The 5 Best (and 4 Worst) Kitchen Trends of 2024, According to Designers
If there’s one room of your home that gets the most love and attention when it comes to design, it’s the kitchen. Known as “the heartbeat of the home,” I haven’t met anyone who didn’t want a beautiful cooking and meal-gathering room. As you get ready to head into the new year, new kitchen trends await — but, there are a few that are expected to carry over into 2025, and some that designers hope to leave in 2024.
I chatted with a few interior experts about what trends they loved and hated in 2024, and they gave me everything I needed to know. Here’s what they had to say:
5 Designer-Favorite Kitchen Trends of 2024
1. Hidden Produce Drawers
Smart cabinetry and storage leads the way of innovative kitchen trends in 2024. Bob Bakes, head of design and cofounder of Bakes & Kropp Fine Cabinetry, shared that one of his favorite kitchen trends this year was cabinetry that focused on hiding and venting produce outside of the fridge.
“A trend we’ve been incorporating for a while now that was great to see grow in popularity this past year is the use of vented produce drawers,” he says. “These drawers, with mesh at the bottom, offer ventilation to keep produce fresher for longer. It’s not just their functionality that appeals to homeowners; the aesthetic aspect is equally important.”
2. Integrated Storage
Speaking of smart storage, Barbara Vargas, a specialist at Nobilia, loved seeing kitchens that worked storage into cabinetry with smartly placed pull-out systems or hidden compartments for appliances, all of which she says maximizes space while maintaining a clean look. “These solutions are designed to help reduce clutter and enhance the functionality of the kitchen without compromising on style, and became a priority in modern kitchens this year,” she says.
3. Checkerboard Flooring
Vintage designs have made a comeback in homes in recent years, and one of the patterns that was a designer-favorite for kitchen trends in 2024 was checkerboard flooring. “We loved to see the return of the checkerboard floor with a modern twist. It was great to see customers ask for schemes that broke from the traditional black and white,” says Camilla Masi, an interior designer at Otto Tiles & Design. This flooring idea is an excellent way to add more personality to the kitchen that breaks away from the hardwood floors that have been the go-to over the last decade.
4. Colorful Kitchens
In 2024, experts said goodbye to sterile white kitchens and more homeowners said hello to colorful spaces! “We experienced customers really experimenting with unexpected combinations of color, pattern, and style to create schemes which feel expressive and artistic this year,” Masi says. “We loved seeing the trend for Strega Nona kitchens, which took off this year thanks to TikTok. The trend advocated a really homely, traditional feel, which was so refreshing. Think: plaster walls and zellige tiles, earthy material,s and pops of rich color. It was very effortless, and that’s why it was so appealing to so many, including us. My favorite was a scheme we created with a marron and soft off-white.”
5. Organic-Shaped Range Hoods
Other than smart storage and bringing in more color, one of the most-loved kitchen trends this year was a changeup in the structure of the kitchen. Specifically, the statement range hood. “This year, I’ve loved seeing range hoods make a real comeback with larger, more organic shapes. They feel bold and intentional without being overdone or too busy,” Carolyn Cerminara of Cerminara Design says. “And when the budget allows for real stone, it really becomes refined.”
4 Kitchen Trends Designers Hated in 2024
1. Minimalist Spaces
Minimalism was a good idea. After all, is there anything better than a clutter-free looking kitchen? While Bakes says minimalism isn’t completely out for kitchen trends moving forward, he does say you need to be strategic for your space to feel homey and inviting.
“We continued to see the rise of minimalist kitchens; however, these can often be overdone and excessively sparse with no visible storage or warmth, which leads to a very cold and impersonal feel,” he says. To make it more comfy and inviting, Bakes suggests balancing clean lines of modernism with cozy, tactile elements.
2. Overly White Color Schemes
As noted above, overly white kitchens had a nice run for a few years, but designers say the beloved “crisp and clean” look is no longer trending. “Even though white is timeless, I’m ready to move away from the stark, clinical feel of an all-white space and embrace darker tones, rich wood finishes, and vibrant accent colors to add contrast and dimension to the kitchen,” Vargas says. “Similar to all-white kitchens, I hope to see the trend of having all cabinets in the same finish become less common. Kitchens with a mix of colors, materials, and textures create visual interest and a sense of balance, bringing warmth and personality to the space and less uniform, overly coordinated designs.”
3. The Unexpected Red Theory
While the designers want you to add more personality and character to your kitchen next year via color, one trend Masi cautions you to be wary of is the “unexpected red theory,” which she says was the worst kitchen trend of the year. “Red is such a powerful color, and for me, I don’t think it works within a kitchen scheme (unless we’re talking small decor accessories or tableware) since it can be extremely overpowering.”
4. Flat Black Cabinets
If you caught a wild hair this year and reinvigorated your kitchen by painting your cabinets black, I’m sorry to inform you that designers say that trend is out for 2025. The good news is that black as a color isn’t completely out! According to Cerminara, black wood stains can add a perfect touch of warmth and texture.
“Flat black cabinets had their moment, but honestly, they feel too stark and start to look dated fast. They also lack the personality I think a kitchen should have,” she says. “What I’m seeing more of (and loving!) is black-stained white oak with that beautiful rift-cut texture, paired with a classic shaker profile. It adds depth and warmth without feeling trendy or overdone.”
Do you agree with these designer favorites and least-favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
Further Reading
The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
Reese’s Just Launched a Limited-Edition Peanut Butter Cup, and It Tastes 4x Better than the Original
