How to Integrate Black Stainless into the Home
The color black is having a real moment right now, especially in the area of interior design. Whirlpool Corporation was a thought leader for this trend when it introduced the Black Stainless color finish for appliances in 2014. For those who want to get in on the trend but don’t know whether or not this look will integrate into their homes, there are a few tips that can help, courtesy of Whirlpool Corporation’s Senior Manager of the Material, Color and Finish Studio, Jessica McConnell.
Types of Cabinets that Fit with Black
“We designed Black Stainless to work with most wood cabinet colors,” said McConnell. “It has subtle, warm undertones to coordinate with the warm undertones in wood. That doesn’t mean, though, that it doesn’t look good with some of the cool-grey washed woods or cool-grey painted finishes. One of our KitchenAid showrooms is a cool-grey painted finish with Black Stainless, and it looks great.”
Age Groups/Demographics that Gravitate Toward Black
“We do not design for ages,” McConnell pointed out. “We design for attitudes, and Black Stainless can be really whatever you want it to be. You can make your appliance look more integrated into the cabinetry by pairing it with a darker cabinet finish, or you can make it become the main feature of your kitchen space by pairing it with light woods, light painted finishes, or even a color like pink (like the 2015 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year).”
Home Styles that Work with Black
“All homes work well with black,” explained McConnell. “A lot of old design boundaries are being questioned nowadays, and black really no longer is seen as a color that makes a space look smaller. It’s seen as a color that makes a space look richer and more premium (case in point – Jenn-Air Brand’s Obsidian refrigerator interiors).
Why Black Stainless Works
“The key to what makes Black Stainless so special is that it has subtle warm undertones, is a satin finish, and is not stark black,” said McConnell. “It’s a softer shade of black to enable a softer transition between appliance and cabinet.”