Personality Is Back in the Kitchen, And These 3 Trending Styles Prove It

Naturally, Joanna Gaines’ farmhouse style mushroomed kitchen design for a reason. It not only mixed rustic wood with new materials—think quartzite and ceramic subway tile—but it felt inconspicuous enough to endure over time. However, as the HGTV star became a household name, so did the style she helped coin, becoming so ubiquitous that it started to feel stale. 

Around that time, we were introduced to the cottagecore trend: A cross between shabby chic and your favorite childhood fairy tale. It was an English cottage aesthetic that boasted everything from embroidered linens to antique frogs and floral teapots—all of which offered us an escape into pastoral-perfect living as we withered away in quarantine. In 2022, however, cottagecore’s kitsch seemed to lose its charm. What felt sentimental and nostalgic during lockdown became juvenile and tacky in the real world. So then, with the emergence of quiet luxury in 2023, the English cottage got a high-end makeover, paving the way for a more sophisticated take: English country kitchens. Instead of quaint ruffled valences and cluttered farmhouse tables, the look was elevated with timeless floral wallpaper, sprawling butcher block islands and glittering crystal chandeliers. 

Still, while English country kitchens have been around for centuries, this year’s rendition takes a more contemporary approach to age-old European design. Think: traditional details like ornate ceiling moldings and herringbone hardwood floors with upgraded materials like copper and zellige. Basically, it keeps the silhouettes clean-lined and classic and updates everything with finishes that make it feel current. It has the same, classic-yet-cozy draw as farmhouse but the design toes the line between royal Bridgerton and posh Victoria Beckham townhouse. 

A more recent trend that you’ve no doubt seen all over TikTok is Mob Wife. The Sopranos-inspired aesthetic has mainly been covered in fashion, but as with all things in design, it’s also making its way into the kitchen. Specifically, in bringing back the early 2000s Tuscan style—which was huge with Boomers of a certain suburban ilk—and giving it a modern Mediterranean makeover. 

A classically Tuscan kitchen has three elements that bring the look together: 1) brick, 2) dark wood and 3) granite. The color palette involves lots of brown and terracotta tones with honeyed/copper accents—mostly to replicate the sunshine and soil in Tuscan wineries. So now, we’re seeing a coastal version of Tuscan with an emphasis on the lighter, more airy Mediterranean Sea (as opposed to the deep and vibrant colors of the rolling hills). Instead of brick backsplashes and granite countertops, modern Med uses limestone on the walls and classic Calcutta marble or travertine on the surfaces. This makes it feel current without sacrificing rustic charm, perfectly in line with the updated farmhouse theme we’re seeing in interiors right now. 

Then of course, it wouldn’t be Mediterranean style if there weren’t a few coastal undertones. This is probably the main difference between Tuscan; modern Med features brass undertones instead of terracotta, camel instead of burnt orange and taupe, or ecru instead of ocher. What’s more, if there’s one architectural detail that ties everything together here, it’s light oak wood. From beams to cabinets to arched doorways, a light wooden hue instantly gives this kitchen a warm and lived-in feel. It’s modern meets traditional without being too sleek—we predict it’ll be the new boho kitchen by 2025.

Finally, quiet luxury was around long before TikTok—and it’ll still be around after the app is replaced by something techier. Yet, while luxury is always something you want from a contemporary kitchen, ‘quiet’ seems to be taking a backseat. Instead of sleek range hoods and boring white marble—aka staples of minimalist kitchens we’ve seen all over Instagram—this year’s designers seem to be playing around with high-end materials. 

Despite its inflated title, loud luxury has nothing to do with boorish color or pattern. It favors materials in similar, understated tones with contrasting textures that add depth and drama. This is mainly showing up with dramatic marble veining and dark wood finishes. The sophistication comes from the foundation of the kitchen itself, where islands, cabinets and appliances act as statement pieces on their own (though many have some gorgeous lighting overhead that can double as artwork). As for fabrics, there are a few tried-and-true textures that make an impact without sacrificing a curated feel: Linen, leather, tweed, velvet and shearling. While linen and leather offer more of an organic modern vibe, tonal tweed and rich velvet can skew midcentury modern. Not to mention that adding a pop of shearling to a dark leather chair is a one-way ticket to nailing an Aspen ski chalet aesthetic.

It’s worth mentioning that the first micro-trend to usher this movement in was fluted details, which are so subtle, that you could almost miss them. It’s a ribbed, accordion-like texture that’s achieved through rows of vertical grooves—and we’ve seen them popping up everywhere from cabinets to islands to backsplashes. Not only is it a perfect example of how loud luxury draws the eye without overpowering a space, but it also speaks to the custom, bespoke feel that makes the trend unique and personal. 

From deeply veined marbles to whimsical florals and Mediterranean blues, one thing’s clear: There’s nothing bland about these spaces. They’re not only designed to enrich and inspire you, but they’re also there to make prepping a three-course meal exciting. At the end of the day, they bring the most important design factor to the table: you