Top 12 kitchen trends for 2025, according to designers

Eclectic design thrives on a mix of old and new, simple and patterned, functional and whimsical. This style is popular in kitchens because it balances sterile materials and creates a space that feels a little more lived-in. It's an invitation to relax a little, fill shelves instead of downsizing them, add well-loved trinkets or introduce pieces like armchairs, table lamps and ruffled pillows that don't traditionally belong in the kitchen. “Don’t be afraid to mix textures and eras. The key is to mix, not match,” says Shelley Cochrane Shelley Cochrane, accessories buyer at Furniture Village.

Painted shaker doors have been popular for so long that newer wooden furniture from brands like deVOL and Magnet feel particularly current. This is not the light wood of Scandinavian kitchens, but rather reddish oak and walnut wood, rough and rich in natural patina. “We will see a resurgence of warm, dark woods in 2025, both on floors and in room trim,” says Amanda Smith Corston, interior designer at Ted Todd.

Pictured: Custom-made kitchen by deVOL, wall and floor tiles by Bert & May

Dining nooks offer a level of informality for those who find the ceremony of a dining room outdated. According to Stacey Cobley, senior kitchen designer at Harvey Jones, dining nooks help “reduce noise and clutter when preparing food in the kitchen, and often use space more efficiently than a full dining room.” Take advantage of bay windows or unused corners and add personality with paneling, colorful pillow fabrics and banquet seating.”

Pictured: Breakfast nook in Cathy Nordström's house

There is no way around modernizing our homes, and we can all appreciate the convenience of an air fryer. But it has sparked something of a nostalgia for the past, and retro design details such as checkerboard tiling, coil and shell details and antique brass fittings have been enthusiastically revived. They are without exception colorful, youthful and playful, but above all calming. Becca Stern, co-founder and creative director of Mustard Made, calls it “a trip back in time that revisits the design of many of our childhood homes.” Pictured: Kitchen designed by Emma Ainscough at Charlotte's Folly, a Unique Homestays property

Old shop fittings from long-closed haberdashery and pharmacy stores have found a natural use in our kitchens. Counters and trestles with glass tops become kitchen islands, dressers and pastry cabinets display dishes and old glasses, shop signs and even cash drawers offer unusual decoration. Antique shows are a fertile hunting ground for used store fixtures large and small, and deVOL's Haberdasher's Kitchen saves you the trip.

Pictured: Haberdasher's Kitchen at deVOL, design by Good Bones

In older houses, kitchens were always hidden in basements or back rooms with little light. Instead of the hassle of moving a kitchen or adding a rear extension, interior windows improve natural light. “Removing walls is no longer the only way to redesign our living spaces,” says Gisela Lancaster, sales manager at Sofololgy. “Crittall interior doors and views into other rooms are a clever way to create cozy spaces.” Aside from sheer functionality, they offer a nostalgic nod to the old hatch.

Whimsical, illustrated tiles have replaced geometric shapes in our kitchens, and especially the striking blue and white Delft tiles. The contemporary interpretation, popularized by designers such as Petra Palumbo and Sasha Compton, replaces typical depictions of country life with hand-illustrated disco balls, champagne flutes and rubber boots that reflect modern lifestyles and personalities.

Around 2020, the pantry returned as a desirable kitchen design element and since then we have been working together to create a contemporary interpretation that meets the needs of the 21st century. The closest we come is the semi-open pantry – this charming example is the work of Laura Stephens – which sits within the kitchen footprint and is divided by interior windows that offer a tantalizing glimpse inside.

Pictured: Kitchen designed by Laura Stephens

We recently reported on the rise of terracotta floor tiles, which exude warmth in the most stylish country kitchens. “Terracotta gives us all so much of what we want from our homes,” says Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca' Pietra, whose Marlborough terracotta seems to be the tile of choice. “It looks rich and warming, it feels textured and rough, and it's incredibly comfortable to live with, so what's not love?”

Pictured: Marlborough Terracotta Square Tile at Ca'Pietra

As a trademark of professional kitchens, stainless steel has become the new trademark of the self-confessed gourmet. “The stainless steel kitchen has long been considered the antithesis of the warm, inviting centerpiece of the home that people want in their kitchen,” says Jen Nash, head of design at Magnet. “But with foodie culture on the rise, homeowners are showing increasing interest in a kitchen that embodies the personality of a true chef.”

Nurturing buttermilk tones offer a welcome change from the predominant grays, greens and blues that have dominated kitchen design. Applied generously to walls, cabinets and ceilings, these buttery yellows create a warm and sunny haze. “Reminiscent of soft sunlight, buttermilk yellow adds sparkle and instantly cheers up interiors,” says celebrity interior designer Matthew Williamson.

Pictured: Accessories by Birdie Fortescue x Sarah Corbett-Winder

Nobody seems to be immune to the trend towards café curtains in the kitchen. Pleated, patterned, and generally extremely kitschy, they are used in place of cabinets, under sinks, and wrapped around kitchen islands. They hide the necessary level of household dirt accumulated in kitchens and utility rooms and provide a cost-saving alternative to replacing worn cupboard doors.

Pictured: Custom-made kitchen by deVOL