Real Simple recently reported on the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association’s (NKBA) 2026 Kitchen Trends Report, which predicts the most popular kitchen styles for the next three years.
Real Simple notes that interior design moves more slowly than fashion design, but “design choices are shifting… gradually.”
In the survey NKBA conducted, “mainstream aesthetics, like farmhouse, cottage, and Mediterranean” ranked lower on the list, “indicating their fading popularity.” Here’s what else contractors, builders, remodelers, and interior designers need to know.
Transitional Design
This style is a blend of traditional and modern design aesthetics—and NKBA says it will remain the most popular kitchen style. In the survey, 72% of respondents voted for it, with contemporary/modern minimalism coming in second at 60%.
Neutral Colored Kitchens Dominate
Have you heard that “color is in?” Not so fast. NKBA says neutrals, like browns, grays, black, and white, still dominate kitchen palettes. An astounding 96% of those surveyed predict these neutrals will be the top color choice. However, green (86%) and blue (78%) rank highest among homeowners redesigning their kitchens.
Homeowners will use color in their backsplashes, wallpaper, kitchen islands, and decorative accessories.
White Oak Cabinetry is Still #1
Real Simple notes that white oak will retain its “firm grip on kitchen design with half of the respondents predicting it will be the top cabinet material for the next three years.” But there’s a “subtle shift towards darker colors.” Walnut ranked second on the list of popular wood types at 28%.
Top choice for cabinet style? “Modern European doors (or flat panel slabs)” are the first choice, followed by classic Shaker cabinets. Also, look for floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and panel-ready appliances that match cabinet faces.
Quartz and Quartzite Are Tops for Countertops
Most people surveyed picked quartz as their first choice for countertops. Quartzite, what Real Simple calls “the real stuff,” came in second. Granite was only cited by 43% of those surveyed.
Lighter-colored countertops, in matte or honed finishes (not polished), with darker-colored cabinets, are what’s trending.
Tiles Backsplashes Top Demand
Most (70%) surveyed say ceramic and porcelain tiles are the top choice for kitchen backsplashes, followed by quartz and quartzite, at 64% and 61%, respectively.
A seamless look, with the backsplash a continuation of the countertop material, is entering the mainstream.
Engineered Wood Flooring Continues to Trend
Wood was the top choice for kitchen flooring, specifically large-format and plank styles, with minimal grout lines for easy maintenance. And engineered wood (78%) will be more popular than traditional hardwood (59%). Warm, neutral, lighter wood tones are the top color preferences.
Lifestyle Enhancements: A Growing Part of Kitchen Designs
The NKBA report says homeowners are adding “lifestyle enhancements” to their kitchen spaces. The most-wanted additions include beverage areas, such as a coffee station.
Other lifestyle enhancements in demand include attached mudrooms, pet feeding stations, eat-in kitchens, and home offices or study spaces.
The advantage of this report is that it covers long-term trends, so your recommendations to clients won’t age out.
Rieva Lesonsky is Presdent of Small Business Currents, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. You can find her on Twitter @Rieva, Bluesky @Rieva.bsky.social, and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.
Photo courtesy Daiga Ellaby for Unsplash+
