Like people, some kitchens have bold personalities that make a striking first impression. A black-and-white kitchen is bold in its high-contrast mix, but it’s also a safe choice thanks to its timeless appeal. New cabinetry, reclaimed architectural elements, and plenty of room to entertain are the magic blend in a Victorian-era home that celebrates new traditional style.
A dark-stained island is a popular kitchen feature, but your use of accent colour doesn’t need to be limited to one piece. Emphasize a two-colour scheme by selecting one finish for all lower cabinets and another for all uppers. Black is well suited to the lower cabinets, as it grounds the kitchen (and helps hide wear and tear), whereas the white uppers keep the kitchen feeling light and bright.
A black-and-white kitchen will never go out of fashion and infuses your home with classic style. If you are hankering for a jolt of colour, choose a high-impact shade for the walls (repainting is an easy solution if your appetite for colour wanes). Boldly patterned black-and-cream drapes in a grapevine motif further echo the room’s palette while creating a dramatic focal point at the far end of the sight line.
Make your island a showstopping centerpiece by adding architectural salvage that gives standard cabinetry elements a lift. I found a large pair of salvaged 3-panel doors, which I used to clad the island. One door covered the ends, and the other one ran the length of the island. To give additional support to the overhang of the counter, and to give it a bit more decorative impact, I installed a pair of antique exterior corbels, then trimmed the island with baseboard and painted everything black to unify it with the cabinetry.