Kitchen Trends for 2027 : What's In, What's Out and Renovating your kitchen to make it work for you.
The Kitchen has come a long way from simply being a room to cook in. Today, it has become the heart of the home, somewhere we cook, eat, work and entertain our friends and family. Quite often we spend much more time in the Kitchen than ever anticipated.
After more than 20 years being in the Construction Industry, 17 of those working as an Interior Designer, I have seen Kitchen trends come and go more often than you’ve had hot dinners! Some stand the test of time while others quickly become dated.
So when I talk about Kitchen trends for 2027, I’m not just interested in what looks good in a magazine, but creating spaces that work for the whole family. Understanding which ideas are genuinely worth incorporating into your home and that still feel right several years from now.
Table of Contents
1. Warm colours are taking over the Kitchen
2. Using natural materials and beautiful textures
3. Bringing more colour into your Kitchen Design
4. Kitchens becoming part of your Living Space
5. Clever storage ideas and Hidden Kitchens
6. Pantries and Utility spaces
7. Kitchen Islands and how they can work for you
8. Layered lighting and smart technology
9. Timeless Kitchen Design and Common mistakes
10. Final thoughts
Warm colours are taking over the Kitchen
The all white kitchen has dominated the industry for many years with everyone choosing the ‘safe’ option. However we are seeing a definite move towards warmer, more inviting spaces. This doesn’t mean white kitchens are disappearing, far from it, white can still be incredibly timeless. We are now concentrating on combining it with warmer materials, textured finishes and natural timber to give the room more depth and make it feel less clinical.
Think warm whites, soft greens, earthy neutrals, deep forest colours, mushrooms and taupe. These colours will create a kitchen that feels cosier and more connected to the rest of your home, making you want to spend more time relaxing in this communal space.
I would recommend my favourite paint to use at the moment which is from a company called Coat Paints. They’re a lovely paint to use and have a fantastic range of colours to choose from. Don’t choose a colour simply because it is ‘on trend’ but choose colours you like and that work with the rest of your home. This will give you greater longevity.
Using natural materials and beautiful textures
One of the biggest developments in Interior Design for kitchens is to make the space feel more tactile and welcoming. We are moving away from surfaces where everything is perfectly smooth, shiny and uniformed. Instead we are starting to see the trend shift towards using materials that have more character and depth, and this will continue into 2027.
Wood grain, natural stone, textured cabinetry, handmade tiling are a few ideas that can help bring interest and personality back into your kitchen design. Kitchens can look beautiful in a photograph but they need to be beautiful and practical when you actually live in them. This is where these materials can help. Placing natural timber alongside painted cabinetry or stone is an example of softening a contemporary kitchen and preventing it from feeling too stark.
Bringing more colour into your Kitchen Design
Clients are definitely becoming braver when it comes to using colour in their homes, especially their kitchens, and 2027 will be no exception. Stronger colours are already playing a major role in Design and we are seeing the introduction of richer greens, earthy reds, warm blues, terracotta tones and deeper neutrals. Two-tone kitchens are continuing to evolve with Designers and their clients becoming more adventurous about combining different colours and materials.
If you are not brave enough to commit to a completely colourful kitchen, then adding a painted island or a bank of contrasting cupboards can introduce colour without it completely overwhelming the room.
I particularly like using colour to create or highlight a focal point. It can draw your eye towards an island, dresser or architectural feature. You can then use this same colour throughout the rest of the home to bring a cohesive look. If you are not brave enough to use the stronger colours for your kitchen cabinetry, then try using a warmer toned neutral kitchen and mix it with coloured accessories, chairs, furniture or blinds to add the interest.
Kitchens becoming part of your Living space
As open plan living continues to evolve, kitchens are increasingly designed to feel like an extension of your living space and no longer just about cupboards and appliances. This means that more consideration needs to be given when it comes to the finish and feel of your kitchen area.
To make their kitchens feel more personal, I would encourage clients to think about these spaces as any other room in the house. Where would you place your art? Where can you add texture? How can we use colour and texture to make the space feel welcoming? How do we make the kitchen feel cohesive with the rest of your home? Think about introducing more comfortable seating, softer lighting, furniture style cabinetry, artwork, shelving and decorative accessories to give you a homely environment.
