Ok, so you have a dungeon for a kitchen… Seen it, done it. Not a big deal, trust me. You can make that cave of a kitchen into a magazine cover worthy space.

Dark kitchens come in all shapes, forms and colors. It could be big, white and visually open, but still appear dark. The problem is not in color, it’s in light. And the obvious solution is to add more, so stick the light wherever you can: ceiling, under cabinet light, under the counter on your island, inside the glass cabinets. Adding numerous light sources at different angles will make the space lighter. Caution to the wise, though, everything is good in moderation!

Then, re-assess your wall color. Dark spaces are tricky, because the right way is counter-intuitive. Your first impulse might lead you to color the walls white. DON’T! That’s not going to solve the problem. The thing is, in the dark room the color makes up for the natural light, and white appears bright because it reflects the light, and if you have little or none, there is nothing to reflect… You need to keep that in mind when choosing a color for your space. Going with bright, vivid colors might be your best bet: in low light, super-saturated colors will mellow down quite a bit. So go crazy with paint samples, try the most outrageous colors, swatch them and live with them for a couple of days! I promise, they will not blind you.

Next, think about what you will fill the room with; in our case – cabinetry. The style is irrelevant, that’s all you, your preferences, your taste and your lifestyle. But when selecting a color for your cabinetry, keep in mind, that in dark spaces with all the light you installed, you will have a lot of shadows. Not only will they be distinct, they might be overwhelming, especially if you are choosing to go with light cabinetry. Putting white cabinets in dark space makes them look grey, and the shadows won’t do any good. Muted colors might not be the best idea either, because they will appear very differently and will suck the light out of the space, making it look smaller and darker than it is. Jewel tones, on the other hand, work the best in the shadows. I guess that’s the reason behind it’s growing popularity…

And, finally, beware of wall cabinets you put next or close to windows. Traditionally, windows are boxed out with cabinets, blocking the light and visually closing off the space. In dark spaces, you need to make sure that light flows freely though any and all windows you have. I know, cabinets are storage, but what good do they make if you can’t see what’s inside without a flash light?

Now that basics are covered, let’s sum up. The best way to dress up a dark kitchen is to hire a designer. You can do it yourself though, as long as you are clear about what you want the final result to be. The first thing you need to realize is that a dark kitchen will never look light, but it can look gorgeous. Even in a small AND dark space you can use color to achieve a beautiful and stylish look. One way is to match the cabinets and wall colors. Make sure that the cabinet style is laconic, and the color is rich and deep, that virtually makes the cabinetry appear to be whole with walls, making space look larger. Avoid particularly intricate moldings and decorations, as those will crowd the space. Add subtle accents in contrasting colors and don’t be afraid to mix metal colors. Stainless steel coexists beautifully with brass and copper!

Reflective surfaces are friends – mirrors and shiny backsplashes do wonders with light re-direction. Look at your space at your space carefully and see where the natural light falls, that’s where you put a reflective surface. It will reflect the light back into the room, and to add distinction, make sure that the backdrop is dark

Don’t be afraid of patterns, but keep them bold. Your eye will naturally be drawn to patterned area, and the lack of light will be less obvious. Just make sure that the styles and colors are coordinated.

Don’t be afraid of mixing different textures! Here you can go a little eclectic without overwhealming the space. Add a nice backplate for the range, add different wood colors/species, add shiny accents, it will all work. Try to limit it to 3 though, say: wood/copper/stone. Possibilities are endless!

And, finally, re-asses wall storage in your kitchen. If you have a window, try to keep the wall with the window cabinet-free. The last thing you want to do is to block natural light with wall cabinets. If you are really short on space, opt for open shelves.

That, pretty much, covers it. If you still need help with designing your kitchen, let me know, I’ll be happy to help! Email me at sales@tgkitchens.com or fill in the form below and I will get in touch with you.

Stay well!

Tamara