These 7 Kitchen Trends Will Be Big in 2023, According to Houzz

For many of us, kitchens are the heart of the home—and they're often the first room that new homeowners look to renovate. Kitchen trends change fast, so the countertops and cabinet colors that were all the rave last year can quickly make a kitchen look dated today. And according to a recent Houzz study, which surveyed 2,380 homeowners on 2023 kitchen trends, 42 percent of those renovating their home say they are upgrading their kitchen because they can no longer stand the old one.

Luckily, there's a wide range of upgrades you can do to make your kitchen look more modern and appealing—whether you're looking for a smaller-scale project, like painting your cabinets, or something bigger, like opening up the floor plan. Below, learn more about 2023's biggest kitchen trends to find inspiration for your next renovation.

Sustainability

Sustainability is front of mind, with 92 percent of homeowners incorporating sustainable features during a kitchen renovation the Houzz survey found. These features include LED bulbs (65 percent), energy-efficient appliances (61 percent), water-efficient fixtures (34 percent) and energy-efficient windows (27 percent). Creating a kitchen that won't need regular style updates is also a sustainable effort, with nearly half (47 percent) of homeowners opting for timeless design as a sustainable choice during renovations.

Timeless design and energy-efficient features alike can also save money in the long run. “Homeowners are gravitating towards sustainable choices during kitchen renovations, and it is interesting to see the intersection of economics and environmental concerns," Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist, says. "The most frequent reason behind choosing sustainable options is long-run cost effectiveness, with environmental-friendliness as a secondary consideration."

Flat-Panel Cabinet Doors

Minimal kitchen cabinet doors are gaining popularity. Shaker style cabinet doors (which feature a flat center panel and a frame around the edges) are still the most popular choice for kitchens, but the Houzz study found that the percentage of homeowners choosing them, now 61 percent, is three points lower this year than last year. Flat-panel doors, however, are trending up, with with one in five renovators (20 percent) opting for them, up three percentage points from last year.

When it comes to hardware trends, minimal and sleek design reigns supreme. Bar pulls are by far the most popular option, with 72 percent of homeowners choosing them, while 34 percent opt for knobs, and 10 percent choose cup pulls.

Wood Cabinets

Cabinet color is also an ever-evolving trend. While it may seem like everyone was painting their cabinets green recently, white cabinets remain the most popular choice in renovated kitchens, chosen by 40 percent of homeowners, according to the study. Natural wood-tone cabinets, however, are starting to get more love, increasing to 24 percent in popularity, up three percentage points from last year. Medium-tone wood and dark wood, specifically, saw increases from 10 percent to 12 percent and from six percent to 11 percent, respectively.

Electronic Upgrades

Aside from purely aesthetic refreshes, many homeowners have been finding ways to upgrade the technology in their kitchens. Docking stations, wireless speakers, and stereo systems are all becoming more popular kitchen additions, according to the study. On top of that, 51 percent of homeowners install faucets with high-tech features, such as water efficiency and touch-only or touch-free activation; and 39 percent install other appliances with high-tech features, including Wi-Fi connectivity and smartphone or tablet controls.

Recessed Lights

Recessed lights have become the most popular kitchen lights, with 72 percent of renovators choosing them, among homeowners upgrading their kitchen lighting. Undercabinet lights, formerly in the top spot, came in a close second, with 70 percent of renovators choosing them.

Open Layouts

Open kitchen plans in general are gaining in popularity, but with an extra emphasis on indoor-outdoor living. Forty percent of renovating homeowners are making their kitchens more open to interior spaces, and 20 are making kitchens more open to the outdoors, the study found. When opening kitchens to the outdoors, 46 percent of renovators did so with double doors or a row of doors, 29 percent with a single door, and 14 percent with a pass-through window.

Calling on the Pros

DIY home projects may have gained a good amount of popularity during the pandemic (in large part out of necessity), but the overwhelming majority (84 percent) of homeowners still rely on professionals for their kitchen renovations. The amount of people hiring cabinetmakers (32 percent), in particular, increased for the fourth consecutive year. However, 50 percent of renovators work with general contractors for their kitchen remodeling. A lesser amount (22 percent and 15 percent, respectively), work with kitchen designers and interior designers to inform their kitchen projects.