As we start 2023, here are our 2023 kitchen and bath trend predictions. A significant influencer for these trend predictions comes from styles and items of the past, as many homeowners are seeking sentimental, familiar, and comfortable items. The 2023 kitchen and bath trends can be summarized as Nostalgic, Unique, Collected, and Natural.
OLD MEETS NEW
Our trend experts are seeing the emergence of the Hipstoric Home Trend, as featured by Pinterest in their 2023 Pinterest Predicts article. The convergence of vintage elements layered into modern home styles continues to be popular. These vintage items often have sentimental value in the form of hand-me-downs or inherited items but are not limited to thrifted antiques.
This style trend is about one-of-a-kind decorative pieces rather than mass-produced items, giving a collected feeling. The Baby Boomer and Gen X demographics are especially driving this home fashion trend, as they seek soulful and nostalgic pieces that help them express their style within their homes. This is also influenced by the gain in popularity of the eclectic style trend, which gained massive ground in late 2021 and will continue to grow in popularity in 2023.
TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS
Speaking of vintage and classic elements, the Superior Cabinets Trend Experts have noticed a slight increase in demand for traditional style elements in their cabinetry and designs. This is the first indication of traditional styles and design elements coming back into the kitchen in several years.
These include glass doors with decorative mullion divider frames, cabinet door patterns with more routed or exaggerated details, decorative columns, and more wood cabinets rather than all-white everything. Our experts feel this trend is influenced by fashion as lace, ruffles, tulle, shimmer, and sheer clothing have started to make a slow comeback. These airy clothing styles are most definitely influencing home style trends, and our experts are watching this one closely.
DECORATIVE HOOD CABINETS
The wood hood continues to dominate and hold its high-ranking position as a key focal point of the kitchen. Semi-custom modern-styled wood hoods are almost the standard now. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to invest more of their cabinet budgets into a decorative hood cabinet to create that one-of-a-kind focal point. The kitchen experts also see hood fan surrounds in alternative substrates such as quartz, ultra-compact/large format tile [LFT], and even plaster.
ORGANIZATION IS EVERYTHING
If you have had any of the “Amazon Must Have Kitchen Gadgets” videos on your social media feed, you will notice two common themes: better organization and improved lighting. You probably saw the SNURRAD turntable fridge storage unit from IKEA trending in early 2021, which got people extremely excited about better utilization of their fridge interiors. This demand for improved organization comes from people wanting better use of their space, accessibility, and a more organized life. People want convenience in their busy lives, and these gadgets do just that.
No longer is it only about the looks of the kitchen cabinets. People want their kitchens to be good-looking and functional for an improved relationship with their space. The experts at Superior Cabinets see more excitement, prioritization, and budget invested for cabinet organization, inserts, and functional accessories.
Top trending cabinet accessories for improved efficiency include the Wood Super Susan, SOS Tip out Tray, Rollout Shelves, 2 Bin Pullout Waste Bins, Base Magic Corner, and the Twin Corner Lemans II Pullout.
HIDDEN APPLIANCES
Hiding appliances have always been popular for higher-end kitchens, and our cabinet experts can confirm they are starting to see this become more mainstream. More and more people planning their dream kitchen opt to hide their small appliances in an appliance garage, a tall pantry, or a pantry-style cabinet that sits on top of the countertop, also known in the industry as a Wall Counter Cabinet. These are perfect for nesting small appliances or setting up a unique zone, such as a coffee station or bar area.
For those wanting a power outlet inside a closed-door cabinet for your hidden appliance storage area, ensure you have done the correct planning with your electrician and general contractor to ensure the necessary kill switches are installed. This way, you won’t void your home insurance and ensure everything will align with your local building code regulations.
For this trend, you will need to increase your cabinet budget, as the cabinetry to accommodate hidden appliance zones can quickly add up. Always consult with your Professional Kitchen Designer on your options, reflective of your budget, as this may or may not be worth it for some.
HIDDEN ROOMS OR ZONES
This trend covers Hidden Pantries, Butler’s Pantries, Bars, Wine Rooms, Spice Kitchens, and more. For those designing their forever kitchen and those with the space, having dedicated zones is the way to go. See Designing for Today and Tomorrow.
Hidden rooms or areas for production cooking, prep work, excess storage, or just because are not going away in 2023 and expect to see these areas more and more in home design.
SPA-LIKE BATHROOMS
In early 2022, our Kitchen Design Experts saw more intention, investment, and planning for spa-like bathrooms. Based on data from keyword search terms, Gen X and Baby Boomers are searching for “shower routine aesthetic”, “amazing walk-in showers”, and “home spa bathroom”. Homeowners seek bathroom spaces they want to spend more time in for self-care and spaces that reflect their personal style aesthetic.
