As kitchen design trends evolve, homeowners are moving beyond the all-white, cookie-cutter styles, embracing a diverse range of fixtures and finishes. According to the 2023 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, which surveyed around 3,600 homeowners who have recently remodeled or are in the process of doing so, a few key trends have emerged:
- Bringing the Outdoors In Twenty percent of homeowners are creating a stronger connection between their kitchens and the outdoors. The most popular methods include adding double or a row of doors (46%), a single door (29%), or pass-through windows (14%) to let in natural light and views.
- Focus on Sustainability Eco-friendly updates are a priority, with homeowners opting for LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances, water-saving fixtures, and efficient windows. The biggest motivation? Long-term savings, cited by 74% of respondents. However, 54% also shared that making environmentally conscious choices is important to them.
- Changing Design Styles Over 80% of homeowners changed their kitchen style during renovations. The most popular design is transitional, followed by modern and contemporary. Farmhouse and traditional styles were chosen by 11% of renovators, with traditional seeing a slight uptick from last year.
- Cabinet Style Shift While shaker-style cabinet doors remain the top choice, their popularity has dropped by three percentage points (61%) compared to last year. Meanwhile, flat-panel doors are gaining traction, with 20% of homeowners opting for this sleek, modern look. When it comes to hardware, bar pulls lead the way (72%), followed by knobs (34%) and cup pulls (10%). Interestingly, 6% of renovators are choosing no cabinet pulls at all for a minimalist approach.
- Wood Tones on the Rise White cabinets continue to dominate in remodeled kitchens (40%), but wood-toned cabinets are gaining popularity, increasing by three points to 24%. Additionally, 46% of homeowners are choosing islands with contrasting cabinet colors. While blue and gray are seeing slight declines, black, medium wood, and dark wood tones are on the rise.
- Recessed Lighting Gaining Popularity Recessed lighting has taken the lead as the top choice for kitchen lighting this year, overtaking under-cabinet lighting, which remains a close second. Although pendant lights saw a slight drop of three points compared to last year, they are still the most popular choice for over-island lighting.
- High-Tech Kitchen Upgrades Technology is becoming a bigger part of the modern kitchen. Docking stations, wireless speakers, and stereo systems are increasingly common. More than half of homeowners (51%) have opted for high-tech faucets with water-saving or touchless features. Additionally, nearly 40% are installing smart appliances with Wi-Fi connectivity and smartphone controls, bringing kitchens into the digital age.
