Kitchen Design Insights: What Clients Are Asking For as We Move Into 2026

These insights are drawn from conversations with our design team, based on ongoing client projects and real homes designed through our Fulham kitchen studio.

Colour Confidence and Individuality in Bespoke Kitchen Design
In recent years, we have seen a clear shift in how clients approach colour in the kitchen. Rather than defaulting to what feels safe or expected, there is growing confidence in choosing tones that feel personal and expressive. Warmer, earthier palettes are becoming more prevalent, alongside deeper, richer colours used with intention.

This move isn’t about following trends, instead, it reflects a broader change in mindset, clients are designing kitchens for themselves, not for an imagined future buyer. Colour is no longer something to be neutralised, but something to be enjoyed, chosen because it feels right within the home and the way it is lived in.

Kitchens Designed for Living
The kitchen continues to evolve as the social heart of the home. Clients are increasingly prioritising layouts and features that support everyday living, entertaining, and connection, particularly within open-plan spaces.

Kitchen islands remain central to this shift. More than a functional addition, they have become a place to gather, somewhere to cook, talk, entertain, and spend time together. Alongside this, there is a noticeable investment in appliances that enhance how the kitchen functions day-to-day, from integrated downdraft ventilation within islands to secondary refrigeration such as cooling drawers or wine storage, and specialist cooking features designed for open-plan living.

These decisions are often made with longevity in mind. Many clients are planning kitchens as long-term spaces, choosing elements that will support their lifestyle now and into the future, rather than focusing on short-term trends.

Timeless Kitchen Design: Why Personal Taste Matters More Than Trends
Designing a kitchen that feels timeless is rarely about avoiding change altogether. Instead, it is about understanding the difference between lasting design choices and details that are overly tied to a specific moment in time.

A consistent theme in our conversations with clients is the importance of trusting instinct. Colours, materials, and finishes that genuinely resonate tend to age far better than choices made purely because they feel current. While trends can be a useful reference point, they shouldn’t override personal taste.

Timeless kitchens are often the result of restraint, balance, and confidence, spaces that feel considered rather than reactive, and that continue to feel right long after a particular trend has passed.

Choosing Kitchen Colours That Work Within the Whole Home
When discussing colour in the kitchen, it is rarely just about the cabinetry itself. Clients are increasingly thinking about how the kitchen sits within the wider context of the home, how it works alongside flooring, wall finishes, light, and adjoining spaces.

Greens continue to be a popular choice, valued for their natural, grounding quality and their ability to complement a wide range of interiors. Alongside this, softer earthy tones and carefully placed bolder colours are being used to add depth and character without overwhelming a space.

What matters most is cohesion. Successful kitchen design considers the full palette of the room and beyond, ensuring the kitchen feels integrated rather than isolated within the home.

Minimalism, Maximalism and Finding the Right Balance
Minimalism remains a relevant approach in kitchen design, valued for its clarity, calmness, and sense of order. However, it is no longer viewed as a default or a rule to follow. Equally, more character-led and expressive kitchens continue to resonate with clients who value warmth, personality, and layered detail.

Rather than one style replacing another, both approaches coexist. The most successful kitchens tend to sit somewhere along a spectrum, shaped by the people who live with them. For some, that means clean lines and visual simplicity; for others, it is curated objects, colour, and texture.

Ultimately, good kitchen design isn’t about deciding whether minimalism is “in” or “out”. It is about creating a space that feels authentic, comfortable, and reflective of individual lifestyle and taste.

Across all five conversations, one theme remains consistent: kitchen design today is less about following rules and more about making thoughtful, personal choices. Clients are designing kitchens for how they live now and how they want to live in the future, prioritising longevity, individuality, and spaces that feel genuinely their own. As we move into 2026, it is this considered, client-led approach that continues to shape truly timeless kitchen design.

Continue the conversation with our designers.