1. Picture-Perfect Kitchens Are you tired of trying to make your kitchen look like the seen-one-seen-them-all, picture-perfect kitchens online? You don’t have to! “Instead of feeling like we need the same perfect showcase kitchen we see on Instagram or a home renovation TV show, the zeitgeist is moving into an era of personal, idiosyncratic design,” says Eva Jorgensen, an artist, designer, author, and travel expert. “When we create a kitchen that fits our own authentic needs, tastes, backgrounds, budgets, etc., the result ends up being so much more interesting and original.”
2. High-Contrast Kitchens Remember when everybody painted their upper and lower cabinets different colors? Well, it’s time to forget it. Grab a brush, because a trend that is definitely on the way out is high-contrast kitchens, says designer Sarah Tract of Sarah Tract Interiors. “I expect this trend to evolve in 2024 to kitchens having a more cohesive color palette. Even if the kitchen is all one color, it should be continuous with the stone and hardware to create a monotone look.”
3. All-White Kitchens Not everyone believes white is a timeless selection for kitchens. “White kitchens are losing their popularity in households,” Rotem says. “Homeowners are now seeking livelier color palettes to show more personality within living spaces.”
4. Sprawling Lighting Is it even a kitchen without a honking big island light or other massive fixture? Maybe not for long! “Over the last year, we found that many designers and homeowners with low kitchen ceilings have opted for either sprawling, multi-arm semi-flush mounts to provide the ambiance of a chandelier or petite, decorative spotlights for more task-oriented lighting,” says Sarah Speck, director of product strategy for Hudson Valley Lighting Group.
5. Single-Finish Metals Honestly, choosing fixtures is so overwhelming I just skipped out entirely on cabinet hardware in my new kitchen. Luckily, McGarity provides some guidance. “Hardware is also pivoting,” she says. “Over the last few decades we’ve seen brass become dated and stainless or chrome surge. And now brass is on-trend again. Other finishes such as champagne gold will fall out of favor in 2024. There is a lot more freedom to mix metals. It’s very common to see multiple metal finishes in a kitchen now. This will continue.”
6. Pantries Pantries are essential in a kitchen, no? Well, maybe actually just … no. “In 2024, I anticipate people moving away from a large kitchen pantry,” says interior designer Hilary Matt of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove. In its place? She says people are opting for a secondary back kitchen, built-out butler’s pantry, or wet bar.
Other Things on Their Way Out in 2024
– Farmhouse kitchens are now “basic,” says Rotem. “Again, homeowners are starting to incorporate personality within kitchens.” – “With the improvements to induction cooktops, I think the focal point of kitchen hoods will become less dominant in kitchen design,” says McGarity. “Induction is here to stay and as clients move away from gas, this will influence the dominant feature in kitchen design.” – “Darker tones will fade,” says Rotem. “Modern kitchens with matte finishes and sleek looks are not as desired as they once were; instead splashes of color are being brought back.”