I Featured 100s of Kitchens Last Year — These 10 Were the Best, With Ideas I Can't Wait to Take Forward Into 2026
Last year, kitchen design took some bold swings. These are the kitchens that stuck with me, and are informing the big ideas of 2026, too
I think 2025 might have been one of the most exciting years in design, yet. I felt a shift, visually, in the types of projects that passed by my desk over the last 12 months, and possibly it's no surprise. Things have been changing in the world a lot, including the advent of new (sometimes scary) technology.
These changes have been possibly most noticeable in the kitchen, where trends often move a little more slowly, traditionally. Yet, the kitchen trends I've seen raise their head in 2025 have definitely been inspired by what's going on in the world. They're a search for originality, authenticity, and a yearning for more classic design styles — a reaction to the uber-modern, other-worldly 'AI' aesthetic that we've seen in years previous.
Of the 100s of kitchens that the Livingetc editorial team has featured across the year, I'd put a mental check note against these 10 as some of my favorites. They each bring something different to the design of these special spaces that's still worth talking about for kitchens in 2026.
This tour of a home in Toronto was one we featured at the start of 2025, yet it's a project that has stayed with me, specifically for its use of tiles throughout the house. In fact, the designers used some 19 tiles to bring the entire property to life. The light blue kitchen is undoubtedly my favorite space, though, for its use of these varying shades of blue, all within one space. It's a design that started me considering a move on from the color-drenching trend we'd seen in the past year, to something more nuanced and sophisticated.
There's something really special about this kitchen, designed by specialist designer Papilio for a home in North London, so much so that when I saw it, we had to feature it. The combination of marble and timber is nothing new, but in this setting, the designers created a space that not only felt luxurious, but honest and a celebration of natural materials. As well as an epic marble kitchen island and some burl wood doors, which both stand out as design details, the walk-in pantry quickly ascended to the top of my dream kitchen list.
Designed by Livingetc favorites YSG Studio, this Australian home has a lot of highlights, all reflective of the studio's creative signature style. However, it's the kitchen, with its intricately patterned, 'rug-inspired' design that makes the kitchen a particular standout. Pair this kitchen flooring with a bright blue natural stone sink and green-stained timber cabinetry, and you've got a rich and elegant space with plenty to look at.
It was the springtime when we took the tour of this small Parisian apartment designed by Batiik Studio, and its soft, pastel color palette felt so appropriate for the season. Having said that, this mature, elevated take on color feels like it has year-round appeal, bringing a more youthful energy than an entirely neutral scheme, while still feeling easy on the eyes. This is how you do neutrals without feeling like you're foregoing color and interest entirely, right now.
Inspired by the buzz of the nearby Pigalle's district of Paris, this kitchen designed by Atelier Ha has a grown-up, yet raucous energy. Striped kitchen counters were a surprising trend to emerge in 2025, but this island and backsplash makes a case for using tile to make a space feel personalized and more dynamic, while, realistically, not setting back your budget a whole lot. And those cabinets? Yes, glossy finishes are another idea to have had big appeal last year.
Color was a bit theme for 2025, but, of course, neutral kitchens are omnipresent, even if they're not always as attention-stealing. This kitchen, however, designed by KY Architecture, takes big swings with a neutral palette, from the oversized proportions to the curves and intriguing textures. But, of course, then there's that floor. Checkerboard flooring was less popular in 2025 for more interesting patterns that still capture the multi-color effect, and this basketweave style is a great example of the kind of idea replacing classic black and white.
This kitchen, featured back in September, proves that it's not just dark, rich colors that can feel expensive. Reminiscent of a Tiffany box, this minty blue-green gives the space an expected Art Deco feel, especially in combination with the elegant fluting, mirrored backsplash, and light herringbone parquet. The references aren't as obvious as some Art Deco kitchens, but goes to show how separate elements can be used to evoke a mood.
Okay, so this kitchen was only featured on Livingetc last week, and call it recency bias, but it's such a perfect example of the trend we're calling modern heritage. Yes, all the elements technically feel classic — dark wood kitchen cabinets, parquet floor, the marble, the paneling — yet this kitchen, by virtue of how the designer Aisling Wilson has wielded them, feels inherently modern and right for right now.
2025 was the year, in earnest, of the stainless steel kitchen. Yes, we've seen them around for a little while, but with cool-tone metallics setting the trends, it's been an escapable kitchen finish this year. When this kitchen, designed by All Design Studio with kitchen company Holte, landed in my inbox, I knew it was something special. The intriguing materiality, red-stained timber meets curvaceous stainless steel, was just the start of the wonders to uncover in this property.
In 2025, everyone was talking about 'butter yellow' as a color trend, and yes it made its way into design as kitchen cabinetry. What this seemingly bold kitchen, designed by studio Makers, actually almost reframed its pastel palette as neutrals. They're soft, muted versions of these shades, that bring a sense of fun alongside a sense of sophistication. And, at the end of the day, you're unlikely to see any other kitchen in 2025 (or possibly in 2026, too) with this same color scheme.
