These are outdated kitchen cabinet trends to avoid, according to interior designers

Choosing your cabinetry is one of the biggest decisions during the design process. Taking up the most space in your kitchen, the style and finish will have a rather large impact on your scheme's overall look and feel – and there are a few outdated kitchen cabinet trends you'll want to avoid.

There are so many kitchen cabinet ideas to consider, but it's key to go for something with an err of timelessness. While some designs might feel on trend and of the moment, they will likely fall out of favor and leave you with a kitchen that no longer reflects your style.

To help you make the right decision – or avoid the wrong one at least – we've turned to interior designers and kitchen experts to find out which outdated kitchen cabinet trends they say you should avoid, and what to introduce to your scheme instead.

11 outdated kitchen cabinet trends to avoid

Your kitchen cabinets are one of the most difficult features to replace, so make sure you choose something that will endure trends for years to come. And remember, you can add unique style with accessories and decor that are a less permanent addition to your space.

1. Cabinets with central panels

While paneling is a timeless edition on any room, there are some styles that can feel outdated. And when it comes to kitchen cabinets, a central panel is a design that feels decidedly out of fashion.

'I think anything with a raised panel in the middle tends to give off a more dated feel,' says Cathleen Gruver, founder and lead interior designer at Gruver Cooley Interiors.

'If you want to update your cabinet without spending a ton of money, you could paint your cabinets with something a little more contemporary to balance it out and opt for more transitional or simple hardware,' she says.

However, replacing your doors might be a better decision long term. 'If you want to fully replace your door fronts, it is important to factor in your home's overall style and select something that would complement it,' says Cathleen. If you like the paneled look, opt for classic Shaker cabinets like this kitchen – you can be sure they won't date.

2. One-tone kitchen cabinets

Introducing one consistent color across all of your cabinetry might seem like the perfect way to create a cohesive scheme, one-tone kitchens can feel flat and uninteresting.

And, as this year's kitchen trends continue to champion personality-filled designs, it's time to choose something a bit more visually appealing. Instead, consider opting for two-tone kitchen cabinets to add depth to your scheme.

There are plenty of ways to do this – it could be different shades of the same color of the upper and lower cabinets, a mix of painted and wood cabinetry, or unexpectedly introducing a mismatch of hues.

3. Fully fitted kitchen cabinets

As arguably the most used room in your home, you want it to feel comfortable and be versatile for the many functions and countless hours it demands.

'Super stark and sterile kitchens have fortunately become a thing of the past with people favoring a welcoming room to feel at home and enjoy time with friends and family,' says Merlin Wright, design director at Plain English, of today's kitchens. 'Preparing and sharing food is a tactile, emotional, and enjoyable part of the day, we want to enjoy being in our kitchens.'

This mind-shift in the way we want our kitchens to perform means that we're leaning towards more 'furniture' feeling kitchen cabinets and standalone pieces that afford us the versatility and homeliness we're craving.

'Adding a freestanding piece of furniture or two gives options for change as a family grows or indeed shrinks, he explains. 'Adaptability is good. A larder cupboard or dresser gives useful storage as well as being pieces that can be swopped around or replaced without great cost or effort. Choosing simple classic designs that are not ‘of the moment’ and which you are genuinely connected to reduces the risk of cupboard dating,' advises Merlin.

4. Honey and orange wood tones

Wood kitchen cabinet ideas have been a popular choice since 1990s interior design trends took over our homes. At the time, the trend leaned towards honeyed or orange oak that felt super warm and imposing, particularly when styled alongside magnolia walls.

'Trends come and go, but thankfully, this one hasn’t had a resurgence yet and that is orange oak cupboards,' says Richard Davonport, managing director at Davonport Kitchens. 'While there is a traditional appeal and the color naturally brings warmth to a kitchen, the shade just feels outdated. This style of cabinetry also makes life harder to match and accessorize as you are limited as to what will go with it.'

The new way to go is pared-back, paler oak cabinet kitchen ideas, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, look to the dark side. Think walnut, cherry, or mahogany dark wood finishes. 'If you are renovating your kitchen, choose natural oak, or if your budget is tight, look to paint your orangery oak cabinets to remove this outdated look,' advises Richard.

5. Ultra-modern kitchens

Ultra-modern kitchens, once popular in the early noughties, have had their time, according to kitchen designers. The old cliché of ‘hub of the home’ is truer than ever – all life happens here, so taking the time to craft a kitchen that exudes character should be at the forefront of design. But that doesn't mean you need to skip all the mod-cons of a contemporary kitchen.