The basic get-in-and-out bathroom with minimal storage is no longer cutting it for many. Our experts are also seeing the use of real wood cabinetry more and more in the bathroom, offering a natural element to offset clean white tile, white plumbing fixtures, and white quartz countertops.
BLACK PAINTS AND NATURAL WOODS
For those looking for more drama, this cabinet trend is for you. For the past few years, the experts have been designing more kitchens with painted black MDF coupled with natural or lighter wood stain accents. Black Paint or dark charcoal colours in a matte sheen are especially popular.
This look is bold, sophisticated, and rich, but not limited, as this style can be extremely diverse as it can be pulled into a mid-century modern look or even a modern farmhouse look. Painted black cabinetry can be the perfect backdrop for mixing different colours, woods, and metal finishes. Like a black car, painted black cabinetry can show more water spots, fingerprints, grime, etc., so this may be a good cabinet trend to avoid for those wanting less cleaning maintenance for their cabinets.
This trend was one of the inspirations behind the 2022 colour launch by Superior Cabinets, which featured light wood stains and dark and bold paint colours.
BLUSH-BEIGE COLOURS
As the boho chic, organic modern, and eclectic home interior styles continue to grow in popularity, Sherwin-Williams selected the perfect colour for their color of the year for 2023, which is why it is perfect for the 2023 kitchen and bath trends list. Say hello to Redend Point SW 9081.
It’s warm, earthy, and cozy. While our experts feel that it will take some time for this to be used as a cabinet colour, as it may not be considered timeless to some, it will be popular for wall paint, accessories, pillow covers, art, and possibly furniture upholstery.
DARK GREEN
Dark Green cabinets will continue to trend into the mainstream in 2023, and this trend can’t be avoided. The Superior Cabinets Trends Experts thought we hit “peak green” in late 2021, however, dark green cabinets continue to be a top selection, especially when mixed with light wood stains.
RUSTIC WOODS
Many homeowners selecting real wood for their cabinetry are selecting solid rustic woods. Popular wood species for rustic cabinets include Maple, Hickory, Black Walnut, and Cherry. Our experts predicted this trend in 2020, as they anticipated that the global pandemic would increase the desire to bring nature into the home for a stronger connection, and they were right.
For those considering Rustic or Knotty cabinets, it’s good to note that it’s unpredictable and will always showcase a variation in colour and wood grain. Many of the solid wood pieces will contain mineral streaks, knots, and wormholes. Closed and open knots of various sizes will be present, which is the desire for rustic or knotty wood. If you prefer a more predictable wood or cabinet finish, rustic or knotty woods are a cabinet trend you’ll want to avoid. The experts feel that this trend will continue to grow in popularity.
THIN COUNTERTOPS
Thin countertops have been standard in Europe for many years, even decades. We are now seeing the acceptance of thinner countertops in North America, including 1 cm thickness, compared to the 2 or 3 cm standard. The heavy or chunky countertop thickness is no longer as popular as fashion-forward homeowners seek a delicate and sleeker countertop thickness, perfect for an understated look that is refined and can make the space feel larger.
SUMMARY
With these 2023 kitchen and bath trends, the emerging themes can be summarized as Nostalgic, Unique, Collected, and Natural. Homeowners are feeling nostalgic and are looking to bring classic or antique elements into their homes, now more than ever. Newly defined home interior styles like Hipstoric may be here for a while.
Quality still prevails, as the COVID-19 global pandemic provoked deeper thinking on how people view and use their homes. People are investing in higher quality items and materials that will last rather than selecting items that may need to be replaced sooner. At the purchasing stage, the buyer’s shift in focus from the low-cost provider to the 20-year or 30-year kitchen is essential to note, as not all cabinets are created equally, and quality is measured with time.
The 2023 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show [KBIS] will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 31-February 2, 2023, and the experts are excited to see what kitchen and bath trends come from this important trade show, and which ones to avoid.
If you want to chat about kitchen cabinet trends for your home, please get in touch with a Superior Cabinets Kitchen Designer in Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, or Winnipeg. If you are outside of those regions, reach out to a Superior Cabinets Authorized Dealer Partner in Canada or the USA.
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Here are some additional helpful articles to check out:
Custom Paint Colour Program
Kitchen Designer Cheat Sheet
Ways to Save Money on New Kitchen Cabinets
The Kitchen Cabinet Buyer’s Guide
Planning A Kitchen Renovation During A Pandemic
Common Corner Cabinet Types and Ideas
Bar Support Selection Guide
Butcher Block in the Kitchen, What you Should Know
Farmhouse Sink Considerations
Common Mudroom Design Oversights
New Paint Finishes on MDF for Summer 2022
New Wood Stains for Summer 2022 – Inspired by Nature
Choosing the Right Drawer System
