Kitchen Cabinet Ideas With Black Countertops

Bright

• A black countertop demands bright colors in a contemporary kitchen. Choose a glossy candy apple red, bright yellow or vivid blue with stainless-steel or brushed nickel doorknobs and drawer pulls. Add white crown molding to make the color stand out, or tone down the color by installing a white subway tile backsplash with black trim. Use plain cabinets with no extra frills.

Monochromatic

• Have fun with a black-and-white kitchen by creating a checkerboard, alternating black and white cupboard doors on both the upper and lower cabinets. Use a very plain cabinet design so the black and white don't have to compete with trim. Alternate black and white doorknobs on the cupboards for a little pop. Create a backsplash that mimics the checkerboard from small white tiles with black grout.

Tuscan

• Colors associated with Tuscan decor go well with dark countertops in a traditional kitchen. Choose a cabinet with curves and raised molding. Paint the cabinet with one of the colors typically associated with Tuscany -- deep yellows, oranges, earthy browns and bright blues and greens -- and add gold or bronze hardware. Paint the lower cabinets a slightly darker shade of the color you use for the upper cabinets, and install a backsplash that resembles red brick.

Country

• Black countertops lend themselves well to country decor. Paint the cupboards glossy white and use rustic bronze hardware and drawer pulls that evoke the countryside. Place shelves with a curved edge at one end of the upper and lower cabinets and install a wooden valance over the kitchen window to hide a can light. Use bead board painted white for the backsplash.

Natural Wood

• Natural wood is a logical design choice for a kitchen, but not all woods go well with black countertops. Choose a rich, dark wood such as cherry or mahogany to complement the black. Stay away from mid-toned browns, like oak or maple, that look muddy with black countertops. If you have a small kitchen, use lighter colored woods, like light hickory or light pine. Black cupboard hardware, a black backsplash and black crown molding tie the wood and the countertops together.

Open

• A solid black countertop adds to the contemporary look in a home with hypermodern decor. Use open metal shelving in place of standard upper cabinets and install plain metal lower cabinets with doors. Add a decorative touch with a couple of etched glass doors on the uppers, and use stainless-steel handles on the lower cupboards and drawers. Carry the contemporary look further by using stainless steel as a backsplash.