7 Small Kitchen Design Ideas with Black Shaker Cabinets

Style and trends in terms of interior decoration are never constant. The interior design rules, styles, and trends are constantly changing in accordance with the consumer's needs and the latest technological innovations. Social media has also had a big hand in determining the popularity of different styles and trends. 

However, there were some rules of designing that we were not supposed to break. One of them was the minimal usage of dark colors in a small kitchen, as dark colors can create an optical illusion of shrinking a space. So, an already small kitchen would look even more tiny and claustrophobic. 

Now, here is where the problem lies - almost all modern-day kitchens are small, particularly those in urban areas where space is scarce and expensive. To counter this problem, interior designers are bending the above-mentioned golden rule to enable small kitchen owners to install black shaker cabinets, without making the cooking space appear tiny. Black shaker cabinets are a classic beauty and can be paired with almost any contrasting color. Not just color, black shaker cabinets are versatile when it comes to pairing these storage unit with décor styles. Whether you have a contemporary, modern, or traditional kitchen, black shaker cabinets can complement any décor style and theme. With so many benefits topping, there is nothing not to love black kitchen cabinets.

Top Design Ideas with Black Shaker Cabinets for Small Kitchens

The following concepts will enable you to cleverly and tastefully use black shaker cabinets in small kitchens, without making the space look crowded or cramped.

1. Create Contrast:

Use black shaker cabinets to perfectly create a contrasting environment in the kitchen. For example, use pastel-colored wall cabinets and balance them by using black shaker cabinets as base cabinets. You can also reverse it by using the back shaker cabinets on the wall and the lighter colored cabinets as base cabinets. If you are using black shaker cabinets as the base kitchen cabinets, make sure to use a light colored stone block for your kitchen countertop. 

2. Install Glass Door Inserts:

As stated earlier, dark colors like black create an optical illusion of less space. So, what you need to do now is to change this visual representation slightly to reverse the effect and make the space look larger, even after using black shaker cabinets. So, here is our suggestion for this problem – use glass panel inserts on the cabinet doors rather than going for the solid wood version. Opting for glass door inserts allows our eyes to see further, all the way to the back of the cabinets, creating a foot long additional visual “space”. If you are not very fond of clear glass doors, you can also go for etched glass or frosted glass doors for your kitchen cabinets. While it will hide the inner contents of the cabinets a little, the space would still look comparatively brighter.

3. Use Natural Light:

Never underestimate the power of natural light. Introducing natural light to any space instantly makes the area look bigger and more spacious. So if your small kitchen has windows, solar tubes, or skylights, use them to bring in more light to the kitchen. Using the natural light to balance black shaker cabinets is an innovative and fresh spin in terms of kitchen designing. 

4. Alternative Color Schemes:

If you want to introduce black cabinetry in your kitchen, it is not always necessary to make all the cabinets black. You can use alternative coloring and placement to install the black shaker cabinets in your small kitchen. For example, install two black shaker cabinets and two white cabinets alternatively, one after the other. This would give rise to a new, unique looking kitchen using black shaker cabinets.

5. Use Open Shelving:

This is another trick that can make your small kitchen look spacious despite using black shaker cabinets. The addition of open shelving effectively breaks the monotony and makes the small area look more spacious. Open shelving works even better than glass door inserts in opening up a small space as the shelves are not enclosed inside a cabinet. While you can install black shaker cabinets at the base, use open shelving for the wall cabinets. Open shelving blends perfectly with beautiful wall colors, backsplash, and light-colored accents, which can all help in making a room look big.

6. No Upper/Wall Cabinets:

Similar to darker colors, too many wall or upper cabinets can make a kitchen look cramped, especially when the cooking space is already small. You can effectively make your kitchen look more spacious if you use the black kitchen cabinets only as base cabinets, leaving the upper space empty. Adding useful and super functional cabinet accessories in the bottom cabinets will not only add storage space but will also enhance the functionality of your kitchen, allowing you free reign to decorate the empty kitchen walls.

7. Light Transitions:

Instead of aiming for an all-black kitchen, it is best to add some light transitions in the interior design. Adding these touches of brighter and light-colored transitions will effectively make the small kitchen space look more expansive, despite the presence of black shaker cabinets. For example, you can pair the black kitchen cabinets with light colored countertops, preferably with black veining on the surface. Moreover, a light colored wall is also considered a great transitioning element for small kitchens with black shaker cabinets.

In Conclusion:

While the rules say that darker colors should not be introduced in a small space, it is not worth it to sacrifice your preferences for outdated “rules”. It is much better to go around them or bend them according to your needs. Hire a professional kitchen designer and break these rules in style to create a kitchen that you love.