14 Kitchen Trends of 2024 You Can Count On
Unlike the passing fads of fidget spinners, the floss dance move, and pet rocks, kitchen trends have much more longevity. Once the novelty of a popular item begins to fade, it quickly becomes obsolete. Not so with most kitchen trends.
For instance, avocado green appliances of the 60s hung on long after the decade passed. Threads of that mentality are an important part of some of today’s trends (like mid-century modern).
The point is that interior design trends are not short lived. You don’t have to worry about elements of your kitchen going out of style like you do with some other passing trends. Most trends will give you a decade or more before it starts to feel dated.
On the flip side, you wouldn’t want to include a trend that’s on it’s way out—something like that would start to feel dated long before the rest of the kitchen. Here are 14 solid, up-and-coming trends that will keep your kitchen fresh in 2024 and for years to come.
Kitchen Trends 2024
Cozy, Lived-In Vintage
Instead of pristine (almost sterile), clean-lined kitchens, designers and homeowners have been leaning toward the warmth and coziness of vintage elements.
Antique elements in design are something that’s been building in popularity for a few years now. That means that you can get a lot of mileage out of this trend.
Bring in a long-beloved dining table or antique kitchen implements as décor. Or better yet, mix in some trends of times gone by like a Victorian wallpaper, mid-century modern color scheme, or wood cabinets. Hang your pots and pans on the wall or display your favorite spices right on the countertop.
Layer Lighting
Layering continues to be on-trend in 2024 but in a fresh way. This year will see a shift in attention to the lighting in the kitchen. Statement pendant lights over the island will fade into the background in favor of more subtle lighting like under cabinet and toe-kick lighting.
This doesn't mean less light in the kitchen. It just means more efficient lighting and more task lighting in the right places. Look for sconces in the kitchen, which put light closer to your tasks rather than far away.
This type of lighting is understated and elegant at the same time. It offers undeniable aesthetics to highlight your favorite features and be functionally on point.
Open Up Shelving
Open shelving is well established as a trend with staying power. It’s one that crops up from time to time in the trends and never really looks out of place.
In 2024, open shelving is back in a big way. Picture two banks of open shelving on either side of the sink or stove with three to four shelves each. Don't be afraid to allow real life to happen on those open shelves either. Sprinkle in items you use daily among your best china for that lived-in look.
Include the Natural
The 2020s will go down as the decade that was the master of blending. This is another trend that adds a little surprise into an otherwise well established design.
Just like there’s room for vintage elements in any design, there is also room for the natural in any design. Unfinished or distressed woods, aged metals, stone, even concrete details in the kitchen work in most kitchen design styles.
Bring in a distressed-look wood floor, concrete countertops, or a concrete sink. An aged metal on the range hood or faucets will do the job nicely too.
Introduce Natural Countertops
Speaking of natural, it's the only way to go for countertops in 2024. Stone has been a favorite for many years with marble, quartz, and granite remaining staples in the industry. Marble continues to be the top choice in 2024 with quartz following close behind. But don't overlook other natural countertop options.
Engineered stone made from crushed stone, resins, and coloring is an outstanding option. It often performs better than its counterparts and is just as natural.
Though you many not think of concrete as natural, it is very similar to engineered stone and has many perks that make it more desirable than stone. The malleability of concrete allows you to create countertops that you simply can't get any other way.
For example, Woodform concrete looks identical to wood but performs like a nearly maintenance-free dream.
Warm Up the Kitchen for Entertaining
Adding a few luxurious perks to the kitchen isn't just for custom kitchens. 2024 sees items like wine fridges and warming drawers as a regular part of the kitchen landscape.
Under the counter mini wine fridges do a good a job at creating the perfect environment without having to make room for a full cellar. A drawer or two in the kitchen can be easily converted to a warming drawer to keep hors d'oeuvres hot throughout the party.
These kinds of perks revolve around entertaining at home. Extras make your kitchen ready to play host at any given moment, which is right on trend in 2024.
Make It a Slab Backsplash
With the backsplash continuing to be the visual centerpiece of the kitchen design, your design and material choices are critical. In 2024, the slab backsplash is in and there are lots of ways to do it.
Marble is the top choice for the slab backsplash in 2024. You could also go for another natural stone or a porcelain that mimics marble. Concrete might be another option if you prefer a more solid color and harmonious look. Match your countertops for a minimal design to die for.
Conceal the Kitchen
Appliances hiding behind beautiful cabinetry for the ultimate finished look is something you’ve seen in your favorite kitchen designs. That trend will continue and even increase.
Designers are starting to create multi-purpose spaces that can nearly seamlessly go from kitchen to living room with little effort. The kitchen may look like no more than a wall of built-ins in a living room. Open a few cabinet doors and, voila, there’s the cooktop.
Warm Up the Color Palette
Though the white kitchen is always a showstopper, designers are turning once again to a warmer color scheme. Done right, warm neutrals can be as stunning as white.
Opt for beige, warm whites, browns, and yellow-influenced colors. Even gray can be warm if you get one with some brown undertones or highlights. Wood is an excellent way to get that warm vibe in the kitchen. Wood floors, countertops, cabinets, etc. add instant coziness.
Try our Woodform Concrete® wood-look concrete for countertops, backsplashes, dining tables, and more. Check it out here.
Make a Statement
“Statement” is probably a word you’ve heard a lot in design and fashion the last few years. Statement walls, statement lighting, statement necklace, statement earrings. It’s all about making a statement.
Your kitchen should make a statement too. There are lots of ways to do this. Anything that stands out from the norm qualifies.
Maybe you do something different with the island. Maybe you paint or tile a wall in a unique way. Or perhaps you get a custom concrete sink that draws all the attention.
Multitasking Islands
The island is another focal center of the kitchen. It supports the design and boosts the functionality of the space.
Last year, the trend was toward incorporating two islands—a trend that continues into 2024. Two islands offer more task oriented spaces. They break up the space and create better flow.
This year, the kitchen island will also become the social center of the home. Whether you use the island for extra seating when hosting a party or your family spends weeknight dinners around the island, this is a key part of the kitchen that's evolving to bring people together. It's a place to cook, eat, entertain, work, or simply relax.
Rethink the Pantry
Pantries and larders are in. This staple of every kitchen design is now becoming the center of attention. Whether it’s a separate room, a closet in the kitchen, or a repurposed piece of furniture, a pantry is, in many ways, the heart of the functional kitchen.
A pantry increases your in-kitchen storage and allows you to hide away small appliances to keep the kitchen looking tidy. An ultra organized pantry will be the must-have item in all kitchen designs in 2024.
Golden Tones
Gold finishes are back. Despite you swearing them off in the 90s, they bring a certain opulence to the kitchen that makes it a special space where you can entertain in style.
Bright, glossy finishes attract a lot of attention so unless you’re going for a dramatic kitchen, you may want to consider a semi-gloss or matte finish.
Brass happens to be the metal of the moment and it can add lots of character. It is a bigger cost, but nothing can match the patina of brass, which adds all the more to your design.
Mix the Materials
Texture, a main design element, is of particular focus of late. One way designers are bringing more texture is mixing materials.
You’ll see a healthy mix of wood, metal, textiles, and stone. But if you look closely, you’ll also see designers layering more than one of each of those elements.
Multiple types of metals are a standard feature now. The cabinets and the floor may be very different types of wood. Alongside the marble, you may see custom concrete. These bring the kitchen design to life with touchable interest and visual distinction.
Try one (or many) of these kitchen trends to keep your kitchen looking fresh in 2024 and for years to come.
Check out our on-trend concrete sinks, countertops, and more.