space a timeless and textured feel.

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Add a Warm Texture

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

Woven cognac leather bar stools add warmth to this modern black and white kitchen from Chango & Co.

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Use Two-Tone Cabinetry

Becca Interiors

Becca Interiors used two-tone black and white cabinetry in this modern loft kitchen that is seamlessly built all the way up to the loft ceilings, accessed by a built-in library style ladder.

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Blend Modern and Traditional

Kara Mann

Interior designer Kara Mann gave this spacious kitchen in a traditional home a modern feel by complementing the existing dark hardwood flooring and woodwork with painted white cabinetry and black and white marble finishes that seamlessly mix old and new.

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Mix in Dark Green

deVOL Kitchens

To add nuance to a black-and-white kitchen, consider mixing in some shades of near-black, like the dark green beams in this spacious English loft kitchen space from deVOL Kitchens.

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Keep a Low Profile

Home Consultant

Apart from a few floating wood shelves on the wall, this black-and-white Southern California kitchen from Home Consultant retains a light and airy feel with pale hardwood flooring, a marble waterfall edge island, and bright white walls. Painted black lower cabinets and a built-in banquette make the space feel grounded.

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Accent With Warm Metals

Michelle Berwick Design

Michelle Berwick Design accented this black-and-white kitchen with warm metal accents on the bar stools, refrigerator pulls, plumbing hardware, and trio of copper wire pendant lights hanging over the island.

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Balance It Out

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

A line of black pendant lights down the center of this sprawling kitchen from Chango & Co. culminates in a large black oven hood that is set against a white subway tile wall finished with black grout, while black-and-white bar stools and a black fruit bowl on the white island countertop create cohesion.

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Add Silver Accents

Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sarah Elliott

A black central island grounds this light and airy white kitchen from Chango & Co., while silver toned accents and stainless steel appliances enhance the cool and calm feel of the room.

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Mix Old and New

Kara Mann

Interior designer Kara Mann used a black and white palette that mixes modern and vintage elements for a layered and timeless feel. Black painted hardwood flooring, white Shaker cabinetry, a black stone farmhouse sink and backsplash, a white marble free-floating kitchen island with open storage, an antique mirror on the wall and a row of decorative plates displayed on the wall creates a cozy mix, while rich stained wood ceiling beams and leather and brass pendant lights add warmth.

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Add Polished Concrete Flooring

deVOL Kitchens

This kitchen extension from deVOL Kitchens has a minimalist black-and-white feel and an industrial edge thanks to the large sliding glass doors and gray polished concrete flooring.

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Keep It Subtle

Michelle Berwick Design

Michelle Berwick Design used subtle black accents to define the look of this modern family kitchen, from the black framed windows to the metal bar stools bases, plumbing fixtures, door pulls, and pendant lights. The rest of the space is dressed in shades of white and off-white and finished with pale hardwood flooring.

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Add Modern Farmhouse Vibes

Ashley Montgomery Design

Ashley Montgomery Design painted the kitchen island and cabinetry in this modern farmhouse kitchen in a deep blue-black that adds contrast with white shiplap walls and countertops and is warmed up with vintage-style accents and leather and wood accents.

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Use a Light Touch

Michelle Berwick Design

Michelle Berwick Design preserved the light and airy feel of this mostly white and wood kitchen by adding airy black accents like the metal bar stools and row of pendant lights outfitted with warm flame bulbs.

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Lay Some Brick

True Home

Brick flooring brings an earthy note to this renovated black-and-white kitchen from True Home that features black cabinetry, salvaged marble countertops, and plenty of recessed can lighting to compensate for the lack of natural light.

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Warm Up With Wood

Michelle Berwick Design

This sprawling open plan kitchen and dining room from Michelle Berwick Design has a clean black and white palette that is warmed up and balanced out with an expanse of wood cabinetry and other accents that keep it from feeling cold.

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Accent With Gray

Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Amber Thrane

This California galley-style kitchen from Cathie Hong Interiors takes a minimalist Scandi-inspired approach with a black and white palette. A pale gray tile floor and mixed metal finishes keep it from looking too stark.

Is a black and white kitchen in style?

Black and white kitchens are classic, timeless, and will never truly go out of style. It’s not the palette that makes a kitchen feel on trend or dated, but the choice of cabinetry, fixtures, and appliances. Sticking to a palette of black and white in the kitchen will help your design feel current longer than one that jumps on the latest trend (avocado kitchens of the 1970s, we see you).

What color goes best with a black and white kitchen?

You can accent a black and white kitchen with virtually any color. For a bold, high-contrast look, add bright red, yellow, or orange accents. Add a natural feel with shades of green. Or soften things up with pastel shades of blue or pink. The possibilities are endless.

What color walls look best with a black and white kitchen?

In a black and white kitchen, you can lean into either side of the equation with white walls for a light and airy look, or black walls for a moody feel. Or you can use the walls as an excuse to introduce color with paint or wallpaper. You can mix black and white with any color that excites you, or change up the whole look of your black-and-white kitchen by repainting the walls for an easy makeover that doesn’t require any major renovations.