Kitchen cabinets are one of the biggest details in a scheme, so creating something beautiful with them is key to a successful design. Which is where kitchen cabinet trends come in – and for 2025, there's plenty to inspire.
While the ever-enduring kitchen cabinet ideas such as shaker-style are still very much a firm favorite, this year's kitchen trends are seeing cabinetry getting an upgrade. The best part? A lot of cabinet trends are all about enhancing these classic designs, rather than replacing them.
So, what are the biggest kitchen cabinet trends for 2025? From metallic accents to textural designs, we've selected the best the up-and-coming styles (all approved by the experts) to help you design an in-style scheme.
10 of the biggest kitchen cabinet trends for 2025
Looking to switch up the color of your kitchen, or perhaps you're bored of your plain cabinet doors? These kitchen cabinet trends range from small details to bold designs – you'll want to check them out before a kitchen remodel.
1. Wood kitchen cabinets
As homeowners and interior designers alike continue to embrace eclectic, vintage-spired design, it might come as little surprise that wooden kitchen cabinets are back in a big way in 2025.
'Mid-century cupboards are gaining popularity in the kitchen world, I think it’s the natural soft colors of wood and the nostalgic feel they radiate. People want their homes to feel calm and tranquil and the mid-century look offers this along with a less ostentatious feel and more of a recycled and authentic look,' says Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL.
'Wood has always been a popular choice for kitchens but not the orange pine of the eighties but more of an elegant and sleeker style and color that blends well in living and dining areas too, giving the kitchen and family rooms of the home a soft and comfortable air.'
Wood cabinetry works beautifully in traditional and more modern kitchens, making it a truly favorable choice. Plus, it pairs beautifully with almost any color and hardware finish, so you can design a scheme that reflects your style.
2. Layering colors, materials and textures
Colorful kitchens are nothing new, but in 2025, there will be a more layered approach to kitchen cabinet colors and textures. Rather than a simple painted cabinetry paired with painted walls, a more layered look is set to dominate.
'We love the trend for using more exciting colors and textures within a kitchen. Layering is the buzzword and this is achieved by using different contrasting colors and textures such as reeded panels and mixing materials. This really 'pops' a design to make a statement with kitchen design,' says Jayne Everett, creative designer at Naked Kitchens.
'The kitchen cabinetry and hardware are being considered far more as a deep dive into design to showcase personality, and bespoke kitchens certainly enable the client to embrace this.'
3. Metallic details
When you hear metallic details, you might immediately think of kitchen cabinet hardware. But 2025's kitchen cabinet trends are seeing metallics make a more unexpected appearance.
From full-on metallic cabinet doors to more subtle metal borders, edging, and inlays, it's a guaranteed way to add a fun-meets-sophisticated detail to plain cabinetry.
In this kitchen, simple wood cabinetry has been elevated with gold metallic inlays, creating visual interest and tying in a more classic finish with the black hardware.
4. Two-tone kitchen cabinets in timeless hues
Two-tone kitchen cabinets have been rising in popularity for a while now, and it's not stopping any time soon. This year, however, it's timeless, sophisticated color combinations that will reign supreme.
'Two-tone cabinets have gained popularity recently for the depth and contrast they can create. Try darker shades on your lower cabinets and lighter hues on the upper ones,' suggests Jessica Inglis, brand manager at Second Nature.
'Popular color combinations are navy or forest green, paired with cream, white or light grey,' she suggests, like in this kitchen where the lower cabinets have been painted dark green and the uppers a warm white hue.
5. Cabinets painted in deep red tones
Burgundy, wine red, and Bordeaux red are all shades dominating trends in both fashion and interiors – and in 2025, it's going to be a trending hue for your kitchen cabinets.
It might be a big color trend right now, but these deep, moody reds are truly timeless – they've been popular colors throughout history, so introducing them through your cabinetry is a fine way to create an enduring scheme.
Plus, it pairs with more colors than you might think. In this kitchen, burgundy cabinetry has been paired with yellow interior windows, creating a striking, uplifting kitchen scheme.
6. Free-standing-style cabinetry
Free-standing kitchens are a new-but-old way to create a more eclectic scheme that feels unique and personality-filled. But not every kitchen suits a completely free-standing design, so introducing details that give fitted cabinets the illusion of individual furniture is a great compromise.
Boston-based interior designer Nina Farmer is a firm advocate. ‘I love to play around with different materials in a kitchen to help break up the monotony of the cabinets,’ she enthuses.
‘Here, we used a larder from Plain English, painted in Bancha by Farrow & Ball, to give the appearance of a standalone piece of furniture. We flanked it with white oak cabinetry and paired it with an island featuring curved corners to give the illusion of more space. An important trick when designing a townhouse in the city.’
Equally, adding a cabinet or hutch in an unused corner is an affordable yet effective way to add the free-standing look without changing all of your kitchen cabinets.
