Kitchen Cabinet Trends On The Way Out In 2026 (So Far)

It's easy to grow so accustomed to your kitchen that it doesn't dawn on you that, to an outsider, it now appears outdated. It's only when you're renovating the home for a higher resale value or binge-watching too many HGTV shows that you realize what feels homey to you hasn't kept up with the times. Even though interior design trends change so often that it's hardly feasible to keep track of them unless you're in the business, the thing is, some trends come to define an era or a generation (cue: millennial gray).

While the start of the decade may seem like a long time ago now, it was an inflection point in design, with homeowners moving away from minimalism to embracing color and texture for a more complex, sophisticated look. This theme remains evident when you look at the kitchen trends being phased out in 2026. Sterile white cabinetry is perhaps the poster child, having finally lost its status as a top pick. High-gloss finishes and navy cabinets are also being retired for subtler, layered designs. You'll notice a refocus on tiny details like hardware, as they help refresh the kitchen without fully overhauling it. Expect to see fewer black matte handles and more antiqued or aged polishes in the coming years. That being said, regardless of what's considered "in," the best call to action is to design your kitchen the way you like it. But if you're curious to know which kitchen cabinet trends aren't making the cut, below is a quick round-up.

For years, interior designers have bemoaned the popularity of white cabinets. Sure, they read as safe and easier to coordinate, with many labeling them a timeless classic. However, the all-white aesthetic has started to look tiring and, more importantly, doesn't really fulfill the ongoing demand for warmth and texture, reading sterile and showroom-y instead.

Seemingly, even homeowners are saying goodbye to stark kitchen cabinets. The 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study noted that what home remodelers are installing most in 2026 are wood cabinets, though white remains in the running. Currently, medium wood tones seem to be the flavor of the season (especially oaks), though light and dark tones are common, too, if they go along with the design scheme. 

Wood brings in much-needed depth, and when left unstained, wears beautifully, which fits into the current craze for that cozy, lived-in look. Perhaps designer Nina Lichtenstein's comment to The Spruce summarizes this shift best: "White isn't disappearing, but kitchens that feel flat or clinical are being replaced with spaces that exude warmth and character through wood tones, nuanced neutrals, and subtle contrast."

Even though navy blue cabinetry has never enjoyed the resounding presence its white counterparts have, it did enjoy the title of being a "classic" for those who enjoyed color. Being dark, it was brought in to infuse moodiness and drama into the heart of the home for those who liked that vibe. Hue-wise, it behaved as an elevated neutral that could help offset other features. But over the years, it had become the go-to for whenever designers needed something chic. Due to this, it's starting to look overdone, with many hoping to leave this shade in 2026.

However, don't take the thumbs down to navy tones as a complete erasure of blues in future kitchen designs. If the 2026 Kitchen Trends Report, compiled by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, is any indication, blue continues to enjoy popularity with the masses and designers alike. What will change, however, is the tone and shade. Expect blues to take on complex layers — smoky but not as dark, or mixed with warm greens to weave a layered effect that feels intentional and rich with character. These colors also go well with stone or metal finishes that are cycling back into kitchen designs.

As we near the end of 2026, interior designers are dulling the shine on kitchen cabinetry, and there are multiple reasons for it. While the high-gloss look worked beautifully in sleek, minimalist designs, it doesn't hold up well over time. Shiny cabinets easily show fingerprints, marks, abrasions, and scratches, taking away from the aesthetic. Rather than focusing on food prep, you're left distracted with thoughts of cleaning or repolishing. Plus, high gloss doesn't exactly scream warm and inviting. With homeowners seeking to make their homes cozier, it naturally follows that high-gloss finishes are trending out.

So, what's replacing the highly lacquered look? Expect a split. Rather than switching over to the opposite side of the spectrum (read: matte), designers are hoping to strike a middle ground, still reaching for sheen for reflectivity and light. But in this case, it's softer at about half of its erstwhile intensity. Some are completely doing away with the sparkled look and embracing texture instead. As interior designer Laura Stephens puts it to Homes and Gardens, "High-gloss cabinetry, which is hard to maintain... is becoming less popular in favor of more forgiving, tactile materials." Expect to see more timber, plaster, or stone, or fluted detailing.

Storage is one area where homeowners share an undivided opinion: It's never enough. And its shortage may be felt most acutely in the kitchen, where you must house many appliances, tools, and gadgets. To tackle that issue, many decided to extend their cabinets all the way up to the ceiling (with a step stool for help). While the intention was to create a design that felt elevated even when square footage is at a premium, huge chunks of cabinetry from wall to wall and floor to ceiling can start to read as monotonous without any visual breaks.

Although wall-to-wall cabinetry isn't getting the full boot, it's definitely getting restyled. To bring in more dimension, designers are reworking cabinet fronts, bringing in glass (think stained or reeded) that would occasion a pause, ensuring the space doesn't feel visually heavy or enclosed. "People are realizing that if you mix materials or finishes — maybe glazed panels on the top cupboards, or timber doors above painted ones — it adds a sense of visual 'rhythm' and a lightness," as Naked Kitchens' Jayne Everett notes. Others are taking a completely different route, opting for freestanding, furniture-style pieces in different materials and textures to soften the overall aesthetic without compromising on storage.

Matte black hardware on your cabinets is one kitchen design choice that might be making your space look stuck in the past. As Kilian Camp informs House Beautiful, "Black is on the way out, especially [matte] black that we've seen so much of." But as it turns out, the reasons are wide-ranging. Some feel it's starting to read formulaic, given its (almost universal) association with Taj Mahal stone and white oak. While the design is aesthetically pleasing, it's no longer groundbreaking. Micaela Quinton takes it a step up with Martha Stewart, where she notes, "[It's] become so commonplace over the last 10 years, especially in flip renovations and spec homes, that it now reads as builder-grade." Other complaints revolve around poor long-term performance. It's prone to chipping and flaking and soon looks at odds with its surroundings, unless it's an industrial home.

Staying on-trend with the current need for a lived-in, layered, and warm look, designers are switching away from black hardware to warmer metals — think satin brass, polished nickel, and aged bronze, with matching backplates for a gorgeous contrast. However, with interest in handles waning and many preferring to do away with them altogether for a sleek, modern look, you might be better off incorporating push or latch mechanisms.