Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams

Sharing the best black paint colors, along with real-life examples of these colors in homes!

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams

If you’re a long-time reader, you’re probably wondering why on earth I’m chatting about the best black paint colors today! I use very little black in my light and bright decorating style, which is basically the opposite of rich and moody black paint! But the truth is, nearly every room can use a touch of black to help add some dimension and interest. In fact, at our last house, I painted both the exterior and interior front door black!

But the real reason is that, recently, my brother and sister-in-law moved into a new house and needed some help with paint colors. Their style is more rustic and organic than mine. Moving from Colorado to the base of the Tetons in Idaho, their new house perfectly reflects their style, and it’s going to be such a beautiful home! I suggested they go with a black front door (along with their natural wood exterior and black window frames). Turns out, I had a lot of opinions on which colors to test. So, I thought that today, I’d share my top picks for black paint!

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The Best Black Paint Colors & Real-Life Examples In Homes

If you’ve ever searched for the perfect black paint color, you probably realized rather quickly that it can be just as difficult as searching for a white paint color. It’s not as black and white as you’d think – pun fully intended 😉 Undertones can play such a huge part in these colors that may seem basic, and can totally change the overall look. So today I’m sharing the best black paint colors that should fit a variety of your painting needs!

If you’re wanting to try large, pre-painted samples, I’d definitely look into Samplize for picking the perfect black paint color for your home! Their large peel and stick samples are made with real paint (not dyed to mimic the color) so it can definitely help narrow down your top picks.

The first three black paint colors listed below are on the much softer side, with the undertones being more apparent. They’re great options if you’re not sure that you can fully commit to a true black!

Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain

We actually used Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain as our accent color when we painted our house exterior Benjamin Moore White Dove. It’s one of those colors that sometimes looks like a soft black, dark gray or blackish-brown. The colors is a really great match for Andersen’s and Pella’s bronze window trims, as well. It’s definitely a chameleon and we really love it (we also have it on our front door and shutters).

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain and White Dove exterior via Life On Virginia Street

Here’s how that same color looks in an interior on kitchen cabinets.

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams

Benjamin Moore French Beret

According to Benjamin Moore, French Beret is a cross between darkest gray and navy. This smart, saturated shade conveys unerring style. Infinitely fashionable, it transforms a space with timeless elegance.

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Benjamin Moore French Beret Mud Room Cabinets via Studio McGee

Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron

Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron is less harsh than a true black, and contains some brown, blue, and gray undertones. It’s definitely a chameleon of a color and each of those undertones will show up differently depending upon the natural light source where you paint it. If you’re looking for a Sherwin Williams equivalent, I would give Sherwin Williams Iron Ore a try!

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron Mud Room via Raili CA Design | Photography by Karyn Millet

And here is how that same color looks on an exterior. So gorgeous either way!

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron Exterior via Raili CA Design | Photography by Ryan Garvin

Benjamin Moore Soot

Benjamin Moore Soot is a very dark charcoal gray, with blue and gray undertones. It comes off as a soft black in most spaces, and is a great option if you want the black look, but are hesitant to go with the most saturated options.

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Benjamin Moore Soot Painted Office via Studio McGee

Valspar Dark Kettle Black

Valspar Dark Kettle Black is the color we used on both the interior and exterior of our front door at our last home. Back when I wasn’t as great at taking straight photos 😉 It doesn’t have any blue or green undertones, and is a soft, true black.

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams

Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black

Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black is a saturated and almost “true” black. This is the color I recommended for my brother and sister-in-law’s front door. It seems like everyone that uses it, loves it!

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black Kitchen via Studio McGee

Benjamin Moore Onyx

If you’re looking for a slightly warmer option than Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black, I’d give Benjamin Moore Onyx a try! It’s also a very saturated black but is slightly warmer in nature. This might be a better option if your room gets a lot of natural light. It’s also one of my favorites in a matte finish (or low gloss) for walls!

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams

Sherwin Williams Black Magic

Sherwin Williams is a dark, true black paint color with undertones. With the warm undertones, it’s an easy “true black” to use and won’t feel harsh or stark in your home. This is a great one for kitchen cabinets, exterior trim or doors or even on walls in a moody office space.

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams
Sherwin Williams Black Magic Exterior via Studio McGee

Additional Paint Color Inspiration

If you’re looking for even more paint color inspiration, be sure to check out these other posts by clicking on their titles below:

  • The Best White Paint Colors for Interiors
  • The Best Exterior White Paint Colors
  • The Best Gray Paint Colors
  • The Best Warm Gray Paint Colors
  • The Best Navy Blue Paint Colors
  • Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
  • The Best Blue Green Paint Colors
  • The Best Blue Gray Paint Colors
  • The Best Green Paint Colors
  • Whole House Paint Colors & Printable Paint Color Organizers
  • How To Pick the Perfect Paint Color and My Top Five Neutral Paint Picks
  • Paint Colors In Our Home (and Every Color We’ve Ever Used)

Free Paint Color Organization Printables

If you frequently paint your home like I do, it can sometimes be difficult to keep all your colors (and paint cans) organized! I recently created a free paint color organization printable set that I think you will all love!

Best black paint for kitchen cabinets sherwin williams

Simply complete the form below and I’ll email the PDF files over to you to start using today! It will also subscribe you to my email list, however, you can easily unsubscribe at any time if that isn’t your thing.

I hope you found these ideas and the best black paint colors helpful! Any other colors you’re on the hunt for?

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What is the best black paint to use on kitchen cabinets?

What Is The Best Black Paint For Kitchen Cabinets? My favorite shade of black paint is Onyx by Benjamin Moore. Benjamin Moore describes Onyx as, “part of a collection of bold, saturated colors that brings spaces to life for those looking to illuminate their world with pure, extraordinary color”.

What kind of paint do you use on Sherwin Williams kitchen cabinets?

Tip: Emerald® Urethane Trim Enamel, Gloss, Semi-Gloss or Satin Sheen is a perfect choice for top coat paint because it has excellent flow and leveling characteristics, which means a smooth and durable finish on cabinets, doors and trim.

What black paint does Joanna Gaines use?

FINE BLACK JG-144 Paint Color | Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines®

Is Sherwin Williams tricorn Black a true black?

Tricorn Black is very close to true black. On the Light Reflectance Value (LRV) scale, 0 is true black, and 100 is pure white. Tricorn Black has an LRV of 2.45, meaning it's unabashedly dark. Designers and homeowners love this shade because it's a neutral black.