There’s a bit of a shake up for colors in our kitchens and beyond in 2025, and we are going bold!
Not only are we digging deep and going braver with our color choices, innovative tile layouts that become focal features in their own right and the clever combination of materials is on the rise.
Let’s face it, having just recently renovated my own kitchen, kitchens are not cheap. Abiding by trends is not always the best move if you want to create a space that will stand the test of time, but some of these trends offer timeless solutions to styles, in fresher ways than we have seen before.
Here are the top 10 trends that are going to rule our kitchens in 2025.
The Top 10 Kitchen Trends For 2025
I’ve spoken to some of the leading experts in the kitchen industry, from tile brands to kitchen designers. As always, I’m also sharing my thoughts and trends that I have been seeing more of in design work, along with results from trending industry reports that share real insights into homeowners kitchen design choices.
I always love compiling these reports each year, and there is a lot to be excited for in our kitchens in 2025 – with a focus on creating more tactile spaces with more texture, layering, color and fun tile choices.
1.Countertop Cabinets
In recent years there’s been a debate between standard upper cabinets vs open shelving. But we’re seeing a new rise of countertop cabinets which are typically flush from the worktop to just below ceiling height.
They’re a practical solution for expansive kitchens with spare countertop space, and they avoid areas such as hard to please nooks looking short with just a standard upper cabinet.
Molly Chandler Kitchen Designer, at Willis & Stone talks us through this trend; “Love them or hate them, countertop cabinets are definitely on trend. Sitting directly on the worktop, they offer additional storage and organisational benefits, utilising vertical space without the need for more floor area”.
“Items stored in them are easily accessible when compared to higher wall cabinets and placing frequently used items in them such as small appliances can help to keep counters clear. This is particularly useful for those who love a clean, minimalist look”.
Whilst they won’t suit every type of kitchen, there is definitely design merit in opting for this style of cabinet over uppers. If you have limited space next to a cooker hood for example, leave it bare. Trust me on this, countertop cabinets won’t work in this setting because you need the worktop area for preparation and upper cabinets just end up sucking light and making the area look cluttered. If in doubt, it’s always best to leave. You can always add open shelving at a later date if you feel the wall needs something extra in your design.
2. Bold, Indulgent Colors
2025 is the year of celebrating color and adding joyful hues to our spaces. Whilst there will always be a place for neutrals, kitchens are a great place to start experimenting with color, whether that’s on kitchen cabinetry or a fun tile design.
Leading paint brand Dulux recently announced its color of the year, True Joy, a vibrant yellow, whilst Benjamin Moore announced Cinnamon Slate, their color of 2025. The most gorgeous delicate mix of heathered plum and velvety brown which offers a stylish and modern outlook. These trending paint colors are always a precursor for what we can expect across the rest of our interiors.
This has been supported by the Houzz UK Kitchen Trends report for 2024, which proclaimed, ‘move over neutrals’. Despite this, it showed that grey actually continues to be the most common cabinetry colour (19%), however, it dropped 2 points year over year. Similarly, white dropped 4 points this year (15%). Green cabinetry (16%) and unpainted medium wood (5%) saw the biggest rises, up 3% and 2%, respectively.
Remember, grey is popular because it’s a default, fail safe choice. Going for something with color is what will transform a standard kitchen design into something that gets people talking in 2025. Shades that are rising across the interior world include richer, more pigmented shades like yellows, purples, blues and greens.
3. Personalised Tileplay
Tiling your kitchen? Step away from those white subway tiles. I mean it.
Innovative tile layouts and choosing artisanal tiles or those with bolder color choices will help you to create a truly personal and unique kitchen space. Tiles are becoming a type of art in their own right, they can add a focal feature to a kitchen whilst really breathing some fun into the heart of your home.
