To capture some of that energy, we’ve gathered 35 home design and remodeling trends that homeowners and pros are excited about for the coming year. See if any inspire a change to your own home. And from now on, maybe we can put a positive spin on change and just call it progress.
1. Modern Rustic Style
A few themes weave throughout these 2023 design trends. Among them are the use of natural materials and a general feeling of warmth. You’ll find both in a modern rustic style we’re seeing show up in kitchens.
Think natural wood cabinets and other wood details paired with natural stone countertops and backsplashes, with a few modern elements thrown in.
This Montana kitchen by Centre Sky Architecture beautifully highlights the look. Taj Mahal quartzite countertops and slab backsplash and wire-brushed white oak cabinets create a rustic vibe, while a steel beam, a steel range hood and black details give the space modern appeal.
Another style showing up in kitchens is a more elegant take on the modern-farmhouse style that’s been popular in recent years. You’ll find many of the same elements, such as Shaker-style cabinets, apron-front sinks and furniture-style islands and cabinets. But you’ll also notice the use of dramatic cabinet colors, oversize range hoods and slab stone backsplashes.
This Arizona kitchen by Ashtin Homes exemplifies the style with a jet-black island and upper cabinets (Midnight Black by Benjamin Moore), turned island legs, Shaker-style rift-sawn white oak cabinets and quartzite countertops and slab backsplash.
Meanwhile, an updated approach to Spanish style is also taking hold. This Scottsdale, Arizona, kitchen by Cdot Design Studio is a good example of what it’s about. Terra-cotta floor tile, an arched range hood with a hand-painted terra cotta tile backsplash and a custom island with an end-grain walnut butcher block counter and spindle leg detail update old-world style with a contemporary twist.
While some homeowners are desiring more bold color in their kitchens, many are looking for warm and soft styles that elicit a restful, relaxing atmosphere. To do that, designers are embracing greige or off-white cabinets, light woods, subtle patterns and warm bronze and brass finishes.
Designer Karen Wolf embraced soft colors in this New York kitchen to create an inviting style.
Natural materials are always in style, but lately they seem to have hit a high point in popularity. In particular, homeowners are installing quartzite and other natural stone countertops, as well as marble tile and wood cabinets and vanities, especially white oak. Some designers say the surge of interest in natural materials is a result of some homeowners rethinking man-made materials like engineered quartz that have dominated homes in recent years and instead gravitating to natural materials that add character and authenticity to a space.
Designer Kirby Foster Hurd of Kirby Home Designs used 6-by-6-inch tumbled travertine in silver to add a natural element to this Edmond, Oklahoma, kitchen. (Foster Hurd also used Houzz Pro software’s 3D Floor Plans feature to demonstrate spatial planning to her clients. You can view her design in floor plan, dollhouse and walk-through modes.)
Soft blue cabinets tie in to another popular trend right now: blue features.
White and gray are by far the most popular colors used in kitchens. But when homeowners stray from that palette, they often choose blue. In fact, when a homeowner chooses to go with an island color that contrasts with the surrounding cabinets, more than a quarter (26%) will select blue, according to Houzz research.
For this Guelph, Ontario, kitchen by Otis Interiors, the homeowners looked to Houzz photos to inspire the mostly white palette with pops of blue, including a navy blue island (Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore) and range hood.
In addition to blue, green is quickly gaining favor in kitchens, especially for cabinets. Both light and dark greens work well with wood details and brass finishes, creating a warm, rich look.
This Vienna, Virginia, kitchen by FineLine Kitchens was one of the most-saved kitchen photos of 2022; it combines sage green perimeter cabinets (Moon Bay by UltraCraft) with a medium-tone oak range hood and island base.
Ming Green floral tiles with white Thassos marble pieces add another green detail, while brass pendant lights and Brown Fantasy natural quartzite countertops complement the warm wood tones.
Wood cabinets are trending along with the surge in natural materials. White oak seems to be dominating the choices, but walnut is also popular.
Designer Angela Barnhart of White Birch Design gave this Eagan, Minnesota, kitchen quartersawn white oak lower cabinets and a range hood detail to warmly balance out the white and creamy tones.
Casual seating is just one of many appeals of a kitchen island. While the traditional seating arrangement has typically been a row of stools on one side facing the cooking area, some homeowners are seeking alternative setups to accommodate a variety of needs, such as the ability to sit face to face with guests or sit at a standard dining table height. As a result, we’re seeing a lot of islands with creative seating arrangements, such as two-tiered designs with seating for 10 and dropped-down or raised-up areas for various needs.
Designer Jenni Pruett of Pruett & Co. created distinct island seating in this Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, kitchen with a raised portion of butcher block.
Many home chefs are gravitating to commercial-style kitchen features to better tackle cooking tasks. In response, many faucet brands have launched new commercial-style faucet lines that blend industrial and modern looks, such as Belfield by Moen, shown here.
4 comments
Alexander Rees
We went down the lane, by the body of the man in black, sodden now from the overnight hail, and broke into the woods at the foot of the hill.
Ralph Davin
On our side the fire had done no more than scorch the nearer trees; it had failed to secure its footing. In one place the woodmen had been at work on Saturday; trees, felled and freshly trimmed, lay in a clearing, with heaps of sawdust by the sawing-machine and its engine.
Alexander Rees
We went down the lane, by the body of the man in black, soddenn now from the overnight hail, and broke into the woods at the foot of the hill.
Ralph Davin
On our side the fire had done no more than scorch the nearer trees; it had failed to secure its footing. In one place the woodmen had been at work on Saturday; trees, felled and freshly trimmed, lay in a clearing, with heaps of sawdust by the sawing-machine and its engine.