2023 Kitchen Trends

What’s Hot This Year in Kitchen Designs and Appliances

The kitchen is both the hub and heart of your home. It’s the place of culinary triumphs and disasters. It’s the favorite gathering spot for friends and family. Kids often camp out there to do their homework, snacks at the ready. And one corner often serves as a mini office where bills are paid and family schedules are made. 

The kitchen is a high traffic area that often becomes both dining and living areas. Because it is used so much, it’s easy to forget that it needs a periodic makeover, just like the rest of your house. However, it doesn’t have to be expensive or extensive. Just a little change here and there can make a significant difference. But you don’t want to do something so out of step with today’s trends that your upgrade becomes a detriment rather than a plus.

So, what are the hottest 2023 kitchen design trends?

There are 7 that most designers agree on, 4 that are outdated, and 3 that are either in or out, depending on the designer. Many of the hottest trends revolve around the concept of a cozy, welcoming kitchen that’s a feast for the eyes as opposed to a cool, sterile, industrial look.

Our resources for this blog include Insider.com, Forbes, Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Martha Stewart, Sebring Design Build, Decorilla, and The Spruce.

Seven 2023 Kitchen Trends

Trend #1: Darker Cabinets/Saturated Colors for a Rich Visual Experience

Even all-white, sterile, or neutral kitchens can easily be transformed into something richer and cozier by using cabinet or accent colors like rust, deep green, burgundy, purple, or a rich blue. Painting the base of an island is a quick and easy way to introduce richer tones into a kitchen.

Trend #2: Muted Countertops

Dark granite or bold stone countertops are out. Quartz, Quartzite, sintered stone, and porcelain with their subtle look are in. Some designers advocate adding a color streak to break things up, but not multiple bold stripes or patterns.

Trend #3: Duplicate Appliances

Gone are the days of one person doing all the cooking. So, designers suggest making the kitchen more accommodating for multiple helpers by adding some duplicate appliances. Consider installing a separate refrigerator drawer or a small fridge for drinks and adding a small sink for prep work. Drawer dishwashers offer versatility in layout. And, if there’s room, what about having a prep island as well as a dining island? Another option is to extend the prep island so it can also work as a dining area and a pet feeding station.

Trend #4: Butler’s Pantry/Scullery

Once standard in older homes, the butler’s pantry is making a comeback. Much bigger than a basic pantry closet, it’s a room off the kitchen that serves as a storage area, kitchen prep area, and even houses a coffee bar. Some designers conceal the scullery entrance with a door that matches the rest of the kitchen cabinetry, creating a secret room.

Trend #5: Updated Cabinet Doors & Rich-Looking Metalwork

Whether you change the knobs or add an accent of rich color or fabric, sprucing up the center of your existing cabinet doors is a quick and inexpensive way to completely change the look of your kitchen. Sure, you can completely change out the doors or replace the entire cabinetry, but that’s a major upgrade sure to keep you out of your kitchen for a while.

Trend #6: Be Fun

It’s okay to be quirky. Display that piece of artisan pottery, your prized collectible, or anything that makes a great conversation starter. Kitchens should warm the heart and feed both tummy and soul.

Trend #7: Go Organic

Eco-friendly materials, wood cabinetry, metal accents, and natural stone accent slabs help bring nature into the home while making the kitchen easier to maintain. It’s also less sterile in appearance, adding to a more home-like, hospitable, and cozy atmosphere. And if it’s possible to add a window or enlarge a current one, do so. It will merge the inside with the outside for a more organic look.

4 Kitchen Trends that Are Out in 2023

Not surprisingly, designers say there are some trends that have run their course.

1. Subway tile or herringbone backsplashes. Instead, choose solid slab stone or something that matches the countertop. Some suggest going bold to add a pop of color or a sense of fun. You can even consider heat- and moisture-resistant wallpaper sealed with a see-through layer of protection.
2. Farmhouse-style kitchens and farmhouse sinks. This is a trend that has been overdone and now feels dated. Plus, the porcelain/ceramic sink can be high maintenance.
3. Over-the-range appliances. Move those appliances elsewhere. Install a dramatic, more efficient range hood in their place.
4. Kitchens that are glossy and full of sharp edges. Since the 2023 kitchen trends are revolve around warmth and coziness, think subtle. Use wood tones, textures, and colors.

3 Debatable 2023 Kitchen Trends

It should come as no surprise that some kitchen designers categorically state something is out while others say it’s still going strong. Of course, it’s up to you to decide what works best for you and your family.

1. Open shelving/upper cabinetry/concealed storage. Some predict open shelves filled with countertop appliances will become hot because today’s appliances are stylish and often colorful. Others say open shelving is out because people will want to tuck things away, leaving out only those items used daily. Yet others say upper cabinets will be replaced with more lower drawers, thanks to ease of use.
2. All-white kitchens. Some designers feel this is timeless. Others see it as hopelessly dated.

