Our Interior Design Expert Says These Once-Trendy Cabinet Colors Will Be A Thing Of The Past In 2024

When you're in the process of building, selecting, or remodeling a house, emotions tend to run high. As a result, it can become difficult to pause and consider how influenced your decisions are by current trends or how those trends may shift in the future. Since interior design trends evolve a little slower than those in the worlds of fashion or beauty, it's easy to forget that they won't always be considered stylish. House Digest spoke exclusively with Brad Smith, Interior Designer & CEO of Omni Home Ideas, about his predictions when it comes to trendy cabinet colors that will retire in 2024. According to Smith, three heavy hitters in the world of trendy cabinet colors will say their goodbyes: white, gray, and dark espresso.   

The kitchen does seem to be one major place inside the home where trends seem to catch up with homeowners; kitchen cabinet colors, in particular, have a way of revealing the era during which the kitchen was designed or last updated. If you've been wondering whether or not the color of your kitchen cabinets will remain trendy into 2024, you can now wonder no more. Fortunately, Smith also shared some tips on how to update the look of kitchens about to lose their trendy appeal.

Perhaps the most shocking prediction of all is Brad Smith's premonition that white cabinets will take a big step toward looking outdated. "The pristine, all-white kitchen cabinet look is shifting towards more natural tones and textures," Smith explains, "as homeowners seek warmth and character in their spaces." Monochromatic gray and dark espresso, Smith predicts, will also take a backseat in 2024.

"Monochromatic gray cabinets are giving way to more vibrant and dynamic color schemes," he exclusively insists to us, "while elegant, dark espresso cabinets are being replaced by lighter woods and painted finishes that brighten up the kitchen space." So, what should you do if your cabinet color is on the no-longer-trendy list? First, ask yourself whether or not you really care. "Trends are guides, not rules," Smith advises. "A kitchen should reflect the homeowner's personality and needs." If you care enough to do a little tweaking, the designer has you covered with practical ideas for simple updates. 

The first piece of advice Brad Smith exclusively offers for updating your cabinets without repainting or replacing them is to switch out their hardware. "Changing handles and knobs can dramatically alter the cabinet's appearance," he shares. Secondly, Smith recommends adding trendier colors through accents like a backsplash or a new set of small appliances to "create a fresh contrast."

The designer's final piece of guidance is to mix in some open shelving. "This breaks up the color monotony and adds a modern, airy feel," he spells out. In the end, what is most important is that your kitchen functions well and feels good to you. If being aware of design trends is part of that for you, embrace it, but don't feel pressured to take on an expensive renovation every few years to keep up. A tweak or two is likely all you need. "Sometimes," Smith explains, "a mix of trendy and timeless elements can create a uniquely personal and lasting design."