The dark wood finish of this hutch is a timeless choice – we love the vintage-inspired silhouette.
This cabinet nails the free-standing, glass-fronted, and curved cabinetry trends. This option has handy wine storage, too.
For something smaller but with a balanced mixture of open and hidden storage, this cabinet is a stylish choice.
7. Cabinet curtains as doors
Whether you know them as sink skirts, cupboard curtains, or even a kitchen valance, there’s no denying the appeal of switching out solid doors for something a little more relaxed and frilly!
Not only can a dose of fabric add pattern and color, but this trend can also help with small kitchen ideas as you don’t have to consider the swing-out of doors when planning smooth traffic flow.
‘Adding a sink skirt to a kitchen is a great way to add a bit of whimsy and softness to an area of the house that can often feel practical or utilitarian,’ explains interior designer Kaitlin McQuaide.
‘Depending on the fabric and pleat style, it can work in nearly any style of kitchen. Just be mindful of the type of fabric you choose. Stick to high performance or washable, since you are in a kitchen after all.’
8. Curved cabinetry
If you still remember the classic Cathedral Arch door, usually in orange pine, it was probably in your gran’s house. While the fussy look isn’t coming back anytime soon, there are strong hints of a return to arch details on cabinet doors. This time they’re big, bold and, thankfully, not orange pine.
‘A wide arch is a fine way to elevate the aesthetics of beautiful cabinetry,’ enthuses Katie Glaister, founder of K&H Design, who designed this space in collaboration with Kate Feather Kitchen Design.
‘Scale and proportion are key, and it pays to commission a bespoke maker, like Kate Feather, to achieve the high levels of craftsmanship required for perfectly pitched curves,’ she adds. The arched detail in this kitchen is inlaid on regular rectangular doors to access the full storage within, which is essential when integrating appliances.
9. Glass-fronted display cabinets
If you’ve ever experienced the downsides of open shelving but still love the relaxed vibe it offers, then the new trend for fitting display cabinet style units in the heart of the kitchen could be for you.
Encased behind glass, but clearly visible, there’s a strong apothecary cupboard air to this trend, particularly when featuring vintage cabinets or simply designed units in natural pale oak. Here, Roundhouse’s Nightingale display cabinet forms a pivotal focal point in the center of this renovated barn.
‘Classic yet cool, glass-fronted kitchen cupboard storage can be used to display your most attractive everyday cookware and glassware, as well as more decorative vases and vessels. Rather than being a purely decorative dresser positioned to one side or within the dining area, there’s a clear trend towards positioning useful display units center-stage,’ says senior designer at Roundhouse, Paul Welburn.
‘As everything is protected by glass there’s far less dusting to deal with and it’s also easier to see what you need than regular enclosed wall cabinets.’
10. Decorative moldings
Arts and crafts decor is a celebration of artisanal details and crafted moments that’s coming to kitchen cabinets near you. Or at least, they will soon if Samantha Todhunter has anything to say about it. She recommends molding strips, which come in a huge array of designs from modern bobbins to traditional egg and dart, for adding crafted joy to kitchen cabinetry.
‘Decorative moldings are such a lovely finishing touch to add to even the simplest cabinetry, and I could spend hours combing through catalogs of beading profiles,’ she says.
Here, Samantha used a beautiful woven profile called Husk on standard Shaker doors. ‘It provides instant elevation and, when combined with deep black, the profiles take on a gravitas that belies the simplicity of the design intent,’ she explains.
FAQs
What cabinets are out of style?
As well as finding out what is in trend, it’s just as important to discover what cabinets are out of style. Naturally, the experts’ thoughts on what kitchen cabinet trends to avoid are subjective. If you think something is stylish then that’s what will ensure its longevity in your heart.
But if you are renovating with a mind to move at any point within the next decade, then keeping abreast of unfashionable cabinetry makes perfect financial sense. Usually, this will be colors and finishes, which can quickly date a kitchen. For example, it’s been a very long time since orange pine kitchens were readily available.
If you want to avoid unfashionable cabinets, stick to timeless designs like classic Shaker or a plain painted door and use accessories and accents to add personality and make that show-stopping impression.
What color is replacing gray on cabinets?
Gray is the ultimate crowd-pleasing neutral. Imbued with so much natural elegance, there’s a good reason gray cabinets have held their popularity for so long. With this in mind, you may not be surprised to discover that light gray kitchens are making a comeback. Yes, the color replacing gray…is gray!
However, if you want to ditch gray hues altogether, beige kitchen ideas are proving popular – this warm neutral adds a more inviting finish to your space – plus, it pairs with a vast selection of colors, inviting more unique designs.
2025 is all about balancing creating more characterful spaces in a refined, timeless manner. Color, texture, and unexpected details are at the forefront of kitchen cabinet trends, giving your cabinetry more gravitas within your scheme.