3. Open kitchens. Some feel this style has run its course and people want smaller, designated spaces. Others see the open kitchen as a natural flow into adjoining areas like dining rooms, family rooms, and living rooms.

2023 Kitchen Appliance Trends

There’s more to a kitchen than its cabinetry, countertops, and layout. Appliances also play a big factor in a kitchen’s look.

If you’re starting from scratch and can afford it, today’s large appliances and countertop appliances are available in multiple colors and finishes. For example, Samsung’s Bespoke appliances offer any number of customized finishes.

Given the average lifespan of a major kitchen appliance is between 9 and 19 years, just be sure to pick something that won’t look dated over time. Don’t do something so customized that it’s a detriment to your home’s value.

CES 2023 Appliance Trends

Every year, CES, often referred to as the most influential tech show in the world, honors a number of products, including home appliances. Looking at appliances that are CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honorees is a great way to see where appliance trends are heading.

Countertop Appliances

It seems like every month, there’s a new must-have countertop appliance. Most are colorful and artfully designed instead of being merely utilitarian. Some are even “smart,” like these GE Profile Smart Mixers with Auto Sense available in three colors. They auto adjust for mixture density, have a built-in scale, provide guided recipes, have voice command compatibility with Alexa and Google Home, and so much more.

As tempting as new kitchen gadgets are, think before you buy a new countertop appliance. Do you have room to store it when it’s not in use—either in a drawer, pantry, cabinet, or open shelf? If you plan for it to join the others currently sitting on your countertop, have you left yourself enough room for food prep? You don’t want your countertop so crowded it looks like something from an estate sale!

New Major Appliance Trends

“Smart” remains hot for major appliances. Not only are the highest-end appliances smart, so are the next tier or two as well. You can expect this trickle-down effect to continue over time.

However, don’t expect appliances from different brands to talk to each other, because they all use different apps. We suggest you buy the same brand across the board—at least for now. For more information about the advantages and disadvantages of smart appliances, be sure to read our “Smart Appliances and Now the Internet of Things (IoT)" blog. 

Ovens & Ranges

Many of today’s new ovens offer a variety of cooking methods: steam, sous-vide, convection, and air frying in addition to the standard roasting, baking, and broiling. And many have eliminated knobs and controls in favor of finger touch. LG’s InstaView Combination Wall Oven, an Awards Honoree, embodies this trend. It also has 2 ovens and instant-on Infrared heating.

Refrigerators

There seems to be a move away from the standard stacked refrigerator/freezer style in favor of French-door ones. Some even offer the ability to see inside without opening a door. This LG Smart InstaView French Door Refrigerator, another Honoree, combines both characteristics as well as a counter-depth design so it won’t jut out into the kitchen.

Some fridges are more like hubs—complete with display screens and tablet-like functionality.

When it comes to replacing your fridge, don’t buy something too big for its allotted space. And make sure it can fit through your home’s doors.

Washers & Dryers

At CES 2023, both LG and Samsung offered stacked washer/dryer combos that were both energy-efficient and had smart capabilities.

Samsung also debuted a front-loading ventless hybrid heat pump dryer that “helps hygienically care for your wardrobe” and doesn’t require venting. The no venting aspect is especially intriguing. If you have a dryer vent system, be sure to read our blog “How to Clean a Dryer Vent."

2023 Kitchen Trends & Smart Appliances

Whether you completely remodel your kitchen or just change things up on an as-needed basis, don’t make hasty decisions. You’ll be living with those changes and upgrades for a long time.

In previous blogs we’ve talked about what to consider when buying a stove, oven, washer, dishwasher, and dryer. Our advice still holds true for 2023—and beyond. So, if you’re in the market to replace one of those major appliances, be sure to read our blogs first.

And when you get that new appliance, don’t reuse any existing power cords or water hoses. They simply don’t age well and can develop problems over time.

Instead, buy new ones from Certified Appliance Accessories. We can supply:

• Universal gas line connector for gas ranges and dryers

• Power cords for electric ranges and dryers

• Water hoses for ice makers, washing machines, and dishwashers

• Combo electrical cord and water hose dishwasher installation kits that include a 6-ft. power cord, 6-ft. water hose, plumber’s tape, worm clamp, wire connectors  and strain relief bracket. It should be noted they do not include a waste water hose as that length can vary depending on a kitchen’s under-sink plumbing arrangement.

• Steam dryer kits to connect the water supply to the stream dryer.

There are a lot of factors to consider in upgrading your kitchen—including features, trends, styles, and colors. But at least the choice of Certified Appliance Accessories for your connectivity solutions is an easy decision. Our durability and reliability never go out of style.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. Certified Appliance Accessories is not liable or responsible for any damages resulting from or related to your use of this information.