Kitchens: what will be the next trend?

[LakieLady]

We're going to have a new kitchen next year and, as we hope to sell up and move within the next couple of years, want to put in something that will be attractive to buyers rather than what we would choose for ourselves.

I think we have reached peak grey, so that will look dated by the time we sell, and doubt my ability to keep a high gloss finish free of fingermarks, so prefer a painted finish.

What does the MN hive mind think will be the next kitchen trend?

Kitchen is 16' x 10', and not very light, as the garden is higher than the house, iyswim.

For your objectives and the plan to sell? Go for white and add what you like to inject colour. The one thing most buyers do first is replace the kitchen!

@daisypond oh great! I do like to be very current.

Plywood kitchens look shit.

A leather finish worktop? Is that a lot of work to look after, @Mosasaur?
No, in fact I picked it because it doesn’t show smears or dirt like a shiny worktop would. They also do a linen finish which is similar.

Matt black would show every single finger mark
That’s what handles are for. My cupboards look fine because we don’t touch the doors, we use the handles.

Maybe cork worktops, Mazda has just released a car with cork surfaces

I predict inlaid wood will make a comeback at some point for the luxury market.
Pale pink/pastels for the rest of us.
In the meantime we have just renovated our 20year old solid oak kitchen by having it painted pale sage green with dark wooden worktops. I couldn't have it ripped out as it was all measured for me and I couldn't improve on the design.

Just had our kitchen done. Colours (navy, green, purple) are very now. I chose white however.

For resale I would suggest a wood effect (but not real wood which costs more and is more likely to warp) from either John Lewis or DIYKITCHENS in white or cream.

For worktop perhaps a wood effect laminate? Practical and attractive and cheap.

No open shelves, attracts dust 🤢

Wall cupboards are good, the only people saying these will go out of fashion are designers. My friends are all having them out in, even the guys with giant houses. Having top boxes on top of the wall cupboard is also popular, wish I had done that.

When I'm buying a house, the last thing I want is anything too fashionable.

The thing that seems to show up on my social media lots are these very clinical white kitchens, or dark painted wooden shaker style kitchens. As a potential buyer I'd be concerned both would date quite quickly.

Either it needs to be dated enough that I can live with it short to medium term and replace with something to my tastes, or it needs to be suitably neutral that with a few cosmetic changes I can make it work.

I think dark pinky-brown cabinetry. Just because navy has been done, then dark green, and purple is too scary and red to 2000’s. There aren’t many dark colours left!

Plywood also (because wooden doors are so old fashioned that wood is due a comeback!).

But...All kitchens date. All of them, even “classic” ones look old fashioned after 15 years, regardless of how many “designers” tell you that it’s worth spending on because it’s “timeless”.

Choose something robust and don’t worry about fashion.

As a recent purchaser, I hated vendors who renovated their house back to neutral before putting it up for sale. It means they expect a purchaser to pay more for it, even though it'll cost us just as much to decorate it how we like it. Just leave it alone - it won't actually increase the value.

MountainMert
We also found that frustrating.
Why would I want to pay more just because someone else has recently decorated it to their tastes or the tastes they imagine a buyer might like?

Do what you like. You can’t second guess a buyer’s taste.

Put in something you like and that works for you.
We put ours in 25 + years ago and knew it was there for good.
Would I do anything different, worktop is possibly a bit dated and at times the handles.
Measure your largest groceries so that you can have shelves to accommodate.
Put in good lighting.