10 Trends in Kitchen Design for 2024

It’s the heart and hearth of the home, and potentially your biggest investment, too. Here’s how to bring your kitchen up to date right now.

BY JOANNE SASVARI

We all know that a kitchen renovation adds instant value to your home, which is great if you’re planning to sell. But more importantly, a smart update also improves your own enjoyment in your home, makes your cooking more efficient and creates a happy gathering place for the whole family.

In the last decade or so, we’ve seen a lot of white cabinetry, cool stainless steel, industrial subway tiles and other inspiration from commercial kitchens. But for 2024 we’re seeing a major shift to warm, natural, welcoming, even colourful design.

Here are 10 kitchen design trends we’ll see everywhere in 2024; for more insights, be sure to join us on February 6 for the first event in the Spruce magazine Design Heads series, when a panel of top local design experts will share their ideas and insights (see details below).

1. It’s All About the Island

Islands are not new, but their design has evolved. They are no longer simply a bar or prep station; they are, for one thing, much bigger, and they incorporate storage, functionality through sinks or cooktops and, most importantly, more seating for communal, conversational, dine-in capability. Stylish but hard-wearing quartz continues to be a popular surface.

2. Gold Hardware

Black matte is so 2022. Gold is now the standard in finishes for everything from faucets to cabinet pulls. Its soft gleam just fits so nicely in our new, warmer esthetic. While stainless steel and polished nickel will always be classic choices, gold, bronze and copper are the metallics of the moment, whether in matte, satin or brushed finish.

3. Wood Tones

Similarly, warm, wood-toned cabinetry is back in style, though it often appears in combination with other materials, for instance, stained wood upper cabinets with painted lower ones. Consider, for instance, a butcher-block-topped island, wooden shelving or flat-panelled cupboards in white oak, walnut or alder finishes. Also back in style? Natural stone and marble.

4. Colour Everywhere

After all these years of cautiously white and grey kitchens, we are more than ready to embrace colour. Look for warm, bold hues — burgundy is having a moment — but most of all, look to blues and greens. Green especially is hot right now in every shade from calming sage to retro mint to vibrant emerald. Also expect to see lots of multi-coloured patterns in tiles and wallpaper.

5. Beverage Stations

Your kitchen’s go-to destination? The beverage station, a well-designed space for your coffee maker, cocktail shakers and/or smoothie blender, as well as all the related paraphernalia. This can be as simple as a tray on a dedicated part of the counter or as deluxe as a separate room complete with mini fridge and sink. Also consider setting up a coffee station in the primary or guest bedroom and a cocktail bar wherever you do most of your entertaining.

6. Induction Cooktops

With all the growing safety and sustainability concerns around gas stoves, induction cooktops are becoming more and more attractive. They heat up fast, cool down just as quickly, emit no fumes and are super functional. Plus they can be easily incorporated into sleek contemporary design, which is why even legacy brands like La Cornue are making induction ranges now.

7. Bold Range Hoods

The National Kitchen & Bath Association in the U.S. has noted a huge uptick in a demand for creative range hoods in wood, stainless steel and other materials. Consider making a statement with a custom-designed hood as a decorative focal point in your own kitchen.

8. Layered Lighting

When it comes to kitchen lighting, it’s all about layers that create a versatile ambience — recessed lighting for all-over brightness, under-cabinet lights for functionality, pendants or countertop lamps for decorative charm, sconces for a nice, mid-height glow and toe-kick lights for safety at night. Think practicality — you want to see what you’re doing — plus a beautiful, flattering esthetic. (And, as above, warm metallics like gold and copper are the top trends in lighting.)

9. Storage. So Much Storage

You can never have too much storage, especially in the kitchen. Clever design — and spaces like butler’s pantries — ensure you can store and access all your tableware, cookware, tools and gadgets. Think: drawers with inserts, charging stations, floor-ceiling cabinetry, deep lower cabinets, appliance garages and other ways to maximize storage, prep and cleanup.

10. Indoors and Out

The separation between indoors and out is gradually vanishing. On the one hand, we are installing big windows and large sliding doors that make the outdoors more accessible; on the other, we’re building outdoor kitchens and wet bars that make outdoor entertaining even easier. We’re also embracing nature in colour palettes (all that green!), indoor plants, natural materials (those wood-toned cabinets) and sustainable design, whether it’s replacing a gas range with induction or installing water-saving products and recycling stations.

These are just a few of the kitchen design trends to look forward to in 2024. But you can learn more about what’s hot right now and how to bring it home at Spruce magazine’s Design Heads on February 6, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

This fun and inspiring evening will feature a panel of renowned Victoria design and build professionalism who will share their best advice to help you create a beautiful, functional space, whether you are looking to renovate your kitchen — or just enjoy a fun night out!