Two tones. Two-tone cabinets — the upper cabinets in one color, the lower cabinets in another — are a big trend for 2021. Adding an eye-catching touch to your kitchen, two-tone cabinets can come in infinite color combinations — including black and white or gray and white.
Recommended: Navy Blue Shaker Cabinets
Another great kitchen trend of 2021 is open-shelving. Incorporating open-shelving cabinets to your kitchen design allows for more decorating possibilities. These possibilities can add much more style to your space, even if it's just two small shelves.
Shaker-Style Chic
White Shaker-style cabinets are the most popular choice among homeowners, according to the 2021 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study.
Adding more cabinet options and features, such as appliances that use cabinet doors as fronts, are ideal for 2021 kitchens. Wooden finishes are also making a return for cabinets, but typically in lighter shades and not the traditional cherry wood of the early 2000s.
While the all-white kitchen will probably never go out of style, there are lots of new design trends for 2021 that will make you equally happy. Think: natural elements with some pops of color as well as a visit to the dark side with colors you might never expect.
What is this? Wood cabinets are continuing to come back into style. No, not your honey oak cabinets from 1980's and 90's – they are most definitely not coming back.
Natural materials, like wood and stone, are always in style. Have your contractor install maple, birch, or cherry cabinets. Look for stone options such as granite, limestone, or slate. Your kitchen will be stylish and trendy both now and in the future.
Chocolate or truffle brown is a major kitchen appliance color trend in 2021. Brown mixers, toasters, dishwashers, and refrigerators are making a comeback. They blend perfectly with white cabinets as well as other neutral paint colors in the kitchen. Several coffee makers and food processors today use this trendy shade.
Timeless all-white kitchens
As we continue to hunker down at home in 2021, designer Elizabeth Cooper of Elizabeth Cooper Interior Design says traditional all-white kitchens will still remain popular. “Some kitchen trends last a long time for a reason,” she explains.
First, let's talk about white kitchen cabinets … these aren't going anywhere in 2022. A white kitchen is classic and never goes 'out of style'. It may not always be the current trend, but white kitchen cabinets are always beautiful. We'll also continue to see the two-tone cabinet color trend in 2022.
And perhaps most telling, Pantone, widely recognized as an authority on predicting color trends, has chosen Ultimate Gray (17-5104) as its color of the year for 2021. But some experts believe gray's days are numbered, soon to be replaced by a return to warmer and brighter colors.
Well, it should be no surprise… the classic white cabinet will still be the #1 cabinet color for kitchens in 2022 and beyond. White is crisp and clean, will brighten any kitchen, and will most likely never go out of style.
Even though there are some drawbacks to white kitchen cabinets, they will never “go out of style.” The shapes of the doors or the layout of the kitchen may go out of style, but white in a kitchen will always look good.
Seen as a relic of the early 90's, the oak cabinets of yesteryear had a major issue: they didn't look all that great paired together with the then-prevalent styles of granite countertops. However, oak cabinets are currently in the middle of making a comeback.
Although grays are not too trendy for the conventional or traditional kitchen designs, they still offer unique features, and they hold their own space when it comes to the contemporary kitchen world.
Though two-toned cabinets may not seem like an obvious choice, they're actually super popular with kitchen designers. This is because using different colors, finishes, or materials can help break up different sections visually.
Go with Light Colors
Light colors are more reflective than dark colors and they will make your kitchen appear bigger as well as more open and airy. Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.
Keep It Natural. When it comes to styling, Wayne says the go-to accessories in 2021 are all about natural elements. Stick to earthy tones, terracotta vases, marble coffee tables, wicker baskets and wooden furniture pieces.
Detailed Patterns, Warped or Damaged Cabinets
If your cabinets have detailed patterns or they are warped, chipped, cracked or have other damage to them, then painting your kitchen cabinets is not the way to go – it most definitely won't solve your cabinet problem.
Honey would be closest to the natural wood color. The Golden has a yellowish/orange tint but still close to the natural wood color and Red oak is much darker and a brownish red.
Going into 2022, wood-stained kitchen cabinets will still be popular in more traditional kitchens. but people are becoming bolder when adding pops of color to their kitchens. Cool-toned cabinets are dominating the trends this year and white, gray, two-toned, blue, and even green cabinets are on the rise.