Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

As we count down the days until the end of 2023, are you starting to plan for 2024? Whether you are making flight reservations for a vacation or planning to join a gym, these short December days tend to make us reflect on the previous year and plan for the new one. Is a home remodeling project part of your 2024 plans?

Kitchens, bathrooms, and other key living spaces are essential to our home life. Efficient, stylish, and comfortable spaces make home life more enjoyable and ensure that your home remains a retreat where you can relax and enjoy time with family and friends. If something is currently lacking in your home design, it might be time to consider a home remodel!

Since the kitchen design is the focal point of any home, this is a good place to start when considering updates that could enhance your lifestyle. To inspire you to kick-start your kitchen remodeling plans, let’s explore some of the top trends for 2024 kitchen design based on trending remodeling projects and insights from the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

Multi-Functional Kitchen Islands

Islands have long been a focal point in kitchen designs, but today’s islands are evolving to become a space for everything from cooking to entertaining to working from home. Rather than place all seating on one side of the island, many of the recent trending designs see the seating wrapped around an end or even a tabletop end to create a more sociable space.

Islands are becoming more flexible too in their functionality. With built-in charging points and a seating arrangement that fits your work life as much as your social life, the island can be an ideal space for occasional at-home work. Islands can also be equipped with custom storage, workstation sinks that go from food prep to serving to clean up, and space-saving features to make life easier. What more could you want?

Layered and Statement Lighting

A layered lighting scheme is essential in a busy kitchen design, but it has become even more important in today’s multi-functional kitchens. The latest designs combine multiple light sources, from recessed ceiling lights to soft lighting in and around cabinets, wall sconces, decorative fixtures over islands and dining areas, and even lamps. This combination lets you take your kitchen from a busy breakfast time to homework with the kids, evening drinks with friends, and more. Tailor your lighting further with voice- or motion sensors, or add smart-device controls that allow you to change like levels at the touch of an app.

Another top trend is to go bold with your lighting by adding statement fixtures to create a clear focal point in your kitchen design. The island or any seating areas such as a dining table or breakfast nook are ideal locations for this. Choose large pendants or modern chandeliers in the popular gold or brass tones in matte, satin, or brushed finishes, or go for mixed metals for decorative lighting that draws the eye.

Wood Tones in Cabinetry and More

With a focus on creating warm, welcoming spaces, today’s kitchen designs are seeing a return to natural wood tones. Use high-quality wood for custom cabinets and let the natural grains and textures of the wood show through. This doesn’t mean you have to go for a rustic or farmhouse-style design only. Natural wood works really well in modern slab-style cabinetry with no embellishment, where the wood appearance takes center stage. Natural wood cabinetry gives your kitchen design a truly organic feel, making your space feel grounded. In addition to cabinetry, you can also install wood as floating shelves, a countertop, flooring, or accessories. Wood also works really well when paired with painted cabinetry such as wood combined with white or cream.

Introducing Color

While natural wood tones and classic neutrals will always be in style for kitchen designs, we expect to see the introduction of more color this year too. Green continues to be a top choice with shades ranging from organic sage or olive to dark green. Blues are also still popular in a range of tones from dusty blue to deep midnight. Create a bold statement with a striking black and white color scheme using a two-tone cabinet design or by pairing cabinetry with a countertop and backsplash in contrasting colors.

If you feel you can commit to a bolder color choice, go for it with a vibrant shade of your favorite color. Or stick to a neutral color palette but introduce pops of color through hardware, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, and other accessories.  Gold is very popular for metallic fixtures, in finishes including matte, satin, and brushed.

Beverage Centers with Something Extra

A beverage bar has long been a staple in many kitchen designs, but this year’s kitchen remodels will see beverage centers become a focal point in your kitchen’s functionality. Create a stylish beverage bar with custom cabinetry that enhances your room’s style. Then outfit your beverage center with custom features to suit your preferences.

Love an amazing cup of coffee? Include a built-in coffee maker or space for your countertop coffee maker, mug storage, and an undercounter refrigerator for coffee creamers. Refrigerator drawers and built-in ice makers are also ideal features to include. If you love hosting cocktail parties, add space to whip up your favorite mixed drinks with room to store special glassware and drink supplies. You could even add a smoothie station to make your favorite morning beverage.  

Statement Range Hoods

Range hoods have gone beyond purely functional models that remove smoke and odors from your kitchen (though this is as important as ever!). This year range hoods will become the focal point of your kitchen design with unique materials, colors, and design style. Wood, stainless steel, and mixed materials are all popular choices. Choosing a hood in a material or finish that contrasts with surrounding features creates a clear focal point in any kitchen design. This kitchen design includes a large, custom hood of rustic wood and steel set against a powder-coated steel backsplash. It is sure to be the focus of attention in this stunning kitchen remodel.  

Minimalist Layouts and Sleek Surfaces

Kitchen designs in 2024 will focus on creating functional, inviting, and comfortable layouts where you can live, work, and easily maintain your kitchen for years to come. Create a layout that promotes an efficient flow of traffic through your space and creates clear work and entertainment zones to support everything you plan to do in your kitchen.

Pair your minimalist layout with simple cabinet lines like Shaker or contemporary slab cabinetry that is fuss-free and easy to clean and maintain. Use sleek surfaces such as quartz countertops, slab backsplashes, and convection cooktops that are level with the countertop, so every surface can be easily wiped clean when you are finished cooking.

Connecting to Nature

Creating spaces that are connected to nature is a top trend, as it results in spaces that are not only stylish and functional, but also soothing rooms with a grounded feel. You can accomplish this in a number of ways, including by using natural materials such as quality wood and stone for your custom cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, flooring, and more.  Nature-inspired color schemes, such as natural wood, browns, greens, and blues also give any home living space a natural feel.

Another simple way to connect your kitchen design to nature is by incorporating greenery such as plants or even a living wall such as a vertical herb garden. It’s also quite popular to install large windows and glass doors in a kitchen, which provides ample natural light and offers a direct connection to your outdoor spaces.

Eat-in Kitchens

Kitchens tend to be the heart of the home where everyone gathers. Create space for dining within your kitchen design to get the ultimate combination of convenience and coziness. This is a family-friendly approach to kitchens that lets you prepare food, dine, and clean up in one space where you can interact with family or guests the whole time.

Include island seating in a conversational style, such as around a tabletop end of the island. Add a spacious dining area with a table and chairs accented by a statement light fixture. If you have the space, you could also include a breakfast nook, with a cozy table and chairs or banquette seating near a window, creating the perfect spot for a cup of coffee and a good book.

Custom Cabinet Storage Solutions

Custom cabinetry is an essential component of a stylish and functional kitchen design, but your cabinet layout and door style will be meaningless without well-planned and executed storage solutions. Customized storage means everything you need to store has a home and eliminates cluttered drawers and corner cabinet chaos. Plan for ample pantry storage, whether you go for a walk-in, reach-in, or cabinet pantry solution. Drawers have become a popular choice for base cabinets as they come in a range of sizes and depths with customized storage inserts that allow you to keep everything neatly stowed and easily accessible. You can even include specialized drawers with built-in charging to stow your electronic goods.

Floor-to-ceiling cabinets have grown in popularity since they allow you to maximize storage space. Pair them with pull-outs, roll-outs, and pull-down shelves that let you find exactly what you need with ease. You can balance a wall of cabinetry by including some open storage, with cubbies or open shelves.

If updating your kitchen design is your top priority in 2024, get started now by considering your remodeling goals. Get inspired by the latest design trends and create a list of your remodeling must-haves. Then schedule an appointment with our design team to start your remodeling journey!