With the rise of open-plan kitchen designs, renovating a kitchen with longevity in mind is essential and should be tailored to its owners’ lifestyle needs. From the most popular kitchen cabinet colors and clever storage areas, these are the most popular and hottest kitchen cabinet trends for 2023.
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New Kitchen Trends Feel Classic
While following trends may feel like a cheap pursuit, when it comes to kitchen design, they often outlast their time in the spotlight. That’s good news – as 2023 predictions have a classic feel to them. Balance your permanent, expensive materials in your kitchen with a few trending elements of the decade. Look for the designs that reflect your personal aesthetic in the list below!
This is your report of the 5 top kitchen trends for 2023 to get excited about- before making any long term decisions! Keep reading for a fresh look to incorporate these kitchen trends through this decade with classic elements as well as new ideas.
The Cost of a 2023 Kitchen Renovation
The finishes you choose, the scope of the project, and your location will dictate the cost of your kitchen remodel. Here are some loose guidelines:
- Budget kitchen doing the majority of work yourself, painting cabinets and other minor upgrades: $20,000
- Basic kitchen with no layout changes, some new appliances and upgrades: $40,000+
- Higher end kitchen with no layout changes but nicer finishes: $80,000+
- Full scale kitchen with layout changes and upper tier materials: $150,000++
Will Remodeling Costs Come Down in 2023?
Prices of our countertops, cabinets, even the steel beam we put in our ceiling increased last year. And in the last year, renovation costs as a whole have increased over 10%, according to Construction Analytics.
Yahoo finance says expect renovation costs to stabilize in 2023. With some exceptions like lumber, the cost of materials are not projected to drop, but will hold steady. The cost of labor is a different story. The U.S. has a construction labor shortage, and a surplus of construction work needed, resulting in high labor prices.
The good news? The supply chain is stabilizing itself, meaning lead times for many materials, appliances and furnishings will decrease in 2023!
5 Predicted Kitchen Cabinet Trends for 2023
The following kitchen trend report is discussing the following 6 features:
- Kitchen Cabinet Color Trends For 2023
- Kitchen Sink Trends: What’s Everyone Using In 2023?
- Waterfall Island: Mainstream or Dying Fad?
- Arches and Curves In Kitchen Cabinets
- The Controversial Single Kitchen Shelf Instead of Cabinets
Kitchen Cabinet Color Trends In 2023
I love cabinet paint trends, because it is the one update almost every home owner universally has access to! Overall, we are trending towards warm kitchen cabinets.
Taupe and Cream Cabinets are the New Crisp White
The white kitchens are turning into warm white kitchen cabinets in 2023. Most designers acknowledge that crisp white-on-white kitchens in 2023 are feeling dated. The “new’ white kitchens are done in lovely taupes, mushroom colors or at the least, creamy. In general, all paint colors are leaning towards their richer, warmer counterparts.
Warm white cabinets are a great choice for former cold white kitchen lovers.
In our renovation, we chose a combination of mushroom and warm cream color seen below.
Below is Creamy Mushroom by Behr, a true taupe.
source: greige cabinets inside my scullery. Also Related: Get 12 gorgeous greige kitchen cabinet paint colors here.
See more of our kitchen in this tour, here.
5 warm white kitchen cabinet paint colors to consider:
- SW Alabaster
- Behr’s Blank Canvas (Behr’s color of the year)
- BM White Dove
- BM Simply White
- SW Anew Gray
Green Kitchen Cabinets
Organic earthy green is here to stay. Sage, earthy or muted green play well with neutrals and are your best bet for using green over the long term.
Below is Farrow and Ball Castle Gray, a jade grey green shade.
But is the green kitchen cabinet trend going to be outdated? There’s no denying that green is having it’s biggest trend moment and showing up in every room of the home. Although green kitchens are indeed a trend, it’s not going anywhere for now. When designing your future kitchen, don’t think in terms of trying to outlast trends. Simply consider if you will love the paint color through the next 7-10 years. Life and situations change, people move, and cabinets can be repainted after a decade or longer of loving your green kitchen!
Dark and Light Wood Kitchen Cabinets
Organic, warm and natural wood tones and are big in all areas of home design for 2023.
