What's exciting in kitchens now
Refreshing instead of replacing, hidden appliances, pantry zones, social islands and texture. The ideas changing kitchens now, beyond colour, and how to borrow them for your own.
Colour gets most of the attention, but some of the most interesting changes in kitchens at the moment have nothing to do with paint. They are about how a kitchen is used, what it hides, and how it sits alongside the rest of the home. Here are the ideas worth knowing about, and how to borrow them, even in a kitchen that is not being replaced.
Refreshing rather than replacing
The biggest shift is in attitude. More people are asking whether they need a new kitchen at all. If the cabinets are solid and the layout works, keeping them and changing what you see (the doors, drawer fronts, handles, worktop and splashback) gives a kitchen that looks new, with far less upheaval and far less going to the tip.
Before you decide, check the things a refresh will not change. The position of the sink and cooker, the plumbing and wiring, and the space between runs of units are all set by the cabinets. If those work for you, a refresh is well worth considering. If you have always wanted the sink under the window, that is a bigger job.
Appliance garages and hidden kitchens
A kitchen that opens into living space looks far tidier when the clutter disappears. An appliance garage is a cupboard on the worktop, with doors that fold or slide away, where the toaster, kettle and coffee machine live. Open it in the morning and close it when guests arrive.
At the far end of the idea are whole kitchens that close away behind tall doors. You do not need to go that far. Even a tall cupboard with a shelf for the microwave keeps the worktop clear.
Pantry zones
A walk-in pantry is a lovely thing, but few homes have the room. The same idea works on a smaller scale. A tall unit with internal drawers holds food, a breakfast cupboard keeps the cereal, mugs and coffee together, and a drinks area keeps glasses and bottles in one place. Think in zones: what do you do in the kitchen, and where would it be easiest to do it?
Social islands
The island has become the place people gather, not just a worktop in the middle of the room. Ideas worth looking at include:
- split heights, with a lower section for seating and a higher one for preparation
- seating along one side with storage on the other
- curved ends that are softer to walk past
- a mix of open shelves and closed cupboards on the island itself
If your kitchen is too small for an island, a peninsula or a breakfast bar at the end of a run can do much the same job.
Mixed materials and texture
Kitchens are becoming more tactile. Wood sits alongside stone, painted doors beside metal, matt surfaces next to something with grain. Stained timber that lets the grain show through is popular, and brushed steel is coming back because it hides fingerprints better than polished. The aim is a kitchen that feels warm to the touch rather than like a showroom.
Fluted fronts as an accent
Fluted and reeded fronts, with their fine vertical grooves, are one of the most noticeable details of the moment. Used everywhere they quickly feel too much, and some designers already think fully fluted kitchens look overdone. Used as an accent, on the end of an island, a run of drawer fronts or a single tall unit, they add texture that catches the light beautifully. A little goes a long way.
Open shelving, edited down
Walls of open shelves looked good in photographs but gathered dust and grease in real kitchens. The idea has been edited down to one deliberate shelf or a small niche for things you love and use: everyday mugs, a few cookbooks, a favourite bowl. Glass-fronted wall cabinets are returning too, showing off what is inside while keeping it clean.
Bold splashbacks
A splashback is one of the easiest ways to add personality to a kitchen, particularly a refreshed one. Full-height slabs that match the worktop, hand-glazed tiles with natural variation in colour, deep green or teal, and tinted mirror that makes a small room feel larger are all in favour. Keep the rest of the kitchen calm so the splashback can be the star.
Smart tech that stays out of sight
Smart kitchens are moving away from screens on fridge doors. The technology now tends to be hidden: ovens you can check from your phone, lighting that changes with the time of day, taps that turn on with a wave, and charging built into an island. The best of it simply makes life easier without changing how the kitchen looks. If you are planning a new kitchen, think about where power needs to go now, because it is much easier to run cables before the worktops go on.
How to borrow these ideas
You do not need all of these in one kitchen. The kitchens that work best usually pick a few ideas and do them well. A good way to start:
- Decide what annoys you most about your kitchen now: the clutter, a dark corner, nowhere to sit.
- Pick the idea that fixes it. An appliance garage for clutter, better lighting for a dark corner, an island or breakfast bar for seating.
- Choose one feature to show off, whether that is a splashback, a fluted island end or a wood worktop, and keep the rest quieter.
Make it yours
If your units are sound, replacing the doors and worktops lets you bring in new colours, textures and a fresh splashback without replacing the whole kitchen. If you want a new layout, Kitchens MK supplies and fits whole kitchens too. See how doors and worktops look together on our example kitchen, then book a free home visit for a no-obligation quote.