We spoke with Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra who shared her thoughts on thrusting tiles into the spotlight in your kitchens this year, “The tones that spark joy and boost your mind and those tiles that grab the eye, hold it, and have you looking back for more. These are the tiles that want to be talked about, causing a stir every single day. They could be tiles with a less-than-usual shape like arabesque or picket tiles; they could be stand out shades like jade green, azure blue or a mega mustard; or they could be unexpected mix and match tiles like pinstripes aside florals that shouldn’t work but really, really do. To end on another quote: “we’re not looking to anyone for permission on how we use colour anymore.” And who are we to argue with Elle Decoration?”.
Whatever you had planned, think bolder! If you’re still on the fence about diverting away from a matte white tile, just get some samples! Pick some designs you wouldn’t normally choose so you can get a feel for them in your space. If you want to stick with something neutral, opt for zellige tiles. Not only are they subtle and timeless, but their slightly imperfect look makes you engage with them visually no matter when angle you perceive them in.
4. Warm, Earthy Tones
Those earthy color schemes that we’ve been seeing a lot of over the last year have no signs of slowing down, and they lend themselves perfectly to a kitchen design. Warm woods and earthy colours work beautifully in a kitchen and bring a comforting, homely feel to the space
Molly Chandler said , “With a timeless appeal, earthy tones are known for their calming effect, which can make the kitchen a more relaxing space to cook and spend time in. There are many ways to incorporate these tones into a kitchen design, perhaps the most obvious being to choose cabinetry painted in warm tones such as beige, terracotta, soft yellows, or warm greys”.
For worktops, Molly suggested that both natural stone and oak will work well and further elements of wood could be added through bar stools, open shelving and flooring. Terracotta or other warm-toned tiles can also be used for flooring or splashbacks, bringing a rustic Mediterranean vibe.
Take inspiration from the below kitchen, working in harmony with the beautiful architectural parameters of the property, they have taken inspiration from that exposed brick and carried those earthy tones through to the kitchen cabinetry. A green is always a good idea, it’s one of the easiest colors on the eye, and it’s great for disguising marks, stains and imperfections over the years. Cardamom from Farrow and Ball is one of my favourite rich brown, greens for kitchen cabinetry.
Yes, earthy colors are trending, but they bring together a classic design that will stand the test of time.
5. Brushed Nickel Handles
Brass remains a popular choice for kitchen hardware, but brushed nickel is a refreshing alternative that brings a traditional feel to a kitchen.
According to the Houzz UK Kitchen Trends report for 2024, brushed nickel continues to be the most popular finish for handles (22%), however, the share of homeowners opting for brass has doubled year on year (14%, compared to 7% in 2023), overtaking chrome (10%) as the second most popular choice.
If you have the budget in your kitchen design, brushed nickel is always a more aesthetic choice than standard chrome finishes. They carry a more authentic feel with them and their slightly softer look as opposed to chrome makes it work well in both neutral, and bolder color schemes in a kitchen.
Mixing metals is still very much a welcome trend across interiors if you want to up the design flair. Mixing brass with brushed nickel will increase visual interest, but also ticks all the boxes for trending hardware in a kitchen.
6. Open Shelving VS Enclosed Cabinets
Open shelving still remains a hugely popular feature in kitchens, and there’s controversy about ditching ample storage space for open shelving which undoubedtly becomes more about styling shelves with items you might never use, right?
When designing a kitchen, your personal lifestyle should lead all decisions, this is the only way you should plan a kitchen. So, following trends should only be considered once you’ve got your non-negotiable list ready for your kitchen. Storage or lack of storage should form this, but it’s also very dependent on the layout of your kithen.
For example, we recently renovated our kitchen and we took down an extra 2 upper cabinets which we did not replace. Whilst the extra storage would have been nice, we added extra drawer space below where just a singular cabinet was before, so we solved that storage issue there. But the main reason we opted for shelving instead was because the upper cabinets were restricting light flow from the window, and they made the kitchen feel even smaller.
