10 Kitchen Cabinet Trends That Prove Timeless Design Doesn't Have to Be Boring (2024)

What was old is new again, and classic details are having a moment in 2023. Earlier this year, Pinterest identified the "Hipstoric Home" aesthetic as one of the hottest search terms of the year. "These searches are helping people combine vintage—often inherited—pieces with their modern styles," they said. Of course, we have always been fans of integrating antiques into design, so bringing that to the kitchen feels like a no-brainer. Built-in step-back cabinetry, shown here, has especially been a favorite look all over social media as of late. Not only does it feel more like furniture than regular cabinetry, but it also provides a fun space to show off your collection of antique ironstone!

You've undoubtedly seen repurposed kitchen islands, but what about whole cabinets made from salvaged materials? Take a page from this Virginia homeowner's style playbook and integrate more time-worn pieces into your next kitchen project. We love that this look is perfectly patinaed and eco-friendly.

We're dubbing 2023 the year of "The Return to Pretty." In tandem with a revitalization of the more traditional aesthetic, fanciful details have returned to the kitchen. If you're undergoing a kitchen renovation, talk with your cabinet maker about adding in things like pedestal foot brackets and built-in plate racks, like Country Living's own design director did in her recent kitchen renovation, to get the look.

Love the look of glass-front cabinets but hate the organizational hurdle of making them both usable and pretty? Then, look no further than our favorite cabinet hack of 2023: ribbed (or rippled) glass fronts! Not only does this type of glass add architectural interest, it also means your cabinets don't *always* have to be perfectly styled.

Want to give your cabinets a quick, budget-friendly refresh? Try skirting them! Not only does this save money (because a few yards of fabric are a whole heck-of-a-lot cheaper than all-new cabinets) but it's totally on trend with the soft, more romantic style we're seeing everywhere these days. Just be sure to pick a skirt made from performance fabric if you're installing near a cook space!

Brass hardware is the perfect finishing touch to your cabinets, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a kitchen it doesn't work in. Want to take the look to the next level? Try going for unlacquered brass pieces that will patina naturally with age to get a totally custom look.

Looking for a way to make your standard kitchen cabinets feel a little more special? We love the decorative cutout trend and think you will too. Bringing this small detail to life makes for an easy DIY project — all you need is a drill and a sander — but larger, more detailed projects should be done by a professional cabinet maker.

Open shelving is here to stay, and people are finding ways to reinvent the look and feel of them. One top trend on our radar: treating kitchen shelves just like the ones in your living room. Old oil paintings and ceramic jugs feel at home next to your collection of mason jars and flea market finery. This year, we're all about integrating some of our more aesthetic pieces into the space where we spend most of our time!

If you love the no-cabinet look but wish your walls were a bit more hardworking, allow us to introduce you to the Brits’ favorite design detail: the kitchen rail! These small-but-mighty rods are great if you want an airier kitchen but still need the functionality of easily accessible pots, pans, gadgets, or gizmos.