Designer and Color Expert Talks On-Trend Hues for the Kitchen 2024

January 3, 2024  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Here are eight hues you can expect to see more of this year.

Green is the new gray. More people will gravitate toward green in 2024. Putzier is enthusiastic about green for 2024, as she continues to see the hue "everywhere."

"Muted sage, emerald, all kinds of greens are surging in popularity," the expert said. Though its freshness and ability to bring the feeling of the outdoors inside are factors in favorability, Putzier also believes that "people are just tired of gray right now."

Copper is having a resurgence, and it packs a powerful punch. As people add more color and interest to the kitchen, copper is making a comeback. According to Putzier, the trendy finish on cabinet hardware, sinks, range hoods, and appliance knobs is becoming more common especially when paired with black or natural wood.

"Everything was all just brass for a while, but we're reaching out beyond brass for something new," Putzier told BI. "People weren't ready to go back to nickel, so copper is the next big thing." The color expert hopes copper will stick around in sinks and hardware as the metal has "been in the world for thousands of years."

Bold blues remain on trend and will also be seen on cabinets and backsplashes. Blues, especially royal and navy, are still very much on trend as they pair well with cool- and warm-toned colors.

According to the expert, most people will incorporate blue through islands and backsplashes and some people will paint their cabinets "more of a navy." However, she doesn't see blue trending as a wall color in the kitchen because "historically, blue is not the color you want around food."

Black is officially back. Black details, cabinets, and even walls are expected to gain more traction. Black is coming back to the kitchen through appliances, backsplash tile, cabinetry, and even wall colors. Putzier attributes part of the renewed interest in black to people "just getting tired of the rustic feel that's been everywhere."

Black offers a change of pace that she says is more elegant and "adds some contrast after everything being white and gray for so long." Though Putzier has mainly noticed straight black on kitchen cabinetry and walls, she wouldn't be surprised to see more tone-on-tone and textured versions of the hue within the next year or two.

Red accents in the kitchen will be more common and add drama to the space. The right shade of red can make a powerful statement when used judiciously. Putzier mainly sees the "practically forbidden" color coming back through accessories, small appliances, and wall colors. She also predicts that red will return "richer" in deeper hues like burgundy. Such shades of red can add flair to the kitchen, especially when used in moderation.

Wooden tones can be easily decorated around. Lighter wood tones are becoming more common as they're "visually less intrusive and feel easy and natural."

"It's still light and bright, but not enclosing the space visually like a darker wood," Putzier told Business Insider. Generally, she sees a trend away from oak and toward maple, as the slightly reddish tone is having a moment.

"We are seeing maple that's natural, or with a close-to-natural color stain, where they're letting the wood shine," she said. But people in parts of the country where oak is still in demand are expected to go with "white oak where you can see the texture."

Darker-toned stone takes center stage. The stone looks natural but adds depth to the kitchen. Putzier is seeing a trend toward natural stone in darker colors. More people are gravitating toward the warmer, deeper tones in granite, soapstone, and natural quartz to get the visual texture of real stone.

As white tones fade away, the darker neutrals will serve as a "replacement." Be ready to see an updated version of beige. The hue you'll see won't be your grandmother's beige. Beige is back, but according to Putzier, it's a far cry from the bland dark tans of the late '90s and early 2000s.

The newest incarnation of beige will likely be softer and lighter. "What's hot right now is the lighter beige tones that coordinate with warm, natural wood," she said.

Those are Putzier’s picks for colors in the kitchen for 2024. There really is something for everyone in the palette she has offered. As we step into 2024, we shall see what emerges as the trendsetters.

Photo: Blues will be seen on cabinets and backsplashes. Joe Hendrickson/Getty Images