The kitchen is a place where the whole family regularly gathers, so they try to make it as comfortable, beautiful and functional as possible. It is not surprising that wenge kitchens are becoming more and more common in the interior - it has many advantages over other furniture. Let's figure out why it is valued and how to use its advantages to decorate your kitchen interior.
Kitchen with radius fronts Source krot.info
What shades of wenge are there?
Manufacturers today produce imitation wenge using various film materials, stains, and wax coatings. Or they make furniture with African wood veneer, but it costs more.
On a note!
Wenge color is almost never found in its natural form, since natural raw materials are an expensive rarity. Trees of this species are almost never felled.
Usually on the market you can find furniture of this color covered with film material. Many people think that wenge is only a rich brown with a lot of light veins. But natural wood has more shades: the color depends on the age and the part where the cut was made. The shade can range from milk to almost dark chocolate. Violet tones or burgundy are often found.
Wenge undertones are called:
- melinge - cold chocolate;
- tsavo - warm, medium-rich;
- Aruba - dark with burgundy inclusions.
All colors look fashionable. They fit well into interiors made in different styles.
Elite element of your kitchen
An island kitchen-dining room in wenge color benefits from the right lighting
A kitchen with a “predatory” chocolate pattern can be in either folk or classic style. The fittings are not afraid of mold or heat. The space is decorated with objects made from natural materials. For example, from ash, maple, apple tree.
Natural African wood is well suited for parquet (which has a particularly interesting and fancy pattern, a combination of dark and light spots), and various accessories. It harmonizes with many types of wood.
Real wenge wood is used mainly for finishing luxury kitchens
Features of wenge kitchen design
Dark brown shades and various sub-shades are used for kitchen interiors in different styles. Wenge does not distract, does not irritate, and does not bother you during cooking and eating. This color, on the contrary, calms and sets you up for positivity. A well-known fact from psychological color perception: each shade has its own impact on a person, his behavior and mood. African wood color is a great choice for a kitchen space.
African style kitchen
Wenge color looks most organic in African ethnic style
In African style, original combinations are acceptable. For example, gloss and matte surface. The apron set is decorated with drawings of tropical plants. Accessories made from natural materials (bamboo, rattan) also look good in the “African” space.
The African origin of wenge wood allows you to safely use both material and shade in the design of ethnic cuisine
African style gives great scope for using wenge-colored kitchens. This is not only furniture, but also a “wood” tone clock and a picture frame. African style is impossible without details. They are the ones who set the tone.
Kitchen design in wenge and zebrawood looks unconventional and very bold
In a studio, if the kitchen is combined with a relaxation area, a sofa with light upholstery is appropriate. It is also better to paint the table and chairs in white or light colors. This furniture is combined with a dark wenge set. A mirror with a transparent or shiny frame looks beautiful in a small kitchen.
Classic wenge kitchen is durable, luxurious and reliable
Combination of wenge with other colors
It is important to understand what colors unique wenge goes with. Furniture of rare colors is rarely made in one shade. Usually dark wood is combined with other wenge tones:
- dull wood and bleached oak (or cappuccino) - a classic, traditionally used in the form of “dark bottom, light top”;
- when combining the bottom of wenge furniture with imitation walnut on top, you should be scrupulous about the shades: both woods can be warm or cold, it is correct to create a tandem in the same color temperature;
- Combined furniture with shamani creates a unique design in the interior.
A current use case is a symbiosis of African wood with pure white wood. A kitchen against a light background does not look uncomfortable.
On a note!
If you add glass or metal details to the white gloss, you get a fashionable high-tech look.
The combination of wenge with heavenly, pistachio, and lilac is relevant. The more complex the shade, the more expensive the kitchen set looks.
Classic - a combination of ebony and vanilla. But this is no longer relevant. Therefore, it is right to forget the traditional symbiosis with milk, preferring a different light color.
If you want, you can create a more active kitchen interior by making the walls bright. But this option is not suitable for small spaces.
Selection of furniture
Manufacturers have learned to copy wenge-colored solid wood on polymers and other types of wood. Natural wood of various species is distinguished by its wear resistance and durability, but is afraid of water and steam. MDF and laminated chipboard are not afraid of humidity and cleaning agents, but such sets are short-lived and fade in the sun. In an economical version, a wenge-colored kitchen is made from artificial imitations of wood, PVC film or HPL plastic.
Facades and shape of kitchen units
Often, facades with dark wood combine well with glass, metal and granite. By design, they can be integral, framed, or framed (paneled).
There is a huge variety of configurations presented on the market:
- Straight - placed along one wall and there is not much work space left.
- L-shaped - adjacent to two adjacent walls and makes it possible to create a complete working corner triangle even in a small kitchen.
- Parallel - for large rooms where it is possible to place modules opposite each other.
