5 Kitchen Cabinet Trends Popular With Homeowners Now

1. Most Homeowners Replace All Their Cabinets

As the chart here shows, the majority of renovating homeowners (65%) replace all of their cabinets, while nearly a third (29%) partially replace their cabinets. Only 6% of homeowners do not replace or upgrade their kitchen cabinets.

The bar chart shows that of the 29% of renovating homeowners who choose to partially replace their kitchen cabinets, the majority (65%) refinish the exterior. A quarter of homeowners (25%) add some cabinets, while about the same number (23%) replace only the doors. A fifth of homeowners replace some cabinets, while 14% refinish the interiors.

This Los Angeles kitchen by ae design has white cabinets with Shaker-style doors, two popular features revealed in the study.

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2. Hiring of Cabinetmakers Is on the Rise

Homeowners are increasingly hiring professional cabinetmakers to help create the right cabinetry for their kitchens. Nearly a third of homeowners (31%) hire a cabinetmaker; that percentage increased by 4 points in 2022 compared with 2021.

For this Miami kitchen, Kitchen Cabinet Kings created rich wood Shaker-style cabinets.

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3. Shaker-Style Cabinets Shape Most Kitchens

Most homeowners (64%) choose Shaker-style cabinets for their kitchen, followed by flat-panel (17%) and raised-panel (13%).

Many homeowners (43%) choose custom construction, while a little more than a third (35%) go the semicustom route. The vast majority (76%) choose solid wood cabinets, while a fifth (20%) opt for plywood.

More than half of homeowners (57%) add or update a kitchen island during a remodel. Of those, about 1 in 10 (12%) chooses a cabinet door style for the island that’s different than the style of the main cabinets. Shaker style is the most popular contrasting style (43%), followed by raised-panel (23%) and flat-panel (17%).

Dan Rak Design used elegant Shaker-style cabinets in this Chicago kitchen. A midtone wood island adds warmth to balance the surrounding white cabinets.

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For this contemporary Austin, Texas, kitchen, Cornerstone Architects added flat-panel cabinets in a refined charcoal color. Nearly a fifth of homeowners (17%) choose a flat-panel option.

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4. White Dominates for Cabinet Color

White is by far the most popular color when it comes to kitchen cabinets, with about 2 out of 5 homeowners choosing it. But wood is a strong runner-up. When you combine medium- and light-tone wood options, wood cabinets are chosen by nearly 1 in 5 homeowners (19%). Gray is also a popular selection, with 1 in 10 homeowners (10%) choosing it for the past three years.

For this kitchen in Santa Barbara, California, interior designer Margarita Bravo refinished the perimeter cabinets in a fresh white color. She then added new walnut cabinets for the island and refrigerator wall, creating a warm and welcoming two-tone style.

5. Specialty Storage Steps Up

Homeowners are creating storage to organize a variety of kitchen items. A slight majority (51%) integrate organizers for cookie sheets, while a larger majority (63%) add a pullout for waste and recycling.

Homeowners also are adding storage components for things like spices (42%), cutlery (40%), utensils (35%), pots and pans (31%) and small appliances (25%). Many go with specialty storage solutions like deep drawers (40%), Lazy Susans (39%), pullouts or swingouts (38%) and corner pullouts (20%) as well.

How to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets, One at a Time