If, in 2024, you are planning on renovating your home, building a kitchen extension, remodelling your existing kitchen or simply making a few DIY changes, you’ll want to know about these eight big kitchen design trends that are predicted to be some of the most desired looks within popular kitchen design for the year ahead. From darker cabinet colours, countertop choices and 3D kitchen islands, you’ll see these forthcoming kitchen trends incorporated into the most high-end kitchen designs, right through to more budget-friendly kitchens containing IKEA cabinets.

The one-wall kitchen

The perfect kitchen design layout for the keen home Instagrammer or cooking content creator (where it is all about that framed key shot or the perfect backdrop), the one-wall (or single-wall) kitchen has all the important kitchen elements streamlined across one area (as opposed to an L or a U shape layout).

One-wall kitchens are particularly good in open-plan spaces as they don’t impose on other zoned areas (such as the living space). You can also choose to place a dining table or a freestanding island in front if you need an extra work surface.

A surprising splash of colour

While colourful kitchens are predicted by Pinterest to be huge in 2024, not everyone wants to commit to painting all their cabinets in a rich burgundy or buttercup yellow. Instead, a surprising splash of colour can be added to other areas to immediately draw the eye and keep the units a natural material (such as wood), or neutral shade. Try painting doors or window frames a bold, striking shade such as pillar box red or sky blue. Alternatively, opt for brightly-coloured kitchen seating or a banquet upholstered in a busy pattern.

The furniture island

A popular trend for kitchens recently has been to make them as ‘unkitcheny’ as possible and have them blend into the rest of the house. This will continue in 2024 with the rise of the ‘furniture island’ - a freestanding piece of furniture that is the perfect blend between a functional kitchen island and an attractive kitchen table. A furniture island feels slightly detached from the rest of the kitchen and like a piece of furniture in its own right, but still contains ample storage and workspace.

As well as bespoke furniture islands, look to salvage yards and antique stores for discarded shop counters and vintage joinery pieces to create an interesting central statement within your kitchen.

Brown cabinets

Full-bodied browns and deep colours with brown as the base colour are going to be really popular in 2024. These shades are great to use on kitchen cabinets to make a statement without reverting to more vivid hues. A rich shade of brown generates a sophisticated and traditional look that’s warm and inviting. Try ‘Tanner’s Brown’ by Farrow & Ball, ‘Scullery’ by Little Greene or the rich brown/red of ‘Scarlet ‘n’ Rust’ by Paint & Paper Library.

Texture

Kitchens in 2024 will be embracing texture to avoid them looking flat and uninteresting. Exposed brick walls or the application of brick slips will add a visually appealing backdrop, while fluted glass within cabinetry adds extra depth. Wood will be natural and grained and will be paired with tactile accessories in organic finishes of stone or clay.

3D islands

If you are lucky enough to have the space for an integrated island, make sure it is the star of the show by embracing the 2024 trend of making them 3D. Look to brands like Orac Decor and Decwood for 3D panels and bendable trim to add raised patterns, ripples and ridges on the underside.

The retro-fun kitchen

As well as furniture islands, the colourful, retro-fun kitchen will continue in 2024 as there is a move away from the ‘kitcheny-kitchen’ to something more playful and full of personality. The good thing about the retro-fun kitchen is that it is a look that can be achieved with a bit of DIY work: give the cabinets a makeover with kitchen cupboard paint, cover your existing worktop with vinyl and lay LVT on the floor to get the look!

Coffee Station

The new ‘must-have’ area of the home. Slimline pantries built to accommodate coffee machines, espresso cups and Nespresso pods are the ultimate in kitchen luxury, but a coffee station can also be created by allocating an area of your kitchen purely for hot drinks. Simply invest in a nice tray to contain your coffee, tea and sugar and erect a small shelf above it so that your favourite coffee cups are displayed within easy reach.