Dark wood is a strong kitchen cabinet color trend in 2023. We have come full circle! Sophisticated wood tones in all shades are on islands and cabinetry, mixed with darker countertops, and sometimes even dark appliances! It may come as a surprise, but it’s only natural for trends to shift in the opposite direction after over a decade of Scandinavian-style interiors.
Sophisticated and saturated colors on the island like deep navy, dark greens, blacks and all shades of wood lean into the new bolder kitchen era.
Helpful Tip: If you can’t paint your current cabinets, use items with warm colors and textures to help bring it up to date, like brass lighting or vases, copper pots, warm wood cutting boards, dark counter stools or woven chairs. You can keep your white kitchen and still lean into the warm and comforting trends with accessories.
2. Kitchen Sink Trends of 2023: Apron Style Holds, Workstation Sinks Rise, and Stone Integrated Sinks
Apron Front Sinks
The vast majority of homeowners aren’t looking for farmhouse styled homes anymore… that charm died (generally speaking) in the last decade. Whereas mason jars or the use of burlap waned, the farmhouse sink, also called an apron front sink, wiggled it’s way into mainstream. In 2023 it is considered tasteful design and found in all types of styles and budgets of homes.
Within all the kitchen sink trends this year, apron front sinks still hold the most appeal and continue to be the coveted choice! They’ve become more affordable in recent years due to high demand. It makes sense – they have a classic, seamless front feature that can go traditional or modern, are generously proportioned with a deep basin, and accommodate large dishes while looking beautiful.
See our fireclay sink here!
Helpful Tip: Stainless steel and porcelain continue to be the most popular sink material according to Forbes, but look into fireclay! We’ve been thrilled! This material feels and looks just like porcelain! We installed our fireclay sink (seen above) at a lower cost, no chipping after a year and less maintenance to keep it white.
The 5 best types of apron front sinks of 2023, according to Forbes:
Workstation Sinks
In our kitchen remodel we jumped on the workstation sink trend that was just beginning to heat up. After using ours for the 6 months, I can confirm it’s as practical as it is pretty!
My sink in the photo above is a 33″ apron front workstation sink made by BOCCHI. I am so glad I went with this brand! The fireclay finish doesn’t chip, and it’s a competitive price. I was told it was an easy install.
So what is a workstation sink?
This type of sink contains various “work stations”, organized separately to remove the risk of spreading germs. These moveable accessories may be a chopping block, colander, drying racks, serving boards, even mixing bowls that all fit inside the sink. The idea is you chop and prepare food directly over the sink where it’s easiest. You also clean everything in the same location to avoid spreading germs on other surfaces. The larger your workstation sink is, the more accessories you can fit while sliding each one to the left and right.
Helpful tip: Speaking from experience – go as big as your budget and counter space allow! I regret we didn’t choose the larger BOOCHI 36″ workstation sink, as when you prepare food you want plenty of room. Using a protective grid that sits in the bottom of your sink is a must to protect your sink’s finish from scratches.
Marble Sinks
Stone sinks, especially marble, are trending in the lux kitchens of 2023. Integrated stone sinks (a sink with no overlap or seams on the counter-space, giving the seamless, minimalist look) are also rising in popularity.
Helpful Tip: You can get the look of a marble sink while leave the anxiety behind by using an apron front sink with marble or stone wrapped around the frontside. The sink itself can remain your desired material, like stainless steel or porcelain.
3. Waterfall Kitchen Island: Here To Stay or Dying Out?
For the past years the waterfall kitchen island trend has been touch and go; generally seen in modern, clean style homes. But the crossover to mainstream has officially happened! Within 2023 kitchen trends we will see waterfall islands done in all types of homes and styles.
On a kitchen waterfall island, the island countertop extends at a 90-degree angle and flows all the way to the floor, eliminating the cabinetry island sides to give the impression of a continuing countertop surface. In reality, each side is separately put on, like the photo of our kitchen renovation below:
You can see in my photo above, we added thick cabinetry trim along all sides to keep our island waterfall from feeling too sleek. My stools and an affordable lookalike:
4. Kitchen Cabinet Arches and Curves Heating Up
With the rise of Art Deco and sculptural pieces, rounded shapes, curves and arches are influencing the architecture in more than just the kitchen! Curves in design is considered “hot” for furniture, lighting, decor and architecture in 2023.
