Wood cabinets are the top choice for kitchens. Here are 5 more design trends to look forward to this year
Kitchen design in 2026 is all about warmth, smarter storage and spaces that better support everyday life. According to the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, homeowners are embracing thoughtful design choices that balance beauty with function. From the rise of wood cabinetry and slab backsplashes to a focus on built-in pantries and coffee stations, here are the kitchen trends shaping homes this year.
1. Wood Cabinets Take the Lead
Wood cabinetry has officially taken the top spot from white, bringing warmth and texture into the “heart of the home”. The Houzz study found that wood is now the most popular cabinet color in renovated kitchens, chosen by 29% of homeowners, up 6 percentage points from last year and edging past white at 28%. Among wood finishes, medium-toned wood leads at 15%, followed by light wood at 11% and dark wood at 3%.
2. Specialty Built-Ins Boost Storage Space
More than three-quarters of renovating homeowners (76%) add specialty built-in features, underscoring a shift toward more thoughtfully organized spaces. Storage-focused additions lead the way, with 47% installing pantry cabinets and 16% opting for walk-in pantries. Meanwhile, 7% now include a butler’s pantry or prep kitchen, most often to keep clutter out of sight (30%) and to gain additional storage (22%). These secondary spaces help streamline the main kitchen while supporting everyday routines. Among homeowners adding a butler’s pantry, two-thirds use the space for small appliance storage (67%), while many also include prep counters (61%) and enclosed cabinetry (59%).
“Specialty and built-in storage is fundamental to how today’s kitchens function,” said Misty Callaway, designer of Callaway Homes. “When storage is thoughtfully designed, from customized drawers and pull-out shelves to walk-in pantries, it reduces clutter, improves efficiency and makes the kitchen easier to use every single day.”
3. Coffee and Other Beverages Get Their Own Dedicated Stations
New task-specific zones are helping homeowners direct kitchen traffic. Nearly one-quarter of homeowners (24%) include a beverage station in their kitchen renovation, often designed as a dedicated coffee or espresso bar. Baking stations also make an appearance in 9% of renovated kitchens, while a smaller group even add snack stations (2%), signaling a move toward kitchens that support personalized habits.
4. Cabinets That Organize Everything
Cabinet upgrades remain nearly universal, with 84% of homeowners updating cabinetry as part of their kitchen renovation. Most replace all of the cabinets (68%), while others opt for partial replacements (27%).
Inside the cabinets, customization is now the norm. An overwhelming 94% integrate specialty storage features, including pull-out trash or recycling bins (64%), drawers for cookie sheets or trays (55%), spice storage (41%) and cutlery organizers (38%). Solutions for hard-to-reach spaces, such as pullout shelves, deep drawer organizers and corner trays, are each used by 34% of homeowners, helping maximize every inch of storage.
5. Slab Backsplashes Are on the Rise
While tile is favored by the majority of renovating homeowners (72%), slab backsplashes are on the rise (28%, up from 24% the previous year). Engineered quartz (39%) and quartzite (33%) are the most preferred slab backsplash materials.
Ceramic remains the no.1 tile type (49%), followed by porcelain (23%). A smaller share of renovating homeowners choose glass (7%), marble (6%) or zellige (4%) for their tile backsplash, suggesting that they may be an emerging trend to watch.
One in 10 renovating homeowners (10%) take the backsplash all the way to the ceiling, though most backsplash stops at the cabinets or range hood (67%).
6. Kitchens That No Longer Work Are Forcing a Rethink
For many homeowners, kitchen renovations are no longer optional; they’re becoming essential. According to Houzz, 38% of homeowners say they’re renovating because their kitchen is deteriorating or no longer functions well, up from 35% last year. That puts practical concerns nearly on par with dissatisfaction with outdated style (41%), which remains the top renovation driver.
Housing realities are playing a major role in this shift. “With aging housing stock, a shortage of available homes and longer homeowner tenure, more homeowners are choosing to invest in improving the functionality of the kitchens they already have rather than move,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz head of economic research. As a result, kitchens are being designed to better support everyday routines, with an emphasis on built-in storage, efficient layouts and smarter use of space.
Long-term thinking is also shaping renovation decisions. More than half of homeowners (53%) say they’re addressing current or future special needs in their kitchen updates, including aging-related considerations, a sign that kitchens are increasingly being designed to adapt as households change.
With projects becoming more customized and complex, professional involvement is widespread. Nearly nine in 10 homeowners (87%) hire a pro for their kitchen renovation, often relying on general contractors and kitchen designers to help bring these highly functional, personalized spaces together.
The Takeaway
The 2026 kitchen is warmer, smarter and more intentional. Wood cabinets lead the way, built-in storage keeps clutter hidden and organized, and thoughtful details from coffee stations to slab backsplashes turn everyday routines into showstopping design moments. Backed by data from the Houzz study, one thing is clear: The most desirable kitchens today are as functional as they are beautiful.
Methodology
The 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study is a report of homeowners who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a kitchen renovation. The online survey was fielded to U.S. Houzz users in July 2025. n=1,780. You can download the full report here.
This story was produced by Houzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