'It’s a fact of life that we all want to feel special rather than one of many – and that applies to the way we approach our kitchen remodel projects,' says Charu Gandhi, director of Elicyon, on getting the tailored look. 'We want to give our clients something tailored, in every detail, to their requirements.'

This often means doing away with the ultra-modern look once favored by quick flippers. Kitchens, these days, are now warmer and more welcoming than ever, as demonstrated above. The best kitchen designers agree that the stark, modern look is over.

Designer Hubert Zandberg also loves to pack personality into his designs. 'Consider also what will bring true enjoyment in the space. I believe that comes from the color, texture, and aesthetic of the room – and from a sense of soul. It is important that a kitchen reminds you of a happy childhood memory or has a certain energy, even if it is subconscious.'

6. Handleless doors

All those sleek minimalist doors with push-touch or electric-powered openings that were super trendy in the 90s are just not practical. ‘As well as opening when you lean on them, they also get marked really easily with greasy fingers when cooking,’ agrees Lucy Sear-Barlow, founder, of Barlow & Barlow.

If you love the slick, streamlined look of a flat cabinet door, it’s far better to go with discreet recessed handles, often hidden in a shadow line at the top, which provide a decent ledge to grip onto without ruining your minimalist buzz.

‘We loved using hardware to elevate pieces of furniture, especially kitchen cabinets which can be as aesthetic as they are practical. Not only are handles easier to grip, especially on integrated dishwashers and fridges, but they also add extra design flair to the space,’ adds Lucy. ‘Play around with color, styles, and materials to really make your kitchen sing!’

7. Matte black hardware

As well as handleless cabinet doors, designers are also doing away with matte black hardware. The reason? They just do not last, and you will find yourself replacing them in no time.

The truth is that matte black hardware has a limited lifespan, and the cons certainly outweigh the pros when it comes to this kitchen cabinet hardware idea. Not only can this unfashionable trend be overpowering, but no matter how the hardware has been finished, whether oxidized or powder coated, the black color will fade over time if not properly maintained.

For an enduringly stylish and contemporary look, go for solid metal, as Connecticut-based interior designer Becca Galbraith has done in this Shaker kitchen above. Brass, bronze, and stainless all sleek and stylish, giving your kitchen cabinets a long-lasting, classic appeal. The durability of metal means that your hardware is bound to last as long as your kitchen itself.

'Modern gadgets and hardware work when the finish is considered, a boiling water tap in classic design in unlacquered brass is a discreet addition,' adds Merlin Wright. 'Same with handles and knobs, a classic design in a finish that will patina well is a good investment.'

8. Gray kitchens

It wasn’t so many years ago that gray was enthusiastically embraced as the ‘new neutral’, a more sophisticated alternative to white or magnolia. Nobody is denying that gray is a flexible, timeless choice for kitchen cabinets.

The issue is that, unless you know what you’re doing, all-gray cabinets are just so cold and uninviting, especially if your kitchen is North-facing. Battleship grays are the worst offenders but, to be honest, we’re so over any shade of gray with cold blue undertones.

So, now that white and gray are officially out of style, what color is replacing gray? deVOL’s creative director Helen Parker looks to Greige – which is a mix of brown/beige and gray – as a much more soulful choice that feels more in tune with current fashions.

‘A soft, minky brown-grey is a wonderfully chic color to pick for kitchen cupboards. It feels less harsh than regular gray and works well in both contemporary or more period interiors as it is so easy to combine with rich dark reds and greens or more muted pinks and browns,’ explains Helen.

Another great option is to embrace more buttery tones with the beige trend.

9. Too many open shelves

For too long open shelving has been 'in', and wall cabinets are most definitely 'out'. But is it a good idea to not have kitchen wall cupboards? The answer lies in implementing a mix of both.

If you ever fell for the open shelving hype and swapped all your wall cabinets for endless stretches of shelving you probably won’t be sorry to hear that the downsides of open shelving are pushing the #shelfie craze into style Siberia. The dusting alone makes you wonder how the trend lasted longer than a week.

We’re not denying open shelving can look amazing, nor suggesting you should swerve it altogether, we’ve just noted that there’s a new (or is that old?) move to tread more cautiously and, in the process, enjoy a more practical kitchen. Leading the vanguard is the trend for countertop cabinets, which utilize that often-wasted gap between worktops and wall cabinets to provide maximum storage space for your buck.

