Kitchen Trends: How 2024 Set the Stage for 2025
The kitchen has always been the heart of the home, but the way we design and use it is evolving quickly. From warm color palettes to smarter storage and cutting-edge appliances, both 2024 and 2025 trends show a clear move toward kitchens that balance style, function, and sustainability. Let’s look at how 2024’s trends are shifting and deepening into 2025.
Overall Design Philosophy
2024:
Kitchens in 2024 started moving away from stark, all-white minimalism and leaned into warmth and earthiness. Natural woods, cozy gathering spaces, and sociable layouts made kitchens feel welcoming and practical. Functionality and personalization were strong drivers, with custom storage, statement islands, and open shelving playing key roles.
2025:
By 2025, the philosophy evolves further into kitchens with character and lived-in charm. Instead of just warm and functional, they’re becoming personalized and expressive, mixing rustic and luxurious elements. Custom cabinetry, culturally inspired details, and layered textures are helping homeowners design spaces that feel uniquely their own. Sustainability also deepens, with eco-conscious materials and energy-efficient technology at the forefront.
Color Palettes
2024:
The big shift in 2024 was toward earthy tones—terracotta, olive, browns—paired with bold contrast colors like emerald, navy, and burgundy. Two-tone cabinets and bold backsplashes helped kitchens feel lively and layered.
2025:
The color story continues in 2025, but goes deeper and richer. Expect jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, and ruby to dominate, alongside muted pastels that soften the mood. Earth tones remain strong, but kitchens now embrace warmer neutrals—sand, taupe, mushroom—replacing cooler grays.
Materials & Finishes
2024:
Natural wood cabinets (especially oak and walnut) made a comeback, with stone slab backsplashes and mixed materials—wood, stone, and metals—creating a layered effect. Textures became more important, moving away from glossy surfaces.
2025:
Materials in 2025 are all about touch and texture. Think fluted wood, ribbed details, and honed or leathered countertops instead of polished ones. Mixed metals—brass, bronze, nickel—are no longer accents but a defining feature. Kitchens also blend natural materials like wood and stone with industrial finishes such as concrete or stainless steel.
Layout & Functionality
2024:
The kitchen island took center stage in 2024, often serving as a prep area, dining spot, and storage hub. Open shelving and multifunctional storage were popular, along with concealed appliances for a sleeker look.
2025:
In 2025, the island becomes even larger and more multifunctional, sometimes housing sinks, cooktops, or beverage stations. A big evolution is the rise of back kitchens/pantries—secondary spaces dedicated to prep, storage, and cleanup. Concealed kitchens and hidden appliances also take hold, making the main space look uncluttered and sophisticated.
Technology
2024:
Smart tech started gaining traction with app-controlled lighting, voice assistants, and integrated appliances. Still, many homes were only beginning to experiment with these features.
2025:
By 2025, smart tech is seamlessly woven in. Appliances communicate with each other, voice controls are more advanced, and smart lighting layers functionality and mood. Kitchens also incorporate wellness-driven tech like filtered water, improved ventilation, and healthier cooking features (steam ovens, air fryers, etc.).
Flooring & Details
2024:
Checkerboard patterns and slab backsplashes added bold character, while natural wood and large-format tiles leaned timeless. Minimalist aesthetics remained popular, though more homeowners began embracing cozy, sociable kitchens.
2025:
Flooring in 2025 embraces warm wood tones and realistic luxury vinyl planks, alongside checkerboard’s revival for a playful, classic look. Curves—rounded islands, arched doorways, and soft edges—also define 2025 kitchens, creating a softer, more organic flow. Built-in banquette seating makes kitchens even more inviting.
The Bottom Line
The transition from 2024 to 2025 shows a clear trajectory:
From earthy and functional → to personalized and textured
From smart-capable kitchens → to wellness-focused, fully connected spaces
From bold accents and mixed materials → to layered textures and luxurious depth
Ultimately, kitchens are becoming more than cooking spaces—they’re expressions of lifestyle, wellness, and individuality. If 2024 was about rediscovering warmth and character, then 2025 is about turning the kitchen into a deeply personal, sustainable, and connected centerpiece of the home.
Come personalize your kitchen with one of our talented designers at MBS Interiors. Through one-on-one consultations, we create spaces designed just for you.