Top 10 Kitchen Trends 2021

Every year brings a new mix of kitchen ideas and improvements to make your space more comfortable, functional, and beautiful. We’ve got 10 top kitchen trends for 2021 that will help you add an updated, personal touch to your favorite space. 

First-Class Faucets  

Touch, touchless, and voice-activated faucets will be more popular than ever in 2021 due to the increased awareness of the need for Healthy Home Technologies.

Another trend in faucets is designer styles. Bridge faucets, pull down, and magnetic docking are a few of the new, updated kitchen faucets that could be a quick and easy update for 2021. 

Bar and prep faucets and sinks have been rising in popularity for quite some time. This year will be big for these convenient stations. For meal prep, hand washing, quick dish rinsing, or drink making—a slightly smaller, separate sink and faucet comes in extremely handy.   

Raw Color 

Warm and comforting, trusting and timeless: as our work and home lives continue to blend, our spaces adapt in new and colorful ways. Living spaces need to feel soothing and nurturing while encouraging feelings of growth and creativity. This is a tall order, but the trending colors for 2021 are up to the challenge.  

Yellow 

One of Pantone’s 2021 Colors of the Year (COTY), yellow has many shades and warm moods, from the richness of ochre to the brightness of lemon. 

Black 

Matte black has taken its place as an accent color in recent years, but going big and more dramatic with shades of black will make a statement this year as people seek out a minimalist look. 

Grays  

Another Pantone 2021 COTY, gray lends a firm foundation. From taupe to steel, its hues complement so many palettes that it should always be considered in setting the tone for a space. 

Greens  

Shades of green are known to exude feelings of calm and call to mind nature. Greens can be soft as well as bold, and this year’s trending shades are particularly earthy in ranges from olive and pear to emerald and seaweed. 

Honorable Mentions 

Blue- A classic every year, blue will provide solace and serenity in its many shades. 

Pink- Look for the return of the pink bathroom as well as accent walls in this happy color. 

Brilliant Lighting 

Lighting design is an ever-changing solution with various shapes, sizes, metals, and finishes. This year’s trends encourage the use of texture, shape, placement, and smart technology to create more sophisticated spaces.  

Pendants 

Linear pendants and pendants placed over islands can add ambient as well as task lighting. As far as style, they pack a punch while taking up just a small amount of space.  

Geometric   

For a modern look, a geometric pattern will add just the right flair. Stylish and chic with cage-like designs that make an instant statement, they are unique enough to stand out but simple enough not to distract.    

Woven 

Organic or coastal, retro or Moroccan, woven styles lend a bit of an exotic vibe to a space. Trending in pendants, lamps, and even chandeliers, they add interest and texture to any lighting design.   

Connected 

Homes are getting smarter in every way, and lighting is no exception. Smart lighting has a wide range of applications from smart bulbs to motion-sensing technology. Combining style, control, and connectedness is trending for 2021. 

Cabinet Couture   

Combining functional storage and style doesn’t always come easy. With many spending so much time in the kitchen, cabinets are getting more attention in 2021. Gone are the days when builder-grade was acceptable for hardware as well as cabinet quality. The good news is, it’s a quick, DIY fix. Trends for 2021 include dark-colored cabinets and differing but cohesive hardware uppers and lowers.  

Hot Finishes 

Matte black, and Satin black or black stainless steel. 

Styles 

Latches instead of knobs, and mixing and matching knobs and pulls from the same collection. 

Square bar pulls instead of tubular.  

Cabinet Color & Style  

Sleek (Shaker) and raised-panel styles in dark shades of black, gray, and green. 

Home Bar Happy Hour  

2020 had many missing the pub and restaurant scene, which has many in 2021 recreating it at home. Designating a corner of the kitchen has become the simplest way to separate the workday from happy hour. Luxury items like mini refrigerators, bar sinks and faucets, statement backsplash, and a couple of bar stools complete the look and feel. 

Statement Backsplash 

2020 saw a trend in open shelving as well as painted walls in kitchens, which changed the look and need of the kitchen backsplash. 2021 brings the backsplash back in a big way. In a room that doesn’t offer much opportunity to add personality, a backsplash is the perfect place. Cover a portion of the wall or go all the way up to the top—but don’t be afraid to go bold. Trends are favoring colorful glazes, mosaics, hexagon, subway tile, and even reflective mirror. Solids have made a strong move here as well. 

Handling Door Hardware 

Hardware on doors, like on cabinets, completes the look and adds functionality. 2021 trends show impeccable attention to detail with the ever-expanding finishes and styles for door hardware. There has also been an inclination of late for architects to design doors and entrances in taller and wider fashions. This calls for larger door handles and hardware.  

Trending finishes are matte black , stainless steel, and aged brass. 

Large hardware and statement hardware is trending as well. 

Custom Kitchens  

With homeowners always looking to achieve a more custom space, panel-ready appliances have been growing in popularity for years, but 2021 looks to be the year they are a top trend. Most often seen on refrigerators and dishwashers, a panel-ready appliance means a front panel matching the kitchen cabinetry is installed over the appliance, providing a seamless, bespoke look. Drawer refrigerators and microwaves follow the same idea and can be placed in convenient places like an island or next to the stove. These will be very popular this year. Following the custom-look trend, decorative range hoods will replace stainless-steel to create a look that is more sophisticated. All of these appliances will exist in a connected kitchen. Trends have been heading this way for a while, but this will be the year when every home will become a smart home, beginning with the kitchen. All of the appliances, tastefully hidden, conveniently connected.

Beautiful Organization 

Some are calling it the “home edit,” some just call it reorganizing. The trend is this: rearranging space so that it works best for you, in an attractive way. With many rooms (or corners of rooms) serving multiple purposes, and organization being key to keeping sane, a lot of rearranging has become necessary. Instead of pushing everything against one wall, people are getting creative and establishing beautiful spaces in the process. 

Laundry Room/Mudroom 

The laundry room can be the bane of many a homeowners’ existence. But it doesn’t have to be an ugly space.

Pantry 

Many people began cooking and baking more at home in 2020, so 2021 calls for more functional pantry organization.

Butler’s Pantry/Scullery 

Storage of dry goods saw a huge increase over the last year, which explains the increased interest in setting aside space to store and even prepare food. 

Finishes 

Look for homeowners to get more daring in their choice of metal finishes this year. 2021 will see new finishes and more bold choices in mixing them. Mixed materials to add interest and texture will see added popularity as well. 

Mixed Metals 

Some collections have mixed finishes in their lighting collections. 

New Finishes 

Black stainless steel, natural patina, and ombre are just three of the newest trending finishes. 

When it comes to your kitchen, certain things are timeless—you want it to feel clean, welcoming, and useful. Trends may come and go, but your desire to have a beautiful, updated kitchen never will.