7 Kitchen Trends That Will Be Huge in 2022, According to Designers (2024)

As people are more willing to invest in their kitchens than ever before, thoughtful design is becoming a top priority. This is exemplified in the growing trend of mixing various materials throughout the space, as shown here in this lively Naples, Florida kitchen designed by Summer Thornton. A delicate balance of masculinity and femininity comes from mixing a dark wood-paneled island with white oak latticework on the cabinets and a hand-painted botanical wallcovering with upholstered leather seating. These juxtapositions are what make our favorite living and dining spaces so special, and why not the kitchen, too?

Houston-based designer Benjamin Johnston says to keep your eyes out for fabulous brass accents, as they are "holding strong as we head into the new year," and his team continues to see them all over the kitchen from appliances and cabinetry hardware to plumbing and lighting.

"I'm so pleased that wood tones are making it back into the kitchen, too," says Virginia-based designer Avery Frank. "It appears to be starting with warm, light oaks which pair so beautifully with burnished brass or bronze."

If the announcements from leading paint companies on their 2022 colors of the year have any indication (PPG, Sherwin-Williams, and Valspar all chose shades of green), bringing the beauty of the outdoors in will remain a key design element for kitchens in 2022. Whether you prefer a moody, muted green like Sherwin-Williams's Evergreen Fog, Valspar's pretty and pastel Blanched Thyme, or PPG's energizing Olive Sprig, the future is looking bright for green interiors, and that's especially true for the kitchen. Discover our editors' favorite green paint colors for the kitchen as well as our favorite green kitchen essentials if you don't want to commit to painting the walls.

A common theme our designer panel shared was a growing interest in giving more attention to cabinetry design. And while we are loving the range of woods being used, like the rift-cut white oak millwork used in this Bray's Island kitchen by Beth Webb, designers are also expecting an expansion in cabinetry materials in the coming year.

"I believe that we will see unexpected materials—plaster, glamorous stone, and rough concrete—that will no longer be limited to countertops, but instead make their way to kitchen cabinetry," says Chicago designer Michael del Piero. South Florida-based designer Heather Weisz says she is excited to see more sleek, furniture-like cabinetry and the rise of luxurious metals to create stunning cabinets and doors.

Color, color, and more color was a resounding prediction from our designers. Avery Frank says he's currently working on four kitchen projects and every client said they didn't want white cabinetry. Benjamin Johnston says clients are tired of being restricted to a white kitchen and are looking to make a more powerful statement in this important space.

"Color is being used in unexpected ways in the kitchen right now, which I love," says Seattle designer Heidi Caillier, whose recent kitchen project is shown here. "I think people are less inclined to play it safe and are choosing bolder hues for their cabinetry. I am also seeing the use of more interesting stone on countertops. Our clients are incorporating color, dramatic veining, and interesting slab backsplashes with really pretty and thoughtful detailing."

Kati Curtis says that to her, white kitchens are as dated as the almond cabinets of the '80s—but that doesn't mean you need to go crazy with color. Like Callier, she recently finished up a kitchen project where they painted the cabinetry a beautiful teal color but kept the island a soothing cream color for contrast and to prevent the space from feeling too busy.

"If I am to go down the open shelving route with minimal tabletop styling, I like a lacquered surround unit with the shelves painted in a different pop of color," says New York designer Christina Nielsen. "I like to play with matte versus gloss—the juxtaposition between the two, mixed with a stark contrast in dual tones, makes an otherwise utilitarian space fun, interesting and very chic. Plain English does an amazing job with this. My next goal is to do a black lacquered cabinet with rusty orange or pea green matte shelving."

“In our kitchen designs, we’re utilizing and fabricating stone in novel ways, and we see designers across the industry doing the same," says Dallas designer Bryan Yates. "We’re designing fluted countertop edges, creating stone cabinet pulls, adding stone around windows, and more."

Finding a show-stopping stone to use as a countertop, backsplash, or even as the base of a kitchen island, as shown here in Ken Pursley's Charlotte home, creates visual interest and a more layered look for those who prefer minimalism and neutral colors. And as the kitchen becomes increasingly more dramatic and design-oriented, refreshing the stonework could be just the touch you need to bring some life and chicness to this room.

"We are seeing some dramatic elements in kitchen design recently," says Nashville-based designer Roger Higgins. "Subtle surfaces seem to have been replaced with natural stones that have heavy and dramatic veining. It’s not just found on countertops, either. We’re seeing integrated stone and marble sinks fabricated out of same material as the countertop surfaces, so that there is a fully cohesive aesthetic."

I’m enjoying the texture and warmth being utilized in kitchens throughout the design world," says Dallas-based designer Morgan Farrow. "Beautifully stained wood with grain, reeding, and cane are all trending. Today’s kitchens have more depth and richness than in past years.”

As we've been seeing in the rest of the home over the last two years, maximalism, reflecting one's environment and aesthetic over what's trending on Pinterest, and showcasing one's heirlooms and collections have finally found their way into our kitchens. Surrounding ourselves with our favorite colors, textures, fabrics, and pieces we've collected over the years only makes this space feel even more like the heart of the home and a room the whole family wants to gravitate towards.

"I am a big fan of cupboards versus open shelving, because, if you’re like me and love to collect tabletop items to add to your collection, things can get very cluttered," says Christina Nielsen. "That said, I am really loving the look of glazed glass panels or brushed bronze or brass chicken wire — with or without an amazing fabric behind the wiring. This opens up the space a bit more instead of having a standard kitchen with closed cabinetry."

Nielsen says she enjoys how you can appreciate your favorite tabletop pieces through glazed or wired cabinetry (especially true with patterned pieces) which creates a perfect combination of creating a sneak peek into your covetable china cabinet while hiding a bit of the mess of everyday life.