With more ‘closed’ storage for less attractive essentials, shelving can be reserved for display purposes only. Cortney Bishop Design says: ‘We left space on either side of the range hood for shelves, to help break up the cabinetry and keep things feeling light but it’s floor-to-ceiling cabinets that make a kitchen sleek, modern, and, above all, functional,’ she recalls. ‘Sticking to just two shelves provides sufficient space to display a sculpture and pottery piece.'

10. Trending paint colors

Keeping up with the latest Color of the Year forecasts is well and good when you’re buying a new sweater, but not on kitchen cabinets. In kitchen design, it rarely pays to take your color lead from the fashion catwalks.

‘Colors are a key aspect of choosing new kitchen cabinets; it is about finding a color that you can live with daily, but not get bored of in the near future,’ says Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore. ‘Think carefully about the color scheme of the rest of your home, and whether the proposed color fits your style.’

Some of the latest COTYs are absolutely liveable – but others are clearly more about making headlines, and will most likely only result in headaches when you eventually admit defeat and repaint your cabinets.

If you are hellbent on following a current paint trend, Richard Moore recommends baby steps. ‘Try starting with using the color as a feature wall in the kitchen, or even inside the cabinets, to see if it is something you could embrace long-term on the main cabinetry.’

11. Overcomplicated storage systems

While it’s true that there’s no such thing as ‘too much kitchen storage’, there’s definitely a case for sacking off overcomplicated storage systems that make hard work out of stashing your essentials. Especially the ones that cost more than gold.

The trend for whizzy electric lifts, drawers within drawers, and specialist inserts that only fit specific utensils has gotten out of hand. The rebirth of the humble pantry can be seen as a direct response to this shift in storage demands, with keen cooks celebrating the humble authenticity of gathering ingredients in one glance and seeking out analog solutions that won’t break the bank.

Rather than loading up your kitchen cabinets with every last storage trickery known to mankind, keep things simple and focus on solutions with real value. Roundhouse designer Ben Hawkswell points to the delightful timber peg board as an elemental example, which stops drawer contents sliding and smashing together using wooden pegs slotted into a holey baseboard.

‘The timber peg board is a classic integrated storage solution that never gets old,’ he says. ‘We love them for their flexibility. Whilst most typically found holding a crockery arrangement, this simple style of divider doesn't necessarily pin the user to any specific use or sizing and can be re-positioned and changed over the years as needs adapt.’

FAQs

What kitchen cabinets are going out of style?

There are lots of outdated kitchen features that put home buyers off, but when you’re talking specifically about cabinets, it’s usually the material or finish of the kitchen doors. Ultimately it's your home, so whatever you decide, as long as it speaks to you it will never feel out of style. It's always good to remember that trends come and go.

Dark wood kitchens were once considered seriously out of style, particularly those made from hardwoods that are difficult to grow sustainably like rosewood or mahogany – and buying responsibly isn’t going out of fashion any time soon. But in fact, unpainted kitchen cabinet ideas are proving popular this year.

There’s been a big surge in the gloss kitchen trend recently, which came as a surprise to many. Not least because they are prone to chipping and show fingerprints like nothing else! This is why it always works out to stick to something traditional and well-made that can be uplifted with simple paint or new handles to remain timeless.

'The beauty of hand-painted kitchen cupboards is they can easily have a color change,' says Merlin Wright of Plain English. 'This invites the option to add a flourish of burnt orange or deep plum to a cupboard interior knowing it can be changed with a tin of paint and a brush when you’ve had enough.'

What do kitchens look like in 2024?

Kitchen trends tend to reflect wider interior, fashion and even political and economic trends (no really) so it’s no surprise design experts are predicting kitchens in the future are likely to be less about showing off and more about creating safe sanctuaries in which to hunker away from economic unrest. We’re talking cozy, welcoming spaces with layers of depth and interest – less perfect, more lived-in, relaxing and personal.

The rise of the back kitchen has been clear this year. ‘The return of back kitchens can perhaps be attributed to a cultural shift towards more home cooking and entertaining,’ says Molly Chandler, Designer at Willis & Stone.

‘Typically located adjacent to the main kitchen, they provide a convenient extra space for meal prep and storage of larger kitchen essentials such as food mixers, jam pans and larger serving dishes which are perhaps only used on special occasions.’

Take it from experts – avoiding these outdated kitchen cabinet trends will ensure you're kitchen has timeless appeal and, most importantly, you will love your space for years, not just while the cabinets are the trend of the moment.