- U-shaped - furniture placed along three walls makes it possible to create a large work area.
- “Island” – the set can be combined with furniture ensembles and stands independently in the room.
Wenge wood or its imitation looks so impressive and chic that it does not need additional transitions and itself serves as the main decoration of the kitchen. Therefore, furniture made from this material is characterized by simple shapes. Matte headsets are the most practical, but glossy ones look more modern.
Dinner Zone
Dining area for a wenge kitchen
Artificial stone and wood-like surfaces - oak, maple, birch, beech - will harmonize perfectly with the external elements of wenge. In minimalist variations, the use of a table on an iron frame with a glass top is not excluded. For chairs, you can choose both natural solid wood and budget ones - chipboard, MDF.
Sofa
Sometimes, for an important touch in the kitchen, you need a sofa that can complete the space. The best option for wenge is to choose a classic corner with simple shapes and not very light upholstery. The circular shape will fit perfectly if the perimeter of the kitchen is not occupied by cabinets, and a straight narrow sofa along the wall is an excellent replacement for chairs in a small room.
Which countertop to choose for the kitchen
Due to the fact that the front part of the wenge kitchen set is already bright, it is important to choose the right countertop that is light. It will give the overall interior lightness and weightlessness.
The wenge kitchen set with a beige and marble panel looks great. A more modern solution is terrazzo.
It is better to abandon the texture of wood in favor of a plain glossy or stone surface. African wood goes well with them.
Briefly about the main thing
Wenge kitchen is an attractive interior design option. The material palette is universal in application; any colors give the room an elegant and at the same time laconic look with a touch of exoticism.
Thanks to the variety of tones of African wood, a kitchen set with wenge facades will fit into all popular style trends. When choosing a suitable shade, pay attention to the size of the kitchen, details of furniture design and methods of combination with additional shades.
Wenge is easy to fit into any style, because it can be easily combined with both neutral and cold and warm shades. The combination with beige, olive, gray looks stylish.
Choice of finishes
Which wallpaper to choose is an equally pressing question. Kitchens in dark wood color are self-sufficient. To prevent the cabinets from looking too bulky, they are placed on a light background. It’s good if the kitchen has a white ceiling, walls, and flooring made from oak, alder, and walnut boards.
On a note!
Light walls get dirty easily and quickly, so it is correct and practical to choose moisture-resistant paint, ceramics, and washable panels for finishing.
Advantages, disadvantages of shades
Kitchens in wenge color photo are incredibly diverse - this is their main advantage. There are golden yellow, burgundy, milky coffee, black with veins, all shades of brown, even options with a purple tint. A room with a dark wenge set does not need any additional decoration - it itself gives the room an aristocratic appearance, ennobling it.
The easiest way to add accent brightness to a kitchen space, most of which is occupied by wenge-colored furniture, is to use bar stools or mini-chairs
Black-brown, purple-black color options should be used with caution: a bulky dark set overly conceals the space in a cramped, dimly lit room, although it looks chic and stylish in a more spacious one filled with light.
Wenge color is recommended to be used in doses and in combination with light tones from the white-beige group
For small kitchens, the most suitable furniture is made in light brown, golden-red tones.
For small rooms, it is better not to use only wenge for furniture; it is better to prefer combinations with light shades
Tip: in one interior it is allowed to use several shades of wenge at the same time, but no more than three at once.
Which apron for the kitchen is better to choose?
The apron in the kitchen, as well as a small part of the wall, is often veneered with wenge, a plastic that imitates the shade of African wood. When choosing a luxury interior, even natural raw materials, which are almost impervious to moisture and grease, are suitable.
The apron can also be made of colored glass or ceramic tiles. They decorate it with various designs in the chosen style. The apron is traditionally combined in color with the countertop, kitchen decoration, and decor.
How does it look when finished?
When carrying out major repairs and changing flooring, many turn to wenge shade. A dark floor is a noble, aesthetic, although not very practical option.
But if you have a robot vacuum cleaner in your apartment or you don’t mind cleaning once every couple of days, there shouldn’t be any problems. Of all the finishing materials, laminate, linoleum, and quartz vinyl are considered the easiest to maintain.
In the photo wenge color in the wall decoration
In addition to wenge flooring in the interior, walls are often decorated with panels of this shade. The design looks good behind the bed or opposite the sofa - as a base for a TV with an audio system.
Floors and walls are not the only option for using wenge color. Dark wood slats, for example, are often used to decorate the ceiling: the decor looks good against a white background.
In the kitchen, tone is used for countertops and backsplashes. They can even be made in one color - there is a large selection of MDF panels on the market, decorated with the same film as the work surfaces.
Textiles and accessories
There may not be curtains in the kitchen. In addition, trends today actively recommend abandoning textiles in this room. Open windows are especially good in small kitchens. They visually enlarge the room, as if filling the room with air.
