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Livingetc
Livingetc
Hugh Metcalf

I Featured 100s of Kitchens Last Year — These 10 Were the Best, With Ideas I Can't Wait to Take Forward Into 2026

A blue kitchen with colorful pendant lighting and a tile blue and wood island.

I think 2025 might have been one of the most exciting years in design, yet. I felt a shift, visually, in the types of projects that passed by my desk over the last 12 months, and possibly it's no surprise. Things have been changing in the world a lot, including the advent of new (sometimes scary) technology.

These changes have been possibly most noticeable in the kitchen, where trends often move a little more slowly, traditionally. Yet, the kitchen trends I've seen raise their head in 2025 have definitely been inspired by what's going on in the world. They're a search for originality, authenticity, and a yearning for more classic design styles — a reaction to the uber-modern, other-worldly 'AI' aesthetic that we've seen in years previous.

Of the 100s of kitchens that the Livingetc editorial team has featured across the year, I'd put a mental check note against these 10 as some of my favorites. They each bring something different to the design of these special spaces that's still worth talking about for kitchens in 2026.

(Image credit: Valerie Wilcox. Design: Lisa Lev at Lisa Lev Design and Katelyn Rempel at Studio Sonny)
(Image credit: The Property Photographer. Design: Papilio)
(Image credit: Anson Smart. Design: Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem)
(Image credit: Alexandre Tabaste. Design: Batiik Studio)
(Image credit: Yannick Labrousse. Design: Atelier HA)
(Image credit: Stephan Julliard)
(Image credit: Daniel Schäfer/Living Inside)
(Image credit: Ben Anders. Design: Ash Wilson Design)
(Image credit: Chris Snook. Design: HOLTE, ALL Design Studio)
(Image credit: Makers)
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