Major Benefits of Implementing a Charcoal Theme in your Dining Areas

by Miryam,H@CD · October 1, 2017

The kitchen, probably the most important area of your home. And one, which goes without saying, that should be the cleanest.

What is a charcoal themed?

In my home I have tried to implement a consistent charcoal theme in the kitchen and dining areas.

If you aren’t familiar with charcoal themed rooms, it is when you effectively make use of dark shades of grey and lighter shades of black coloured furniture and accessories to offset large open spaces and rooms with a lot of light.

The results can be quite spectacular if done right

Major benefits?

By implementing a charcoal theme in a room or area, you can achieve a sophisticated and modern elegance without being in danger of trying to mix and match different colours.

Using blues, greens, reds and yellows is often a risky approach and I’ve often found that you need to have a real eye for design if you are using these colours to pull it off successfully.

With these livelier colours you need to be spot-on with the implementation or it ends up looking horribly wrong and becomes the topic of conversation between your friends (for the wrong reasons).

With charcoal colours, you are in essence playing it safe. The supposedly duller greys and blacks aren’t in danger of clashing with the brighter yellows and reds and will never look out of place alongside blue and green elements.

You’ve heard the saying, “keep it simple”, with a charcoal themed area, that’s exactly what you’re doing.

White walls, light or dark tiles and charcoal elements creates a perfect look every time.

One of the biggest benefits of charcoal themes, especially in dining areas and kitchens is that they always look cleaner (provided that you regularly clean of course). I’m sure you know how easily dirt becomes visible on light furniture. Well the same goes with the brighter colours as well.

With charcoal coloured furniture, you would need to examine them with greater scrutiny in order to see if there are any unwanted build ups of dirt and grime.

Can a charcoal theme be implemented poorly?

As easy as it is to implement darker shades like grey and black, there are important pitfalls to avoid.

Make sure there is adequate light.

It always pains me when I visit a home and step into a room which doesn’t get any natural light. Regardless of how beautifully it’s furnished, poorly lit rooms are dark and give off a very cold atmosphere. This unwelcoming effect is heightened with darker finishes.

Avoid charcoal and small tight spaces

The other mistake a lot of homeowners make is to try and implement a charcoal theme in a small room or kitchen. Ladies… if your kitchen is small, AVOID black and charcoal colours. The darker colours end up making the room feel a lot smaller than it really is and your guests will surely develop a small bout of claustrophobia.

Thankfully, that’s the only major issues you can run into when going for the charcoal effect. And with a little bit of careful planning, it should be a non-issue.

Now that you know the positives and negatives of implementing black and charcoal themes in your kitchen, let’s take a look at some of my preferred stores where I normally buy my kitchen finishes and appliances.

Boardmans

Boardmans is my favourite store when it comes to buying smaller appliances.

Take a look at this coffee machine and this kettle & toaster set. Absolutely divine! And the perfect addition for a dark theme.

Next up is Hirsch’s

When it comes to black and chrome fridges and larger appliances, look no further than Hirsch’s. They supply a wide range of high-end brands and you’re sure to get the perfect fridge to complement your theme.