Another suggestion from the designers: when the corner is placed under the window, there is no need for curtains. Especially in those kitchens where there is a sink or table opposite the window.
If it seems uncomfortable without curtains, choose them not to match the color of the set, but to match the style of the overall design: beige, dusty pink, ash are suitable for classics. Red, fuchsia, aquamarine, lilac will perfectly complement the kitchen in a modern design.
Types of textiles for windows are chosen according to the size of the room. In large ones you can hang curtains with tulle, in small ones it is right to prefer roller blinds.
As for accessories, they can be anything. The main thing is to match the overall style of the interior and not overload the space.
Floor, ceiling and doors
The ceiling surface should not be very active. Suitable variations would be tension matte systems in snow-white or creamy colors. They can have several levels or be perfectly smooth. The tone for the walls is chosen depending on the goal that you want to achieve as a result. For contrast, cool snow-white or grayish colors are used, and for a soft, homely interior, light brown or milky colors are used. The floor can be made of any material, including parquet, laminate, tiles, porcelain stoneware, self-leveling system. Black floors just don't work. Although they are practical, in combination with wenge they will make the design gloomy.
What furniture to choose for a wenge kitchen
Furniture in the color of rare African wood looks advantageous against the background of light walls and is suitable for interiors in various styles: modern, high-tech, classic, oriental. This is proven by real photos in fashion interior magazines.
On a note!
Naturally, it is not necessary to look for furniture made from rare and expensive African wood. Among manufacturers, wenge veneer is popular, as it perfectly replaces natural material.
Kitchens in this fashionable color are offered by many brands. In the choice of design and configuration, the flight of imagination is limitless. Everything is limited only by the financial capabilities of the consumer. The colors of such products are multifaceted, which makes it possible to choose the ideal set for any style. By listening to the designers’ recommendations, you will be able to create a cozy wenge kitchen yourself.
Matching Styles
The list of areas in which wenge color is successfully used includes both classic and modern styles. The reason for its versatility lies in the wide variety of palettes. Wenge creates an aura of luxury for classic sets; It allows objects designed in a modern style to look restrained and extremely elegant.
In a modern style Source on-desktop.com
The versatility of color is especially important for kitchen interiors. Wenge wood combines well with any finishing materials, as well as with metal, glass and plastic. A wenge kitchen, the design and color combination for which is chosen taking into account the interior style, will never disappoint the expectations of the owners.
The obvious use cases are classic and minimalist. Any ethnic trends, including country, chalet, Provence and Russian style, will benefit from the presence of wenge wood in the kitchen. A kitchen in modern and neoclassical styles will look luxurious. Cool shades are suitable for interior design in loft, high-tech, fusion, and eclectic styles.
Eco-style design Source tamos.ro
For wenge or against it?
Is this exotic wood worth the effort, or has it just become another trendy dud? In fact, in addition to its interesting color, wenge has a high resistance to both bending and impact loads. In addition, this coating is uniquely resistant to various fungi; scratches are almost invisible on it.
Most often, all happy owners of wenge are faced with one problem, quite unpleasant, but purely individual for everyone - problems with dust and hand marks. In fact, dust on a dark surface is much more noticeable than on a light one, as are fingerprints, but if you regularly clean and choose the right carpets, you can forget about this problem.
Color combinations
Wenge color is very multifaceted, and its perception directly depends on lighting and combinations. Therefore, in different combinations it plays with completely different colors. This means it provides unlimited scope for creative design interiors.
Wenge color with white
The combination of dark shades of wenge with white is a win-win classic that you can’t go wrong with. But make sure that one shade of white is used in the decoration, otherwise the contrasting combination will only emphasize the differences between warm milky, yellowish, bluish or grayish tones.
Wenge color with beige
In classic interiors, wenge is best combined with all variations of beige: from cream to ivory. Such interiors are always warm and homely, even if you use wood with a cold tint.
Wenge color with gray
On the one hand, the laconic gray color further emphasizes the expressive but strict texture of wenge. On the other hand, gray itself is just as multifaceted and diverse, which means you can choose a combination to suit your taste.
Wenge color with red
If you love catchy, bold and extravagant combinations, use wenge with bright scarlet accents. Muted coral and pinkish shades will create an atmosphere of tender romance in the room. And complex deep burgundy will emphasize the noble texture in traditional styles.
Wenge color with yellow
Wenge with bleached vanilla yellow is a good alternative to boring beige. In dark rooms where there is always not enough sun, combine wenge with bright and rich banana or mustard. And bright lemon neon will help to fit the classic “wooden” color into ultra-modern interiors.
Wenge color with green
Brown and green are the main and most common combination in nature, so you don’t have to deny yourself anything. Acid neon, delicate pistachio, multifaceted turquoise, bright grassy or deep emerald - they are all good in combination with wenge.
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