5 Kitchen Trends to Avoid in 2023, According to a Pro

1. Countertop Appliances

Funny that even while there are more and more coolsmall appliancesavailable to us now (I seriously heart myWolf countertop oven!), we’re also in a period of transitioning away from having them on display in favor ofcleared countertops, Harris says.

“I would say that people are being a lot more thoughtful and intentional about keeping the kitchen kind of a clean, peaceful space,” she says. “And then having the chaos behind the curtain, whether that be a scullery or butler’s pantry. A lot of everyday appliances (think: coffee maker, microwave, toaster, blenders) are being tucked away because it does present a lot of clutter in a space that you spend the most time in.”

But what about our showpiece items? I also cherish myKitchenAid stand mixer, a gift from my mother-in-law many years ago. Those are safe from banishment, Harris says. In fact, the design is so pretty, she’s often known to specify them for clients in order to display them on the counter!

2. Open Shelving

Is the eternal debate over open shelving finally, well, over? Maybe. “It goes back to the same mentality of the clutter,” Harris says. “For a lot of people,open shelvingjust becomes a catch-all for a lot of things — especially if you have kids.” At her house, their kids like to use shelves for their Legos, she shares.

“I think people are just going back to having some beautiful, concealed storage with cabinetry, and maybe putting more into those details and more thought into the millwork, as opposed to having the open shelving.”

And where open shelving does appear, she says, it’s more about pretty ceramics, art, and greenery.

3. Two-Tone Cabinetry

For years now we’ve been seeing upper and lower cabinets indifferent colors, or an island in a color that contrasts with the other cabinets. Those days may be waning, Harris warns.

“I feel like a lot of kitchens are going back to just keeping things simple, like using the same stain or the same paint color for all the cabinetry,” says Harris. “I love an all-wood kitchen; I just think it’s beautiful and natural and, of course, you want to bring in elements of contrast and different materials, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be with your cabinet colors.”

4. All-White Kitchens

On the flip side, we’ve all been awash in a white sea of monochromaticwhite kitchens. “It’s been a long, long run,” Harris says.

But now, she says, “We’re all craving character … people are really just craving some of the original character that was in the homes when they were built. There just weren’t any all-white kitchens that ever existed before people came up with thismodern farmhousetrend that’s lingering on for dear life. So we can put that to rest for a while.”

5. Kitchens and Dining Areas Open to the Entire House

While Harris doesn’t see theopen-concept floor plandisappearing anytime soon — especially for those living in a studio apartment — having the kitchen and dining room completely open to the rest of the main floor may be giving way to more structure, she says, especially when it comes to the dining room.

“I am seeing more and more — and I’m very much for — delineated spaces like the dining room,” she says. “I’m very much pro having the dining room kind of separated from the main space. Being able to have those conversations in that smaller space, it just creates a level of intimacy that allows you to connect. There’s a certain ambiance in being able to walk into a room and kind of tuck yourself and sit down at the table and have a meal, as opposed to your dining room being exposed to every other room in the communal space where there’s so much distraction.”