Fully open floor plans are losing ground to kitchens with defined zones, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s 2027 Kitchen Trends Report. The survey of 830 designers, manufacturers, remodelers, architects and other industry professionals in the U.S. and Canada identifies ten top kitchen design trends, including emerging, enduring and fading styles. It also covers product categories from islands and cabinetry to countertops and appliances.
Expanded pantries, cabinetry and back kitchens are helping create more organized spaces, NKBA says. Flexible transitions between open and enclosed areas let kitchens adapt as household needs change.
Attached mudrooms top the list of functional features professionals expect to be most popular over the next three years, at 94%. Flexible spaces for home offices and kids’ study areas follow at 49%, and secure areas to leave deliveries at 37%. Among lifestyle features, 90% cited dedicated beverage areas, and pet feeding stations (64%) and eat-in kitchens (63%) were also among the most cited.
As more homeowners choose to renovate rather than move, NKBA says, lasting quality is taking priority over short-lived trends. Bill Darcy, NKBA’s global president and CEO, said homeowners are reimagining what their kitchens can do to make everyday life easier, healthier and more enjoyable.