I personally think that too many upper cabinets can create this claustrophobic feel in a kitchen, and as design trends evolve, it’s not the most modern way to maximise space in a kitchen anymore. Open shelving is very much about an aesthetic feel, but there’s also a valid design principle behind this, and it works!
Do consider these factors when designing your space, let those walls breathe if you can, the flow of light in your space will thank you for it!
7. Fluted, Textured Elements
Layering a kitchen with textured elements brings a more tactile feel to a finished kitchen, and it engages you visually on a different level to flat finishes.
Textured elements could include items such as fluted tiles, grooved kitchen islands or ribbed glass. They add the unexpected to a kitchen design, and will instantly elevate any kitchen color scheme.
Molly Chandler added, “Fluted or grooved elements are a popular choice for modern kitchen design, adding texture to the space. They help to break up runs of flat surfaces, creating subtle shadows and highlights to enhance the overall design. This detail lends a sense of craftsmanship and sophistication, making cabinets, islands or backsplashes stand out. Functionally, fluting can also help disguise minor imperfections and wear over time, maintaining a cleaner appearance. Additionally, fluted glass used in cabinetry does make it harder to see what’s inside, taking the pressure off having perfectly displayed contents”,
This kitchen design below features a ribbed detailing on the glass doors which is then taken through to the base of the kitchen island. This is the perfect marriage between the separate items in the kitchen, pulling the finished design together. It breaks up the monotony of the wooden units and really draws the eye in.
8. Stone Drenching
You’ve heard of color drenching, but there’s a new design term on the block for 2025, meet stone drenching.
As the name suggests, this refers to the design technique of covering multiple surfaces with the same type of stone. This can include worktops, splashbacks and flooring and using a single stone such as a quartz, granite or marble for all areas which can result in a very luxurious, upmarket look.
“Stone drenching gives a very coordinated appearance and the continuous use of one stone minimises visual breaks for a very sleek style, which can also make the kitchen feel larger and more open”, said Molly.
This is an effective design trend for larger spaces, and as you can see from the below kitchen, it creates an open plan space that flows, and looks luxurious. You can still incorporate color and texture into your cabinetry to break up the monotony of the stone.
9. Mixing Different Types of Materials
If stone drenching isn’t a trend you see yourself following in your kitchen, make it this one.
Just like introducing textured, tactile elements to your kitchen is bang-on-trend for the year ahead, layering with different types of materials is one of the easiest ways to create a visually enticing and interesting kitchen space.
Opting for a two tone kitchen is a flawless way to achieve this, traditionally if you have a kitchen island, you choose a different complementary color on the island to that on your kitchen cabinetry. It doesn’t even have to be the same material, as shown below, you could opt for traditional shiplap panelling on the kitchen island with wood slat panelling on the cabinetry.
Consider the flooring and your backsplash choices too. There still needs to be some continuation of style and color between your choices to avoid it clashing.
10. Oversized Lighting
Let’s talk lighting! If in doubt, I always say scale up.
I see it so often, but adding pendant lighting a couple of sizes too small is the quickest way to create a kitchen that looks inferior. Often there can be a misconception that only large spaces can handle large lighting, but oversizing actually has the reverse effect and can make a space feel larger.
A kitchen island is a good example to share on this. A rule of odds is usually followed, the theory that adding an odd amount of lighting creates the perfect balance between each light, giving greater visual appeal that evens would.
But there are occasions when two, like the below kitchen looks even better, and this is because you have greater room to scale up lights when there is just a pair. A row of three lights is not as striking if they are tiny across the kitchen island, they might as well not be there.
Large kitchen lighting is an expensive thing, but it’s worth saving up for the investment as smaller scale lights won’t do your new kitchen any justice.
Rule the kitchen this year by oversizing your lighting, it is a huge game changer and will heighten the end feel of your kitchen. Recreate the kitchen below with these glass pendant lights from The Soho Lighting Co.
Which of these kitchen trends will you try this year?
