Kitchen Remodeling Trends for 2026: What the Data Shows

Trend lists are usually a designer's opinion. This one is a survey: Houzz asked 1,780 U.S. homeowners who had just finished, were in the middle of, or were about to start a kitchen renovation what they chose. The percentages below are shares of those homeowners, from the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study.

1. Wood cabinets overtake white

Wood is now the most popular cabinet color, chosen by 29% of renovating homeowners, up 6 points in a year. White fell 5 points to 28%. Among wood tones, medium leads (15%), then light (11%) and dark (3%). Off-white held at 15%, and green (6%) edged ahead of gray (5%).

Finishes moved the same way: painted cabinets still lead at 52% but dropped 5 points, while natural finishes rose 2 points to 7%. When homeowners chose solid wood fronts, and 71% did, maple was the favorite (39%), followed by white oak (15%).

2. Two-tone kitchens put the color down low

About a quarter of homeowners (24%) chose different colors for upper and lower cabinets. Uppers stay light (white 40%, off-white 19%); lowers carry the color, led by wood (37%), then blue (19%) and green (14%).

3. Shaker is still the door

Shaker doors were chosen by 58% of homeowners, far ahead of flat-panel (22%) and raised-panel (12%). Glass fronts (3%) and louvered doors (1%) are rare. Its plain frame suits a prewar house and a 1990s colonial alike, which is a good part of why it lasts.

4. Quartz slips, and islands go wood

Engineered quartz is still the most chosen countertop at 32%, but it fell 7 points in a year. Granite (15%, down 4 points) and quartzite (10%) follow. On islands with a different top from the main counters, which 21% of homeowners chose, butcher block or wood slab jumped 13 points to lead at 44%.

White remains the top countertop color (37%, down 4 points), with off-white at 26%. Veined patterns dominate (75%), and square and eased edges are now tied at 32% each.

5. Backsplashes: tile, and higher

Tile covers most new backsplashes (72%), led by ceramic (49%) and porcelain (23%), usually in rectangular shapes (68%) laid in a horizontal brick pattern (41%). The 28% who chose a slab backsplash most often used engineered quartz (39%) or quartzite (33%). Two-thirds run the backsplash up to the cabinets or hood, and 10% take it to the ceiling.

6. Induction gains on gas

Gas still leads new cooktops (48%), but induction is second at 26%, ahead of standard electric (22%). Stainless steel remains the appliance finish for 72% of homeowners. Dishwashers (74%) and microwaves (68%) are the most commonly replaced large appliances.

Worth knowing in an older house: switching from gas to induction usually means a new 240-volt circuit, and adding a circuit is electrical work that needs a permit in New Jersey. See when a remodel needs a permit.

7. Storage built in

Three-quarters of renovating homeowners (76%) add built-in features. Pantry cabinets lead (47%), then beverage stations (24%). Walk-in pantries (16%) and butler's pantries or prep kitchens (7%) are less common, and among new butler's pantries, most include small-appliance storage (67%) and a prep counter (61%).

8. Islands stay long and simple

Most renovating homeowners (58%) add or update an island. Rectangular islands dominate (80%), over half of upgraded islands (52%) are longer than 7 feet, and 53% of homeowners upgrading an island put at least one new appliance in it, most often a dishwasher (35%) or microwave (32%). Nearly every upgraded island (95%) gets new lighting above it, usually pendants (63%).

9. Planning for getting older

The share of homeowners designing for aging household members rose 5 points to 31%, and 41% are planning for those needs in the future. Among homeowners addressing those needs, the most common features are pullout cabinets (59%), extra lighting (51%), wide drawer pulls (44%), rounded countertops (34%) and nonslip flooring (32%).

10. Floors split three ways

Ceramic or porcelain tile and hardwood now share the top flooring spot (22% each), with resilient flooring right behind (21%). Engineered wood (15%) and laminate (9%) slipped a point each. Wood tones remain the favorite floor color (49%).

What this means for a South Jersey kitchen

Trends are worth knowing and not worth chasing. The choices that are rising (wood, Shaker doors, natural stone looks, more storage, induction, aging-in-place details) mostly suit older houses well, and many South Jersey towns have plenty of those. For what these choices cost, see the kitchen remodel cost guide; for how the project runs, how to plan a kitchen remodel. When you are ready, request a free estimate or call (856) 214-9156.