1. Navy Cabinets
Navy is a classic for a reason, but it starts to feel boring when everyone is using it on their lower cabinets or kitchen islands. If you want to include some color in your kitchen, why not try a color that feels a little different — like green, black, or even a natural wood tone? There are plenty of other versatile colors to try that aren’t navy, so push your design a little bit further than what everyone else is doing right now.
2. Basic Tile Backsplashes
If you’re going to add a backsplash, don’t just do half the wall (it’s pretty common but it feels like a halfhearted design attempt). Right now, giant slabs or fully tiled walls are in. Just a note for anyone going with tile: Try embracing a different shape other than a traditional rectangle. If you’re worried about longevity, work in a warm neutral color palette to add versatility.
3. Ornate Hardware
Forget anything flashy. Instead of shiny gold hardware, we’re seeing a return to more muted brushed or matte black finishes. And that’s if there’s hardware being used at all. Minimal cabinet design, where there’s no hardware at all, seems to be the direction kitchens are headed in 2021.
4. Cluttered Countertops
With many of us still working from our kitchen tables (or just cooking a lot) in 2021, countertops around the country are getting cleared off. Cluttered countertops feel stressful and make it harder to keep surfaces clean. Keep out only what you use every day and then find a new home for everything else (in a cabinet or in a donation box!).
5. Farmhouse-Style Cabinets
It’s been a long time coming, but we think farmhouse-style is on its way out in favor of clean-lined and incredibly modern-looking cabinetry. Think: sleek, totally flat-faced panels. With less grooves and molding, they’re easier to clean. Yay!
6. Open Shelving
The divisive wall of open shelving is out in 2021. For most home cooks, it’s an unrealistic way to store glasses and dishes because of how much dirt and grime accumulates in between uses. (Yes, even when things are constantly being used, washed, and put away.) Keeping upper cabinets allows you to tuck away items that could be cluttering up your counters. If you do see open shelving, it will be smaller, single shelves or a small ledge that holds more decorative accessories instead of dishes.
7. Cool Gray Paints
Gray, like the navy we mentioned above, is an incredibly versatile hue but it gets boring when everyone is using the same color over and over. For kitchen renovations, it used to be, “When in doubt paint the walls or cabinets a cool gray.” Now? Skip it! If you really love gray and want to use it, try a warmer gray with more earthy undertones to help it feel fresh.