Clever storage ideas and hidden kitchens
One trend that has always been a priority in kitchens is better storage solutions. It’s all very well to want our kitchens to look beautiful but real life involves coffee machines, air fryers, toasters and every other kitchen gadget.
This is where thoughtful design makes a huge difference. Tall larder cupboards, deep drawers, pull out accessible storage and hidden preparation areas where possible can help to keep all your ‘clutter’ under control. The ‘hidden kitchen’ concept is becoming increasingly popular, with as many built in appliances as possible and worktop preparation areas concealed behind cabinetry. The kitchen can then easily transition from a practical cooking space into a more relaxing, calm tidy living space. Obviously in smaller kitchens this may not be possible, but just including pull out drawers and integrated appliances is a simple way to streamline the space and make it more useable.
Pantries and Utility spaces
If you have the space then a well designed pantry or utility space can be a great investment and addition to your kitchen. The pantry is being re imagined as a highly functional space for food storage, small appliances and preparation. This allows the main kitchen to remain calm and clutter free while giving you somewhere practical to deal with the messier side of cooking and entertaining. A ‘hidden’ utility space can be created by utilising extra kitchen cupboard space to create a false unit and concealing a doorway into the utility space. This is a clever way to give the impression that the kitchen is continuous and is not broken up by an ugly doorway (see video above as an example). I recently installed a ‘hidden’ doorway in a clients kitchen that led to a downstairs basement.
Of course not every home has room for a separate utility or pantry but a tall bank of cabinetry can achieve some of the same benefits.
Kitchen islands and how they can work for you
Kitchen islands remain incredibly popular but we are becoming much more sensible about their design. An island needs to suit the proportions of the room and allow people to move around them freely and comfortably. The common rule is to keep your island approximately 85cm to 100cm away from other units to be able to work efficiently. Bigger isn’t necessarily better!
Our islands should have a clear purpose. Do you want to use them for cooking, seating, food preparation, storage or a combination of all four? Think about how you use your kitchen, your family needs and how you entertain. Even if you have the space for a large island you don’t want it to dominate the room. Careful consideration should be taken when you are thinking about the worktops too, you don’t want to be constantly wiping finger prints off if you have a young family or not being able to place hot items on your work surface if you are primarily going to use it as extra prep space. Practicality is as important as style.
Layered lighting and smart technology
Good kitchen lighting has always been important but it’s finally becoming an integral part of the Design. Instead of relying on one central light, layered lighting is the way forward. Lighting can completely transform how the kitchen feels and the combination of task lighting beneath wall cabinets, pendant lights over the island, decorative and ambient lighting all play a part. Always plan your lighting at the beginning of the design process, saving you thinking about it once the cabinetry, ceilings and walls are all installed and decorated.
Technology in kitchens should save you time, improve safety, make cooking easier and add convenience. If this is the case then it’s worth considering but you should not add technology simply because it is available. Think about whether boiling water taps, induction cooking and sophisticated extraction systems are going to be used, if not, then save your money and invest it somewhere that will make a big difference to the room.
Timeless Kitchen design and common mistakes
Trends are wonderful for inspiration but a kitchen is a significant investment.You don’t want to spend thousands creating a kitchen that feels dated in 3 years. My role as a Designer is not simply to tell you what is fashionable but to help you decide which elements are right for your home. I always encourage clients to carefully consider the layout first, then the cabinetry, worktops, and major appliances, steering them with what is current, but including primarily what they like. You can then introduce personality and style with elements that can be easily updated such as paint colours, handles, lights, art and accessories. Of course, all kitchens will date over time but if you consider the layout, storage and the overall design, function and feel of your kitchen, then you have a better chance of gaining a timeless kitchen in years to come.
Final thoughts
If you are planning a new kitchen in 2027, don’t start by asking “What is the latest trend?” but ask instead “How do I want my kitchen to work?” Think about these questions: How do you cook? How much do you entertain? Do you work from home? Do you need somewhere for children to do homework?
Once you understand how you actually use the space, the design becomes much easier. Trends can then be layered into the design in a more personal rather than predictable way. The best kitchen isn’t necessarily the one that looks the most fashionable today but the one that still looks beautiful, feels right and works for you and your family for years to come.
So if you want to have a chat about your kitchen renovation and how you can make some changes or any other home refurbishments, then please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear your plans and ideas.