IN THE KITCHEN: “The Queen of All Colors is Black”

 

 

Inspired by an unusually  bold, beautiful, and uniformly black kitchen by the Antwerp based architecture and design firm Co.studio, I’ve gathered a selection of its black bearing brethren for your mid-week viewing pleasure. From the barely there hint of black to its more liberal and dramatic implementation, this gorgeously rich and decidedly on-trend color never fails to pack a serious design punch. After all, as famed painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir once said, “the queen of all colors is black” and who are we to disagree? Above – a kitchen with a stunning marble island in Ramatuelle, France. Interior design by Joseph Dirand.

 

 

Kitchen design by Michigan based designer Stephen Knollenberg.

 

 

The upper cabinets in the kitchen of Canadian House & Home editor Suzanne Dimma were kept white to blend with the walls and maintain an open feeling in the small space. For the lower cabinets, Suzanne went for a punch of visual interest with a dark finish punctuated with gold knobs. The Stainless steel counter and integrated sink are from Ikea. Photo by Angus Fergusson.Inc.

 

 

Kitchen in a Denmark home via The Sweet Spot.

 

 

Photo by Denmark based photographer Stuart McIntyre.

 

 

Kitchen in a Paris loft. “It’s about creating what is essential… Everything has a purpose. It’s a cliché, I know, but less really is more.” – Antonio Virga (the designer responsible for this rich yet incredibly simple kitchen).

 

 

Kitchen in the Austrian castle/home of freelance art consultant Florian Staudinger. The contemporary Italian cabinets rest upon wood planks from a bridge on the estate, the counter is made from a nearby fallen tree and the lighting was designed by Staudinger, in collaboration with the Austrian lighting company Nanu Licht. Photo by Andreas Meichsner for The New York Times.

 

 

Kitchen in a mid-century modern home, by Portland, Oregon based designer Jessica Helgerson.

 

 

Kitchen in a 1940s ranch home. The bentwood stools are from Thonet. Photo via Martha Stewart.

 

 

Dark cabinets, counters, and floors help ground this light filled kitchen by Belgium based company, Obumex.

 

 

Kitchen in the Hellerup, Denmark home of Marianne Brandi and Keld Mikkelsen (the duo behind international fashion and home company Day Birger et Mikkelsen). Photo by Gaelle Le Boulicaut for Lonny.

 

 

Kitchen in a Paris home designed by Joseph Dirand.

 

 

So monolithicly dark it nearly disappears, this St. Bart’s kitchen is the work of architect Johannes Zingerle and architect/designer, Wolfgang Ludes.

 

 

Kitchen in the Soho home of Andrew Corrie and Harriet Maxwell (founders of the furniture and accessories shop Ochre). The Stamen pendant lights are from Niche Modern and the kitchen island from Valcucine. Photo by Ditte Isager.

 

 

And finally we arrive at the entrance to this post’s muse…

 

 

Behold! An incredibly rich and cozy kitchen by the Antwerp based Co.studio. Instead of fighting what was already a small dark space with the more obvious choice of light finishes, Co.studio chose to amplify the space’s inherent characteristics by going dark. Such a brilliantly dramatic way to go. What do you think?