People have different opinions about interior design trends. Some like to adhere to the ever-evolving styles, while others cling on to just one. That isn’t to say one is right and the other is wrong. As for me, I love switching up the space now and then, sometimes in accordance with the annual predictions by industry experts, and sometimes it is what my heart desires.
There are two spaces in my small apartment that – despite space constraints – undergo seasonal changes: the kitchen and the living room. I don’t spend much time in the living room, but the kitchen is my happy place in my home. Lately, I have started to develop recipes, which calls for my kitchen to be upgraded and arranged in a way that makes things more organized and easier to take care of.
To help achieve that in a small apartment kitchen, I have been on the lookout for kitchen design trends of 2025. Sure, I am not going to renovate the entire space or change everything about it. Just picking a couple of things, mixing and matching different styles works for me. It uplifts the vibe and keeps things interesting. So, if you want to change the way your kitchen feels, here are the hottest kitchen design trends of 2025 – from tasteful colors to material changes and upgraded lighting – that you can embrace without any inhibition.
Dawn of Sculleries or Dirty Kitchens
Kitchen is the most important part of the house, and yet it somehow lacks the design discipline that’s inherent in every other room. This space always feels chaotic, no matter how big it is. Do you know the reason why? The messy countertops and overflowing piles of dishes. Well, 2025 says “not anymore.” Sculleries or dirty kitchens have been around for generations but have been somewhat subdued or eliminated from the space for the past few decades.
A scullery is a dedicated, small space reserved for the messy preparation work and cleaning without making a mess of the main kitchen or cooking area. The preparing, storing, and cleaning can all be done in the dirty kitchen, leaving the main area neat and clean where you can gather and eat or simply cook.
This trend will work amazingly in bigger kitchens or the ones with an adjacent spare room. It might not be possible without demolition and renovation in small city apartments. I would love this feature in my kitchen when I build my own home.
Intricate Balance of Bold and Neutral Palettes
For decades, the kitchen color palette has toed the line between neutral and maximalist hues. People always chose beige, gray, or white as a safe choice, but recent years have seen a rise in a mixed color scheme that perfectly merges bold and earthy hues to create an immersive space. This shift from the traditional whites and grays will imbue the kitchen with personality and elegance.
Bright shades of greens, reds, and blues are taking center stage. But that isn’t to say that the neutral palette will be absent. Warm earthy tones like beige and browns will be ever-present.
As Emily Arthur, chief creative officer of Isla Porter, tells House Beautiful, “Rich red and yellows being the most popular this year. Something is comforting and optimistic about a yellow kitchen that feels timeless. An icy blue mixed with a dark red burgundy is also finding its way into both modern and traditional kitchens which is a great playful palette that feels fresh again.”
My favorite has to be the integration of green and blue, which is growing in popularity with kitchen cabinets. Green is still the reigning champion, whether you choose muted sage or bold emerald. Homeowners and designers have been open to taking more risks with their choice of kitchen colors. The best part about this design trend is that you can paint a few areas in the kitchen to give it a fresh perspective. For small kitchens, where nothing much can be changed, a fresh coat of paint can create a novel look.
Also Read: Ways to Add Mocha Mousse in Your Interior Design in 2025
Integration of Dining Nooks
In the last decade or so, homeowners adopted open and semi-open kitchen layouts to integrate dining space next to the cooking area, as versatile kitchen islands. However, people are moving toward configurations where the dining area is separate from the kitchen to create comfortable seating for family dinners or busy breakfasts. This is a very intimate design trend and is steadily gaining popularity as it frees up the kitchen space further.
This switch will help maintain order in both spaces, reducing noise and clutter from food prep. By creating a separate dining nook, you make use of an unused space without committing to a full dining room. Think bay windows or under staircase space, which otherwise would be wasted. If I ever get a house with a bay window, I know what I will use it for.
You can use such oft-used spaces and add a touch of style with paneling, colored cushion fabrics, and banquette seating without spending too much. This enhances the conversational layout, making them more personal and intimate.
A Cornucopia of Mixed Materials
Kitchens have always been a cornucopia of diverse materials and finishes. I am happy to say that this trend will continue with wood tones, marble finishes, metal, and other natural stones. This could also be attributed to the rise of cottage-core and farmhouse aesthetics, which embrace a delicate blend of natural materials, especially in the kitchen.
You can expect to see stained wood cabinets with glass doors, a combination of marble top and butcher block, and metal fixtures. These small changes could also be your way of going with the trend. The addition of wood accents will enhance the natural tone of your kitchen, balanced by stone accents.
Recently, many homeowners have been painting (as evidenced by TikTok and Instagram presence) their natural stone countertops. This certainly ruins the aesthetic, but if you dislike the natural stone countertops, you could spend a little bit of money to exchange them for wooden counterparts.
Also Read: Hottest Interior Design Trends We Expect to See Everywhere in 2025
Ornate Lighting to be Showstopper
Say goodbye to boring, plain lighting fixtures and add some drama to your kitchen with ornate lighting. Intricate weaves, vivid shapes and materials, and layered lighting will write a new chapter of kitchen design. According to the experts, 2025 lighting trends will include sculptural floor lamps and mid-century-inspired options to artful sconces, all of which can be incorporated into the kitchen space to make it more inviting and engaging.
Lighting is one of the sure-shot ways to transform your kitchen without spending too much time or money on this change. For me, a floor lamp with a bold, vintage design does the job. If you have enough space, you can employ a couple of table lamps for a layered effect. However, your safest bet would be the ceiling lights, especially the pendant lamps.
This trend is set to turn an understated kitchen into a larger-than-life space with a dramatic flair. Ornate lighting will be the look of the year and the statement piece of your cooking area.
Expansion of Outdoor Kitchens
The biggest trend of the year will be the expansion of outdoor kitchens. For the past couple of years, outdoor kitchens have been gaining favor among homeowners. This integration aims to foster social engagement and a connection to nature by blending indoor and outdoor spaces.
This change in the winds is due to the popularity of outdoor spaces, which allow various cooking endeavors that are otherwise difficult to attain inside the kitchen, i.e grilling and barbecuing. Designers are creating wholesome outdoor kitchens for baking, grilling, and mingling with advanced materials to stand the test of time.
If you have a garden space, backyard, or outdoor patio, this trend just might be for you. You can create a canopied area with a seating arrangement and efficient cooking space to embrace this popular trend. Alas, the outdoor kitchen will not be possible for a typical city apartment.
While embracing the annual design trends, you can mix and match things to lift your space without committing to it rigidly. It helps shake things up a little and makes it more personalized. These trends help elevate the aesthetic with small to big changes that also enhance the functionality of your space.
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