Credit: Davenport Handmade Kitchens
The House Beautiful run-down of big kitchen trends for this year is a prime example of what can be confusing about trends: there are often just so many different styles and options!
A summary of what HB says will be big in '24:
Minimal luxe - “Not at all showy, but rather leans into highly elegant, polished and refined finishes.”
Bold and bright – “Jewel-like tones can be built up to create depth, yet they're sufficiently classic and timeless that you won't tire of living with them.”
Back to black – “Cabinetry in inky blacks and rich, saturated tones always offer a high-end look and feel. It's timeless, looks super smart, and when combined with softer elements such as wooden floorboards, a black kitchen can still feel spacious and airy.”
Durable plywood – “Its pale colour is perfect for achieving the Scandi minimalist style that so many of us desire in our homes. The grain of wood is still visible in plywood, creating an interesting visual effect at a low price point.”
Stainless steel – “Stainless steel acquires an elegant patina as it ages…[which] adds to its enduring appeal. Combined with the warm character of wood, the steel feels updated and exclusive, a detail welcome to stay in our kitchens for years to come.”
Warm and textural – “Expect to see kitchens that layer up coarse materials like stone, wood and brick, enveloped in walls painted in toasty tones like ochre and peach.”
Statement slabs – “Unlike traditional splashbacks, slab splashbacks are larger, rectangular pieces of stone that run across the wall behind. They're both a luxury statement, and a way to create a more seamless look in your kitchen.”

More curves – “While we'll see curves dominating kitchen islands…consider a scallop edged tile as a splashback to add a new dimension.”
Slatted and ribbed wood – “'An instant style update that brings depth, texture and character…slatted and ribbed wood is a way to make your space feel super refined and chic.”
Subtle backlights – “The focus is on discretion, with feature pendants over the island or dining areas [and] under-wall unit, plinth, or perimeter lights acting as subtle backlights.”

The elevated kitchen island – “The traditional block design is a thing of the past, now bar-style designs with split level countertops and complementary seating are the norm…with the latest iterations integrating display shelving.”
So, what does this mean for you?
Assuming you don’t want to spend a fortune on a complete revamp, you can pretty much stick with whatever style you like or already have, then pick just one or two ideas from the enormous buffet of What’s Hot to update your kitchen with a nod to 2024.
All the big trends HB has outlined are more or less exactly what other home design experts have selected for interior trends overall, and it’s certainly very helpful to see how they can be applied to your kitchen.
Changing the paint colour of walls and splashbacks can make a real difference to the look of the room. And if you want to go a step further, you can change the lighting and cabinet doors, and perhaps even the flooring.
The important thing is to make sure whatever changes you make do sit well with the rest of the kitchen. For instance, if you have a classic country-style kitchen, a new marble splashback could look out of place – it would be much better to got for some curvy tiles in something like a rich emerald or peach.
But here are some cost-effective changes you could make that should suit most homes:
Repaint the walls in a soft mustard or warm cream
Have a feature wall or recess in either a richer shade or tone of the same colour as the walls, or a complementary contrasting one
Add some gold, bronze, copper or stainless steel-finish accessories and consider updating your taps and other fittings
Install some subtle concealed lighting under cabinets
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