These Pros Say All-White Kitchens Are Out — Plus Other Home Trends They Predict

Home design trends are eternally changing, but it’s hard to deny that the impact of the ongoing pandemic has helped to shape the way people see their spaces like never before. Although 2022 and the years prior were marked by a desire for functional multi-use interiors, home gyms and activity-friendly spaces, and fully stocked home bars for all those Zoom happy hours, it seems 2023 is slated to bring big changes when it comes to personal expression within the home.

The pros at The Plan Collection dished on their forecast for design trends in the year ahead, and you might be surprised at some of the HGTV-approved features that seem to be on their way out. Spoiler alert: Instead of clean lines, the year ahead is all about curves, and the totally white kitchen might be seeing its final frontier… at least for now.

The pandemic is still influencing trends, albeit in a slightly different way, as Laurel Vernazza, home design expert with The Plan Collection, told Apartment Therapy in a statement. “It makes sense as people have gone from having to be home to wanting to be at home in an environment that expresses their personalities and individual tastes. Since no one could travel, homeowners had to bring those experiences into their homes.”

As for how that will translate heading into the new year, it seems that maximalism is in, which means homeowners will look to design features and accessories that stand out among the homes of their neighbors and loved ones.

The home gurus note that curves will counter the “straight-line syndrome” of recent years. They expect to see more arched openings, barrel-vault ceilings, and curvy furniture inside, with more arched windows and doors, arched openings and ceilings for porches or decks, and curved walkways outside.

Bringing nature indoors will still reign supreme as they predict homeowners will continue to embrace a “biophilic design” philosophy rather than simply mimicking lush earth tones found in the outdoors.

Those color trends also mean the end of the all-white kitchen as the pros anticipate painted or wood cabinets in warm, neutral hues. Surprisingly, the one exception seems to be that black accents will be trendy in the year ahead, noting that interior and exterior black window frames, black lacquered entryway doors, and black appliances — either shiny or matte — will start to pop up in homes everywhere.

Also in the kitchen, it seems countertops will feature alternative material choices (though they note that granite will remain popular), and mixing two countertop materials will become increasingly on trend, such as granite countertops and hardwood for the kitchen island.

A more maximalist vibe all around appears to be on the horizon, from two-tone inlays, patterns, or even different tones on hardwood floors to kitschy antiques and statement decor and furniture, particularly important as supply chain disruptions continue to cause delays among new inventory. Finding high-quality, already-loved items and materials will help infuse that uniqueness in any room of the home, with an added bonus of zero shipping delays.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: White Kitchens Are Out for 2022, According to These Home Pros