Dark colours
Going dark without the room closing in
Charcoal, near-black, mid grey and a deep red-brown. Dark doors make a room feel cosy and considered, as long as light and contrast are planned in.
Will dark doors make my room feel smaller?
Not necessarily. A room feels small when you can see exactly where it ends. Dark colour blurs corners and edges, so a well-lit dark room can feel deeper than a pale one full of hard shadows.
What makes a dark room cramped is darkness everywhere: dark doors, dark floor, dark worktop and one light in the middle of the ceiling. Change one of those and the effect shifts completely.
Five ways to keep a dark room open
1
Run it to the ceiling
Tall units that meet the ceiling read as a wall, not a row of boxes. Scribes absorb any unevenness, so the top line stays clean.
2
Light inside
Shelf and cabinet LEDs, fitted by a qualified electrician.
3
A pale partner
A soft white worktop, a light floor or an oak shelf.
4
Stay matt
Matt surfaces soak up glare instead of throwing reflections about, so dark colour looks rich rather than shiny.
About super-matt5
Choose where the dark goes
Dark base units and island, lighter above. Or one dark wall of wardrobes in an otherwise bright bedroom. You don't need to go dark everywhere to get the feeling.
The darker end of the card
Stone grey is the gentle way in. Anthracite and ink black are the deep end. Oxblood brings warmth.
- Stone grey A mid grey that sits well with white worktops and steel. Good for: Kitchen, Living room or media wall, Home office, Utility or boot room Try it in the planner
- Anthracite A soft charcoal. Modern, and the super-matt surface shows fewer marks than gloss. Good for: Kitchen, Bedroom or dressing room, Living room or media wall, Home office Try it in the planner
- Ink black Close to black, softened by the matt finish. Good for: Kitchen, Bedroom or dressing room, Living room or media wall Try it in the planner
- Oxblood A deep red-brown. Bold on an island or a dry bar. Good for: Kitchen, Living room or media wall, Home office Try it in the planner
Screen colours are a guide. Order free samples to see them in your own light.
Oxblood on an island
A deep red-brown sounds bold. On an island or a dry bar it reads as warm rather than loud, especially beside brass and a pale worktop.
Lighting
Plan the light before the colour
Dark doors flatter good lighting and expose poor lighting. Think in layers: a soft wash under the wall units onto the worktop, strips inside open or glazed shelving, and a low glow along the plinth at night.
We mark every LED and socket position on your drawings, so your electrician can plan the wiring before the units arrive. Lights in shelves and wardrobes can switch with a wave of the hand or as a door opens.
Judge them after dark
Order free samples
Look at dark samples in the evening, under the bulbs you really use. That's when they change most.
Try a dark run at your own sizes
Enter your walls in the planner and see the colour to scale, or send us photos for a free design and a price range.
Free guide
Get the free planning guide
Measuring, styles, finishes and how to plan your budget, in one short guide. Then the odd email with ideas worth stealing.
Questions people ask
Anything else, send us a message and we'll talk it through.
Do dark doors show dust and fingerprints?
Dust shows a little more on any dark colour. The super-matt surface on anthracite, ink black and oxblood keeps fingerprints far quieter than gloss would, and a dry microfibre cloth deals with dust.
What worktop goes with anthracite?
Soft white or marble-look quartz for contrast, solid oak for warmth, or dark sintered stone for one moody block. Kitchens.
Is ink black too much for a bedroom?
On one wall of wardrobes, with warm lighting inside, it can feel calm and enclosing in a good way. Keep the walls and bedding lighter. Fitted wardrobes.
Which handles suit dark doors?
Brushed brass for warmth, brushed steel for a crisp look, or handleless so the colour runs unbroken. Handles and doors.
Are dark colours a good idea in a north-facing room?
They can be. North light is cool and even, so a dark room there tends to feel cosy rather than gloomy, as long as the artificial lighting is planned well.