Kitchen Trends of 2023
Our team researched and put together this look at the kitchen trends of 2023. Some trends stayed and some made way for new ones, and several of those below have proved genuinely long-lived.
Looking for the current picture? Read the biggest kitchen trends homeowners are choosing in 2026.
The 2023 Kitchen Trends at a Glance
Eight trends defined 2023: open shelving used as display rather than pure storage; multi-purpose islands doing the work of a prep space, desk and dining table at once; porcelain worktops for their durability and UV resistance; outdoor kitchens mirroring the format of the indoor one; mixing worktop materials across a single kitchen; earthy tones and greenery, with forest green leading; family-friendly layouts planned around children; and extending cabinetry out of the kitchen into open-plan living and dining areas. Most of these have carried through rather than dated.
The famous open shelf
The
continued as a kitchen trend through 2023. The kitchen is no longer simply a room for preparing food but the heart of the home, where the layout and decor matter far more. Open shelving is a great way to display stylish plates and accessories, add a touch of greenery, and give artwork or pops of colour somewhere to live. There is also no need to buy extra items to decorate with, as open shelving lets you display the beautiful things you already own.
Multi-purpose kitchen islands
The multi-purpose
has always been popular and it is here to stay. We spend most of our time at home in the kitchen, and it is no longer just an area to cook in. The multi-purpose island serves as a place to prepare food, a space to work from home, an informal seating area and somewhere to entertain, and it can change the way you use the whole room. Gather your kitchen ideas and goals together, as they will determine how it should be designed. Do you need extra storage?
Porcelain worktops
Porcelain worktops rose in popularity through 2023 and have held their place since. Versatile and durable, they can be used in indoor and outdoor kitchens thanks to a non-porous and UV-resistant surface, which makes them suitable for most homes. Porcelain surfaces are available in a wide range of colours and styles, so there will be one to suit modern or traditional decor.
Mirroring the kitchen into the great outdoors
The outdoor kitchen became firmly established. Homeowners began following the formats and sizes of their indoor kitchens in their outside spaces, with the areas zoned by patio doors, dining tables and even the island. It is a trend we have carried on designing since. See our
.
Choosing different worktop surfaces
We expected a rise in mixed worktops, driven by practicality, and that is what happened. Work out which worktops suit your lifestyle and the way you cook, such as quartz or granite for the main runs, with a solid timber surface applied to the island at the seating area. Our guide to
covers one popular option.
Earthy tones and bringing nature indoors
Foliage had already started appearing in homes, and it came into full swing in 2023. Homeowners increasingly added green into their kitchens, sometimes with nothing more than a plant. Greenery adds vibrancy and colour, and is widely associated with a calmer, more restful feel in a room. Forest green proved a particularly popular choice, and nature-inspired, earthy tones had already been building for a couple of years before that. If you are drawn to green, see our guide to
.
Family-friendly kitchens
The kitchen is the room we spend the most time in, and it is the busy central hub of the home where everyone is welcome. When redesigning it, thinking about the children early can save a great deal of time, money and hassle later. Plan the layout so they are not walking past the more hazardous areas such as the hob.
Stretching kitchen cabinets into open-plan spaces
If you are fortunate enough to have a large
space, extend the kitchen cabinetry into the dining and living areas. Coordinate the style, materials and colour of your cabinets by creating media units, drinks cabinets, pantries and dressers so the whole room reads as one scheme.
2023 Kitchen Trends FAQs
Which 2023 kitchen trends have lasted?
Most of them. Multi-purpose islands, open shelving, earthy and green tones, porcelain worktops and extending cabinetry into open-plan living have all continued rather than faded. Outdoor kitchens have grown further since.
Are porcelain worktops any good?
They are durable, non-porous and UV resistant, which is why they suit both indoor and outdoor kitchens. Being non-porous means they resist staining and need no sealing, and the range of colours and finishes is wide enough to suit traditional or contemporary schemes.
Can you mix worktop materials in one kitchen?
Yes, and it is now common. A hard-wearing quartz or granite on the main runs with a solid timber surface on the island seating area is a popular combination, giving you practicality where you prep and warmth where people sit.
How do you design a family-friendly kitchen?
Plan the circulation so children are not passing the hob or oven, keep the busiest routes clear of the cooking zone, and build in seating where they can sit and do homework within sight. Getting that right at design stage costs nothing and is difficult to retrofit.
Where does Handmade Kitchen Company design kitchens?
We design, hand-build and hand-paint bespoke kitchens from our workshop in Essex, for clients across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London. For the current picture, read
the biggest kitchen trends homeowners are choosing in 2026
, or look back at
the kitchen design trends of 2025
. If you would like to know more about our bespoke handmade kitchens,
today. We look forward to hearing from you.
