These 8 outdated kitchen trends are making a comeback in 2025 – here’s how designers are giving them an up-to-date look

If you’re planning on updating or remodeling your space this year, there are a few outdated kitchen trends making a comeback, and they’re worth noting as you revive your existing scheme.

Don’t worry, these kitchen trends aren’t returning as exact replicas of decades past – rather old trends are being given a facelift to honor their roots, but with a few up-to-date revisions. So, if you want to make sure you nail these revived looks, make sure you get the designer's seal of approval first.

And to do that, you’ll need to know exactly which outdated kitchen trends are making a comeback, and how they are being updated for 2025. Here’s everything you need to know, according to designers.

8 dated kitchen trends making a comeback in 2025

As the heart of the home, your kitchen is an important space to get right. But what does nailing kitchen design look like in 2025? With design trends hailing from the past becoming the go-to again, here's how designers say you should incorporate these time-forgotten designs into your kitchen – and evolve them for 2025.

1. Flat panel kitchen cabinets

Paneled kitchen cabinet ideas have reigned supreme in recent years – for example, traditional shaker kitchens and the recently trending micro-shaker kitchens. But this year, we‘re seeing the revival of a more contemporary design.

‘Flat panel cabinets are set to take center stage in 2025, making a stylish comeback as a refined yet versatile design choice. With their sleek, unadorned surfaces, flat panels exude understated elegance, perfectly balancing a mid-century modern aesthetic with the demands of today’s kitchens,’ says Vyanca Soto, of Market Studio Interiors.

‘This style offers a fresh alternative, seamlessly adapting to both contemporary and transitional spaces depending on the finishes and materials used. Flat panels provide a clean, streamlined aesthetic that feels timeless while breaking away from the overly familiar look of shaker cabinetry.’

2. Pot racks and hangers

There are a few kitchen design features that were staples in the past – we’re talking traditional, period features. And while they may have fallen out of favor recently, there’s one feature making a strong return: the pot hanger.

A stylish storage solution for small kitchens and an endlessly timeless way to create a decorative moment with kitchenware, pot racks are becoming increasingly popular. And in 2025, expect to see more of them in kitchens of varying styles.

Pot racks are incredibly versatile. They can be hung from the ceiling (this is one of the most traditional methods) or they can be attached to the wall – most popularly above a range cooker or cooktop. Try to keep cohesion with the rest of your scheme by matching your pot hanger to the cabinet hardware used throughout your kitchen,

3. Dark wood kitchens

You may have noticed that wood kitchens have been making a strong comeback as we head into 2025, and it’s a style that’s here to stick around. But dark wood in particular, which has been considered outdated for quite some time, is reclaiming its place in kitchen design.

‘Dark woods are now really popular for kitchen cupboards and furniture, whether it is a vintage pantry or a brand-new prep table,’ says Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL Kitchens.

‘Dark rich woods and simple white walls are the classic look. Imagine dark shiny wooden floors, simple white walls, a sparkling chandelier, and a deVOL prep table or island in richly stained wood right in the middle of the room.'

4. Tiled kitchen backsplashes

Recent trends have favored simple kitchen backsplashes, such as one large piece of stone, as it’s easier to clean and maintain while offering a seamless, unfussy look. However, in 2025, expect the tiled backsplash to be back in full force.

This style allows you to be more experimental and playful with your backsplash design. Keep things simple and sophisticated with a full white zellige tile design, or create something bolder with striped and checkerboard patterns.

It’s all about designing a backsplash that showcases your design style – creating a space you love ensures you will never tire of your scheme.

5. Red kitchens

Following recent color trends, we are seeing homeowners and designers alike embracing various shades of red in every room, but there are a few hues in particular that are proving favorable in the kitchen.

‘Dark colors have been around for quite a while now. The dark blues and greys of a few years ago, however, have been overtaken by warmer reds, deep clarets, and black,’ says Helen.

Not only are these hues quite traditional, but different shades create a different atmosphere. Most noticeably, burgundy, wine red, and oxblood have been rising in popularity for a while now, but cherry red is set to be a huge color trend for the year ahead, and a perfect shade to introduce to a kitchen.

6. High-gloss finishes

The 'dated' high gloss kitchen is also being reimagined for 2025. Futuristic, space-age, glossy kitchens first gained popularity back in the '70s, with a small resurgence in the 2010s, before we all fell for the matte cabinet styles that are so popular today. But, according to Joa Studholme, color curator at Farrow & Ball, we're all going to be lusting after a lustrous shine next year.

If you're not feeling particularly sold on the idea of an all-out gloss kitchen, the way to strike a balance with this trend is a combination of finishes, according to Joa's expertise. 'The use of high gloss on cabinetry has really come to the fore, being used for statement schemes to highlight accent pieces. Balancing ultra-matt with full gloss is a gorgeous, albeit unexpected, way to give spaces a modern, polished feel.'

'While a Dead Flat® finish accentuates the architectural detail without overwhelming your chosen color scheme, using a combination of finishes like this bounces light around and makes the space feel more interesting, transforming the ordinary into extraordinary,' she continues. 'An island in a high-shine finish creates a beautiful but subtle contrast to flat walls, in a way that is practical as well as glamorous. The result is truly unique.'

7. Bring back internal glazing

Just when you thought a trend was way past its peak, the circle of trends brings it right back around again. And none seems quite as retro as the return to period-style internal glazing.

Where recently this trend has leaned more towards sleek industrial style, the look has since evolved and softened to focus on wood, with bonus points added if it's reclaimed or antique.

'Particularly popular in long, narrow homes where the designer or homeowner is trying to flood some light into the gloomier corners of the home, it seems only natural to borrow light by providing an internal window or door for it to flow through,' advises H&G’s head of interiors, Hebe Hatton.

For Helen, a pantry shouldn't be hidden away behind big solid doors. 'The most essential ingredients for a kitchen are a pantry and a kitchen table, they will never date and will always be the very center of your kitchen,' says Helen.

By replacing your pantry or larder doors with glass fronts, you're not only lending a sense of airiness to a tight space but affording your kitchen with more display opportunities.

8. The new way to style all-white

Undoubtedly, colorful kitchens have been a big trend in recent years, as homeowners shy away from the clinical look towards something more inviting. However, according to designer and founder of DATE Interiors, Molly Torres Portnof, the all-white kitchen is back on top.

While it might not bring the same impact as a brightly-hued kitchen does, a white kitchen is a timeless choice. 'Though colored kitchen cabinetry had a big moment the past few years, there's something perennially chic and classic about white kitchen cabinetry,' says Molly. 'I love using warm shades of white, like Benjamin Moore White Dove to make a kitchen feel inviting and interesting,' she advises.

To dispel any notions of a show home, the way to style an all-white kitchen in 2025 is to focus on details. Try a statement checkerboard floor, patterned or naturally textured tiles for the backsplash like a zellige, and don't forget to inject color with your countertops.

Lighting, accessories, and even your appliances will also play a key role here in ensuring your white cabinetry plays a background role in the overall aesthetic.

Feeling inspired to get creative with your kitchen decor and experiment with these dated trends making a comeback in the coming year? From dark wood schemes to the new colors du jour, let this be your guide to what's coming around again in 2025, and how to ensure you get it right this time around.