Kitchen Design Trends 2023 – What’s In and What’s Out?
Tired of the way your kitchen looks? It’s time to upgrade!
2023 design trends are bringing in some old favourites and unexpected new features that will add some much-needed personality to your kitchen.
We talked to all members of our design team to tell us one kitchen design trend that they think will be in this year and one that will be out, here’s what they had to share.
Kitchen Trends That Will Be In for 2023
1. Pendant Lights
Kitchen lighting is all the rage this year and pendant lights are at the centre of it all! Unlike chandeliers that tend to provide insufficient illumination, pendants offer bright and focused task lighting over sinks, island benches and bench tops.
“I love bowl-shaped designs in moody colours such as matt black or dark brown. These lights amp up a kitchen’s contemporary design giving it an edgy industrial look and feel. Best of all, this fixture will work with both classic and contemporary decor styles including Modern Urban and Farmhouse.”
Cristina Chirila
To bring texture into your space, make your pendant stand out by choosing a finish and colour that contrasts with the background items in your visual field.
Pair rich-coloured pendants with dark fixtures such as cabinet handles and radiators to create a cosy and elegant kitchen space. Alternatively, change your kitchen stools, window edging and tapware to match your new light fixture.
For a sophisticated look, incorporate pendant lights as a trio when you install them above large surfaces such as your kitchen island. We saw this work beautifully in one of Cristina’s latest projects, the Redington Road kitchen:
DIY Tip from Cristina: Hang your pendant lights 30 to 50cm below a 2.5m high ceiling. Add 8cm inches For each additional 30cm of the ceiling. For example, if you have a 2.7m ceiling, the pendants will hang 38-58cm below the ceiling level.
2. Wainscotted Range Hoods
Say goodbye to boring kitchen vents – this year, top interior designers are reimagining the range hood and it is anything but basic.
With a myriad of options on offer, we find ourselves drawn to a design that you will likely start seeing plenty of the wainscotted hood.
Painted to echo the kitchen cabinets and walls behind it, a wainscotted hood makes a subtle statement that adds a minimalist country feel to your kitchen.
We love this look when paired with an apron sink, brick, backless island stools and marble countertops. Sprinkle gold or brass hardware in the form of pendant lights, and drawer pulls to break up the monotony.
“Wall panelling has been immensely popular last year and I strongly feel that it will continue to be but now we’ll be seeing more of it in the kitchens instead of living rooms or bedrooms. I recommend blending this feature with the kitchen’s background to allow your stainless steel stove and wooden accents to stand out. The hood’s simplicity is best highlighted in soft warm colours and uncomplicated shapes to give the eye a place to rest.”
Lauren Austin
3. Antique Kitchen Island
Vintage fashion is back and so is antique home décor.
It’s no surprise that this trend has spilt over into the kitchen, with homeowners looking for features such as vintage islands to add charm to their homes.
“Antique islands will look like home in almost any kitchen. In a light-filled white kitchen, their textured look will work well to break the continuity of the white cabinets. With trends shifting towards vintage and antique vibes, this is definitely something that’s in for kitchen trends this year.”
Benjamin Ibanez
Perhaps you have a more industrial kitchen with concrete walls and grey cabinets? The vintage island will be a perfect addition, paired with black pendant lamps and stone countertops.
This antique feature will also fit right into a cosy chalet kitchen with reclaimed aged wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
Best of all, you can make your own version by visiting local salvage stores or looking around your storeroom for items you can repurpose. Add some storage where possible to make the island multi-functional.
Some of the items you can refurbish are a butcher’s block, an old store counter, a console table, a buffet, and tables/carts that were used in manufacturing. Alternatively, you can add a reclaimed wood finish to your existing conventional island.
4. Open Shelving & Glass Door Cabinets
The plate rack is no longer just for grandma’s house any more. With storage just never seeming to be adequate, the latest trend is to add DIY plate racks to your kitchen or dining room walls.
It’s a genius way to declutter your counters with an added bonus that you can showcase your favourite pieces.
By keeping the rack open, reaching for dishes becomes easy, as does neatly storing delicate plates to prevent scratching and damage. For increased functionality, add shaker pegs to hang cups or towels.
Unfortunately, ready-made dish racks tend to not suit the dimensions or style of our dishes, hence the move towards DIY designs. This way you can customise the width, depth and height to match the crockery you own.
Paint your finished rack to match your existing cabinets and it will seamlessly blend into the rest of the kitchen.
“Traditionally, kitchen cabinets have been close storage units but this year we’ll be seeing more and more open storage and glass door cabinets being incorporated in these spaces because they give the kitchens a contemporary and open vibe. And the best part is that they’re practical, 2023 design trends are all about practicality and functionality – people want to be able to see what they’re looking for instead of having to search for it in drawers and cabinets, so such shelving does make lives easier.”
Jessica Codejon Alvarez
You can take cues from our Coulins project’s garage kitchen, where we only designed a few closed cabinets and the rest of the kitchen only had open shelving units:
5. More Greenery
As we find ourselves spending more time at home, interior designers are finding ways to make home life more comfortable. Bringing the outside in through the use of greenery has become a focus of many design schemes.
Floating plant shelves are now coveted elements in living rooms, kitchens and patios, where the addition of greenery can liven up dull sections of the room.
Hanging ceiling storage racks are particularly striking over a kitchen island or hung to make use of the empty vertical space above a fridge.
Industrial versions with black metal frames and wooden shelves are making an edgy appearance in otherwise minimalist modern kitchens.
Alternatively, use rope instead of steel frames to secure your shelf into the ceiling for a more country-style look.
Pop some wine bottles and natural decor accents aside from your greenery to create a point of visual interest.
Continuing on our earlier example, you can see how we added a number of planters in different sizes in this kitchen to make it feel warm and welcoming:
“Plants have always been a critical element of good interior design but until recently, they were not very popular in the kitchen spaces – they were mostly restricted to the living rooms, offices and occasionally the bedrooms. But this year, we’ll be truly exploring the power of plants in kitchen designing and decor because there’s just so much potential here.”
Ricardo Jarjoura
Outdated Kitchen Design Trends for 2023
Now let’s talk about the design trends that are on their way out this year:
1. All White Kitchens
“Despite their minimalistic charm, we’ve had a bit too much with all white kitchens and everyone needs a change now. If you have an all-white kitchen, I would recommend switching it to either a blue and white combination, grey and white or a black and white one.”
Cristina Chirila
2. Glossy Elements
“Whether it’s in your tiles, appliances or cabinets – high gloss finish is the most outdated kitchen trend that you can go for. Instead, opt for matte and natural finishes.”
Lauren Austin
3. Tiled Backsplashes
“Tiled backsplashes have been losing their popularity over the years and hopefully this year we’ll see them end. If you’re designing your kitchen, you should opt for single pieces of metal and marble. If you’re willing to be more adventurous, I would recommend adding a mirrored finish or mixing it with another material for a bold and modern look.”
Benjamin Ibanez
We made this concept work for the backsplash in the Coulin project’s kitchen and the results were absolutely stunning:
Summing Up
Hoping onto trends can be daunting so we suggest making small incremental changes. For larger decisions, consult professionals for some expert opinions on what works well together.
Our interior designers are just a call away and ready to guide you through your kitchen renovation. Get in touch with us today or visit our London showroom for some in-person advice.
