How to brighten up a dark kitchen

What makes a kitchen dark?

Kitchens can end up feeling a bit on the dark side for multiple reasons. Sometimes, there’s simply a lack of natural light in the room, or maybe the space is missing good artificial light that works in its favour.

Alternatively, certain style choices can darken a kitchen too. If you have dark worktops, walls, cabinets or flooring, you’ll need to think about the best lighting for your space. If you get it right, the ambience can be perfect.

The benefits of creating a brighter kitchen

Whether you create a brighter kitchen through adding variations of light or through changing up your colour scheme, there are plenty of benefits that come with a lighter space. Bright kitchens are elegant, classic and timeless while also evoking a sense of calm and tranquillity. Light helps to enhance and complement natural features like stone and wood accents, as well as opening up a space.

Did you know that brightness and light can also enhance your mood? Research shows that certain bright colours are known to boost mood in different ways. For example, yellow lifts energy, while green creates feelings of calm and reduces stress.

Add colour with appliances

“A popular trend is to add splashes of bright colour by choosing colourful appliances as part of a darker kitchen aesthetic. Adding a pop of colour in this way brightens up your space instantly without the need for more high-investment changes,” says Lizzie.

If you’re lacking inspiration for how to lighten up a dark kitchen with accessories, browse our range of Samsung Bespoke and Smeg appliances. Is bright colour a little outside of your comfort zone? You could also create this aesthetic by choosing metallic-finish appliances to reflect the light you do have in the kitchen and create a contemporary and polished finish.

Consider your hardware

The hardware in your kitchen can play an important and underestimated role in the overall look of your space.

Lizzie says: “If you have darker cabinetry, you can use lighter or coloured taps and handles to add a bit of brightness. Brass is a popular choice in many on-trend kitchens today. From bar handles to simple round knobs, switching up your door furnishings can be a simple way to create light in a darker kitchen.”

Use kitchen mirrors

Have you ever thought about adding mirrors to your kitchen design? Reflecting both natural and artificial light, mirrors also create the illusion of more space, and can be a great choice in darker or more compact kitchens. This can be a quick and inexpensive but impressive solution.

Add colour or pattern with splashbacks and backboards

If you’re working with darker cabinets, adding a statement splashback or vibrant backboard is a clever way to inject some brightness – while easy and efficiently updating your space.

Whether you opt for a light palette or a rich, colourful detailed pattern, this can create a beautiful statement feature in a darker kitchen and instantly add brightness and light. You can consider anything from marble-effect styles to on-trend patterns and tiles, depending on the style of your kitchen.