Classic Black: Bright and Light IKEA + Semihandmade Kitchen

Today I’m sharing our classic black bright and light IKEA + Semihandmade kitchen. Black has made a comeback in the kitchen! I’m sharing all the details on how we achieved a bright and light IKEA kitchen with Semihandmade using classic black cabinet doors.

*Affiliate links used, all opinions my own.

Classic Black: From Design Vision to Reality

If you are new to the blog you can head to this post where I first shared my design board and vision for our kitchen renovation. This post was so much fun to create. I was in the beginning stages of our kitchen design and knew I wanted the look of classic black cabinets. It’s fun to read it again and see the changes we made. My design vision slowly evolved once I was in the thick of the design and renovation process.

Going with black as an option for our cabinets was a big change for us. Our last IKEA kitchen was an all white kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I love a white kitchen and it will always be my favorite but I also love the classic look of black.

Black is Back in Design

If you have been following design trends (which I do but don’t always subscribe to) you’ve probably heard all the buzz about adding and incorporating black back into design.

When I was in the process of designing and selecting everything for our kitchen one of my favorite designers debuted a black kitchen. After seeing how gorgeous it was I knew I was on the right track with selecting black as a cabinet door option. Months later another one of my other favorite designers showcased her black kitchen creation on a show that used to air every Tuesday night – you know which one I’m talking about it! lol!

There is something so validating about seeing your favorite designers embrace and showcase black as an option for kitchen cabinets especially when we are saturated with constant images of white kitchens.

There is also something so timeless, elegant and classic about black cabinets. I’m so happy I trusted my {design intuition} for our kitchen renovation. A change was just what we needed and embracing the look of a black kitchen was the perfect solution.

1. Vase// 2. Salt Keeper||Wooden Stand// 3. Cutting Boards: Round, Rectangle// 4. Stools// 5. Artwork// 6. Pink Mixer// 7. Grey Planter// 8. Bowls||Succulents||Dishes// 9. Copper Canisters// 10. Gold Wine Rack

Keeping it Light and Bright While Adding Black

We completely gutted our kitchen – I’ll share the before pictures soon. It needed a lot of TLC. We added a large window to make our kitchen feel more open, wider and to take advantage of our pretty view. We moved the stove, removed the drop ceiling, and also removed 2 large walls (1 of which was load bearing).

This expanded and opened the kitchen making it light, bright and airy. With all the natural light from our 2 large windows I knew I needed to ground the space and add contrast.

Black cabinets were the perfect option to get the look and style that I felt most suited the space. I’m so glad I stuck with my decision and so happy with the end result.

When adding black cabinets it’s important to select coordinating elements that will add warmth to the space. It’s also important to make sure the space doesn’t feel too dark or heavy. I selected wood flooring in a lighter tone, added lots of white with our quartz countertop, subway tile backsplash and used a light paint color for the walls. These elements make our kitchen feel light, bright and open. I also opted for 1 large pantry and open shelving versus upper cabinets to continue this open, airy vibe.

Classic Black: Bright and Light IKEA + Semihandmade Kitchen

I was relieved to be able to find the perfect black cabinet doors for our IKEA kitchen. This was possible by working with a company called Semihandmade. I always get a ton of questions about why we chose Semihandmade. I’ll be sharing the various reasons and factors in an upcoming blog post.

In the mean time I can tell you that Semihandmade door fronts are the answer to IKEA kitchen customization. They elevate the look of an IKEA kitchen and the company is amazing to work with. With so many color options and styles to choose from you can get the exact look you want instead of settling for the standard IKEA options.

While the standard IKEA options are great (we had the BODBYN white for our last kitchen) I felt very limited this time around because I wanted a true matte black cabinet. I also love a classic shaker style. Semihandmade was hands down the winner for helping us get the exact matte black shaker style we wanted for our kitchen.

This kitchen renovation definitely kept us on our toes with little curve balls thrown our way. We made the best of it. Kitchen renovations can be daunting but they are so worth it!! Now looking back at how far we have come we really appreciate having a kitchen that we feel is exactly our style and will enjoy for many years to come.

I’ll be making these posts into a regular kitchen series. By answering many of your questions and discussing the process in more detail – I hope to help you in your kitchen renovation journey. Stay tuned for more and don’t forget to subscribe below for the latest.

Shop our:

{Classic Black Kitchen}

1. Glass Globe Pendants// 2. Sconce// 3. Satin Bronze Faucet// 4. Farmhouse Sink// 5. Zephyr Range Hood// 6. Verona Range// 7. White 4×12 Subway Tile// 8. Quartz Counterops: Color is Muse By LG Viatera// 9. Hardware: Brass Pulls||Knobs// 10. Cabinets

*For more black kitchen inspiration head here and for 2 of my favorite black kitchens I refer to in this post head here & here.

*Photos by the super talented Amira Gray of Amira Gray Photography.

*A BIG thank you to Semihandmade for working with us. This post was created in collaboration with Semihandmade, who donated a portion of the cabinetry & shelving in exchange for a review on this blog. The opinions and ideas expressed are genuine and my own. For more info about how I collaborate and work with brands I trust and recommend you can read my disclaimer here.

Thank you for stopping by,