Welcome to 2024! We hope you had a relaxing and restful Christmas. But now, it’s back to business and we’re starting the new year in style by asking three leading kitchen experts for their predicted trends for 2024.

THE MYERS TOUCH

Director and co-founder of The Myers Touch, Keith Myers, says that new surfaces finishes that add personality and individuality will be big news. For example, the new material finishes from their German design partner Eggersmann allow designers to create cabinetry and island units as a piece of individual craftsmanship. By combining different shades, shapes and contrast materials such as lacquers, glass fronts, slatted oak, Corian, rolled brass and concrete vintage wood, kitchen furniture can be created to look entirely bespoke and handcrafted.

The elaborate lamella structure of the Eggersmann Lausanne real wood is handmade and customised with millimetre precision

Natural and statement stone will define kitchens, he adds. Natural stones, sintered stone and quartz will increasingly be chosen as the luxury material in many kitchens with designers using these materials to showcase and define sculptured island units, statement splashbacks, framed sinks and workspaces.

The work area around this sink is accentuated by an Eggersmann profile frame, perfectly crafted from the brand’s Bianco Nuvola quartzite worksurface

Intelligent lighting systems will also allow designers to be increasingly creative and personal. The increase in lit and framed feature wall systems, illuminated cabinetry doors and appliances, sophisticated cabinetry LED lighting and chromotherapy lighting will allow designers to enhance definition, mood and dedicated framed or task areas in kitchen spaces.

Copatlife 2.1 system display at The Myers Touch, showcasing dark elm Arabica and metallic-effect lacquered cabinetry matched with Dekton Keyla suede worksurfaces, Miele appliances and a sophisticated Novy Wall Light system. Photo credit: Mark Hardy

Framed-steel sliding doors will continue, as homeowners look to create a light-filled Japandi-style look. The Myers Touch steel-door partner, ADL Doors, offers a versatile door system that can be customised to fit any space, offering privacy when closed and an open-plan kitchen-living effect that lets in more light, height and functional definition.

The ADL Sliding Door system is an industrial-style interior feature seen here in The Myers Touch in-house Scandi-inspired display named Möbelife. Photo credit: Mark Hardy

LEDBURY STUDIO

Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio, says that timeless and durable materials and designs will be key. This includes transitional design, where old meets new. “A perfect blend of classic and contemporary style is a great example of a long-term trend,” he says. “This design aesthetic combines the warmth and elegance of traditional materials with the clean simplicity of modern design.

The Hampstead kitchen perfectly embodies the spirit of transitional design with its modern interpretation of a classic Shaker kitchen with stunning marble worksurfaces

Harnessing the beauty of metals will also play a key role. “Our signature copper-fronted kitchen cabinets are made by individually aging and patinating sheet copper to achieve a beautiful Verdigris effect,” says Charlie. “This approach combines the traditional warmth of copper with an on-trend aesthetic, resulting in an entirely new look, which nonetheless won’t go out of style for years to come.”

Patinated copper cabinetry is the star of this Ledbury Studio industrial-style kitchen

The feel factor is also a big trend, where designers will explore texture and tactility as a reflection of our desire for a more sensory and immersive experience in our homes. “This has resulted in the popularity of tactile elements like fluting and reeding,” explains Charlie, “which also add movement to surfaces and, when used sparingly, bring a subtle level of interest without overpowering the overall design.”

This kitchen features delicate reeded oak panels on either end of the island along with a reeded quartz splashback

Home bars and breakfast cupboards will also be popular for 2024, perfect for entertaining and creating storage space for relaxed mornings.

This home bar features a Stone Italiana Ambra countertop for ample preparation space while the fluted glass cabinet is illuminated from within.

This book-matched walnut veneer breakfast cupboard has shelves for a microwave and breakfast items with pan drawers below

SMILE KITCHENS

For Dawn Filkins, Head of Creative at Smile Kitchens, this year’s trends include connected kitchens, personalisation and pink.

“As technology advances, the concept of connected kitchens is rapidly gaining momentum, says Dawn. “The increasing demand for convenience, efficiency, and sustainability drives technology integration in modern kitchen design. Smart appliances, voice control systems and connected devices are no longer limited to big budgets and are becoming accessible to a broader audience. Expect to see traditional, Shaker-style kitchens seamlessly blending with the latest cutting-edge technology, from refrigerators that integrate unique temperature controls for less food wastage to more energy-efficient appliances and voice-activated assistants to control multiple kitchen functions. As the trend for connected kitchens continues to grow, we can expect more innovative and user-friendly solutions to become more readily available.”

Colour-wise, it’s all about enhancing your time in the kitchen and creating a unique space. “We’ve seen a rise in consumers expressing themselves through bolder colour choices and increased customisation requests,” adds Dawn. “Personalisation doesn’t just mean colour or finishing touches though; cabinetry configuration is another area where consumers gain interest and increased involvement with pull-out larders, deep pan drawers, custom corner units, coffee or baking cupboards.”

Smile Kitchens’ Vard Kitchen in Crimson

And finally, pink will be used as a neutral, as Dawn explains, “While deep blues and forest greens are popular choices, we expect to see more shades of pink emerge as we become more confident playing with colour. Over the last few years, plaster, millennial pink and pastel pinks have been seen more in furniture, soft furnishings and accessories and now the rosy-hued trend has made its way to the kitchen as a softer alternative to the warm greiges that steadily replaced grey.”

Smile Kitchens’ Vard Kitchen in Doll and Tusk