Arches Used In The Kitchen
The kitchen is an easy place to display this playful trend! Arched windows, doorways, and even arch details within cabinets are trending.
Arched doorways are an easy architectural upgrade that serve a practical purpose – a rounded off doorway opens up a small kitchen, making it feel larger.
Rethink an otherwise basic pantry door with a curved archway. Taking those rectangular edges and creating soft angles will freshen up a dated kitchen.
Below you can see we took the old narrow rectangle doorway and asked our carpenter to arch it during our kitchen renovation:
Round Kitchen Cabinets or Island
We are here for this unique kitchen cabinet trend! Taking a standard boxy corner cabinet (or island) and putting a sexy curve on it, some fluting, and you are pushing the status quo.
Is installing a curved kitchen island using such expensive, permanent elements risky? Sure – and that’s why it likely won’t be too common place and stay considered high design. A very rounded edge is easier to accomplish with engineered solid surface, and this is not as appealing to many.
Another disadvantage is price. Curved kitchens will likely need to be custom. The cost of fabricating the countertop will increase the price as well.
5. Using The Aesthetic Single Kitchen Shelf Instead of Kitchen Cabinets
Gone are the days we took our cabinet doors off for that farmhouse look (guilty!). And move over chunky open shelving. The aesthetic for 2023 is a single floating shelf.
This isn’t made solely to house dishes… more for your favorite pieces of vintage artwork or to display an antique you adore. Love it or hate it, the single shelf will be big in 2023 and where many designers are headed!
This controversial kitchen trend was made wildly popular by Athena Calderone of Eyeswoon, who wowed the design world with an epic 20′ marble floating kitchen shelf in her Brooklyn townhome. The Parisian-style open shelving caught on like wildfire.
Extra 2023 Kitchen Cabinet Trends That You May Want To Consider:
Doubling Up for Efficiency in 2023
Doubling up on cabinets and appliances has become an efficient way to maximize the utility of a kitchen. In today’s busy homes, more people are cooking at once and taking turns in the kitchen while they work, which is why having duplicates of common items is becoming increasingly popular. Kitchen cabinet trends like curves often complicate maximizing space: so a homeowner picks between aesthetics and function.
Also, doubling your cabinets with double islands are becoming more common in many newly built homes. These allow for one area dedicated toward cooking prep or work activities, while another is designated for meals or family activities. This split also helps keep countertops from becoming too cluttered at once. Overall, doubling up your islands isn’t for everyone and every kitchen, but it’s an effective way to reap the benefits of the additional capacity created.
Concealed Storage and Appliances
In modern kitchens, storage, and organization are major priorities as homeowners are increasingly seeking ways to keep their kitchens clutter-free while still being able to access items they use frequently. For starters, there is a need for more storage space for utensils, food, and cookbooks. Ideas such as drawer organization systems tailored to spices and baking items can be put into place for easy accessibility.
Under-counter stand mixers can also now be concealed beneath cabinet doors when not in use, or lifted up to counter height when you need it. Similarly, concealed areas for coffee machines or toasters provide great solutions that hide the daily objects that some people may not want out on display all of the time. These ideas also apply to hand towels or sponges – placing them within a cabinet adds an aesthetically pleasing finishing touch for a cleaner look. So many people are looking towards these types of solutions as they seek out options that make their homes easier and less chaotic to manage.
Range Alternatives
People who prefer to make their kitchen more social for entertaining and family time may want to consider range alternatives that break away from the traditional wall approach. A cooktop paired with a downdraft installation situated on an island is a convenient alternative. This setup allows the person cooking to more easily converse with others in the room, while also allowing for greater light and outdoor views. Swapping out an over-the-range vent hood for one of these installations frees up space for more creative applications.
It’s clear why these range alternatives are becoming increasingly popular—they provide chefs with maximum flexibility and freedom within the kitchen and around their hosting area. With full control of their cooking environment, they can now not only prepare meals easier, but also bond with others during this process without having to worry about equipment placement blocking conversations or natural lighting coming into the room. Homeowners looking for better ways to bring people together now have plenty of options when it comes to switching up their kitchens’ layouts and utilizing kitchen cabinet trends.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these are some of the most stand out kitchen trends for 2023. f you found some inspiration, then I consider this post a success! If you liked this blog you’d also love to Shop Our Home!
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