Goodbye to subway tile and shiplap, hello to color and creativity! Kitchen trends for 2020 are moving out of the world of white and into a realm that’s casual and cozy, but still distinctive. Not only is it a new year, but it’s a new decade and time to blaze a trail of decor that has a fresh look. Some of these trends are big changes while others are projects that can be undertaken to upgrade the hub of your house without a major overhaul.

Classic Blue

With Classic Blue being dubbed the color of the year for 2020 by Pantone, it’s no surprise that a shade of blue shows up on this list of kitchen trends. Whether you want to stick with this trend pick or skew to a darker shade, blue has always been appropriate and popular for any room of the house. This bold kitchen features blue cabinets, but if you fell in with the all-white trend, painting the walls a deep blue is a lower-cost way to entire change the look of your kitchen. Another option would be to install a blue backsplash and focus on this relaxing color for any accents or textiles in the room, such as upholstery on the dining chairs.

Slab Backsplash

Mosaic is on the list of things that are “out” for the coming year, mainly because the small tiles and patterns can look busy and really date a kitchen. Instead, larger stone slab backsplashes are taking their place, both in plain styles or more distinctive ones like this agate backsplash. Park of the Kips Bay Showhouse in 2019, this large agate slab makes a huge statement behind the stove and really is the focal point of the kitchen. Slabs of natural stone are also good for sleek kitchens since they minimize grout lines and keep the look streamlined.

Color!

Along with all-white kitchens, totally neutral color palettes are starting to feel a bit stale and boring. For 2020, those bold enough to take the plunge can punch up their kitchen style with a big dose of vibrant color. Here, the bright pink backsplash is the perfect counterpoint to an otherwise sedate kitchen design scheme. This is another way to bring an all-white kitchen into the next decade. Don’t want to replace the backsplash? Paint the walls!

Statement Hoods

The ubiquitous stainless steel kitchen hood is also starting to feel a bit dated. Along with all sorts of new ventilation technologies, there are countless interesting hood styles to complement the design of your kitchen. This stylish on is from Faber and it has very sleek lines that are accented with the rose gold fitting at the bottom. The light makes the entire front glow and turns it from a functional appliance to an artful addition to your kitchen.

Classic Style Made Better

Those who don’t like to follow the trends very much – this trend is actually for you. Lovers of classic, traditional kitchen design can still freshen this space with a few small changes that make it current, as in this one designed by House of L in Solon, Ohio. The paneled cabinetry and conservative hardware are hallmarks of traditional style, but this kitchen includes slab backsplashes, updated lighting fixtures and a dark wood floor — all elements found trending for 2020. Despite these additions, the overall kitchen ambiance is a classic one…only better.{found on thehouseofl}.

Warmer Tones

With the waning of white and plain neutrals, warmer tones are creeping into kitchens for 2020. This kitchen by Monogram of Canada has a number of elements that make it fresh for the new decade. Aside from all the houseplants, the wallpaper adds some soft, warm colors to the mix and the rosy gold hardware also adds warmth to the cabinetry, which also features some doors with a louvered design. Taken as a whole, the kitchen feels warm and welcoming yet still sophisticated and new.

Painted Ceilings

Long touted as the “fifth wall” in dining and living rooms, designers have turned their attention to the ceiling in the kitchen as another opportunity to enliven the space. This trend can take various forms: painted sheetrock or beadboard, coffered detailing, tin panels or even wallpaper. This kitchen, designed by William Ohs in Denver, Colorado, uses a grayish blue to liven up an otherwise white kitchen, picking up the color in the upholstered chairs as well. This trend is an easy one to incorporate, especially because most people quite literally have a blank canvas when it comes to the kitchen ceiling.{found on wmohs}.

Kitchen Wallpaper

Few people consider wallpaper when it comes to decorating the kitchen, but it can be a lively, vibrant addition to the room, especially if you’re trying to add some excitement to a monochrome space. This kitchen by Coddington Design of San Francisco, California uses wallpaper in an appropriate way. Many types of wallpaper are not suitable for use where a backsplash is typically found: behind the counter or stove. Instead, it is best used on walls that are away from direct cooking grease and splashed water. The large geometric pattern is perfect for the large expanse of wall and it complements the other colors in the kitchen perfectly.{found on coddingtondesign}.

Mixed Metals

Matchy-matchy is totally out for 2020 and this holds true for the metal accents in your kitchen as well. Long gone are the days when everything metal in a single space absolutely had to be the same finish, from the faucet to the cabinet hardware to the knobs on the cooktop. Not only can you mix materials through the kitchen, you can freely mix metals. These stainless steel and rose gold pendant lamps hang over the island in a Stosa Cucine kitchen, happily mixed in an eclectic kitchen design.

Natural Wood Tones

The drive to be more in touch with nature is influencing the kitchen trend as well. Too much glass and stone has started to feel a bit hard and cold, so designers are now adding natural wood elements even to the most modern kitchen styles. This natural material brings not only an earthy feel but also visual warmth to the kitchen and makes it feel cozier and more welcoming. The wood can come in the form of a single piece — such as the table in this kitchen by Nolte — or in multiple places such as some of the cabinets too.

Standout Sinks

The trend of statement sinks for the kitchen does not mean weird shapes or crazy designs. Statement sinks are those with designs that stand out for their material, color or style within the scope of the kitchen’s design. A dark sink in a dark granite countertop is expected but a matte gray farmhouse sink with a white kitchen countertop – like this one from Blanco — is not. The main idea is to think outside the box when choosing a sink for the kitchen and not playing it entirely safe when it comes to style and material.

Textures

Think of kitchen design and “texture” does not immediately spring to mind. This trend for 2020 will change that. Tile manufacturers are creating sculptural and textured tiles, like this one by Porcelanosa, that are appropriate for the kitchen. Because they are tiles, they’re still durable and easy to clean, but the dimensional surface gives the kitchen a completely different vibe than if it were a flat, smooth style of tile.

Show-Off Pantries

Once the dark and lonely closet where you stashed dry food stocks and extra kitchen equipment, for 2020 the pantry has morphed into an attractive, multi-purpose space. Still primarily about storage, many now include space for wines, bulletin boards, mail and a countertop for planning and organizational tasks. The trend for pantries is to make them look just as good as the rest of the kitchen.

Reclaimed Wood

Environmental consciousness and sustainability are front and center as we head into the 2020s and the popularity of reclaimed wood is taking hold in the kitchen as well. this Stosa Cucine kitchen features very rustic looking wood panels, however, some reclaimed wood can be more highly polished and refined. The main point is reusing existing resources as much as possible to eliminate waste and excess.

A number of these trends are easily incorporated into current kitchens to freshen up the look for a new era. Choose one or choose several, pick a trend and make it your own by adapting it to your personality and what your own family likes. Whether you want to remodel or just paint a few walls to liven up your formerly fashionable all-white kitchen, there are plenty of trends here to spark ideas.