1. Open-Concept Kitchens Are on the Rise
After the share of homeowners opening their kitchens to nearby rooms dipped from 53% in 2019 to 43% in 2021, the trend is on the rise again, back to 43% in 2024 compared with 38% of those who renovated in 2022. Renovating homeowners are also increasingly opening their kitchens to the outdoors (23% in 2024 compared with 18% in 2022).
Among homeowners making their kitchens more open to nearby interiors, nearly two-thirds (64%) go for completely open, and a quarter (25%) choose somewhat open — via double doors, a row of doors or a wide opening, for example. The most popular method to open up a kitchen more to outdoor areas is with double doors or a row of doors (46%). Meanwhile, 11% use a moving or folding wall system to integrate their kitchen with the outdoors.
Improving functionality is the driving force behind creating an open-concept space (64%), while 54% of renovating homeowners want to enhance their entertaining space and 47% simply appreciate the layout’s aesthetic.
2. Substantial Structural Work Is Popular
Though changing the kitchen’s style is the top trigger for a renovation, many makeovers involve substantial structural work. Among renovating homeowners, 45% reconstruct the kitchen’s layout and 43% upgrade systems. As for other structural changes, 39% of renovating homeowners modify kitchen walls and 7% completely change the kitchen’s location; those percentages have increased by 3 points each year over year. Nearly 1 in 7 renovating homeowners (13%) modifies the kitchen ceiling, and 5% modify the flooring by reframing or adjusting the height.
3. Pro Hiring Remains Stable
Homeowners often turn to home professionals for assistance with more technical projects. In fact, more than 4 in 5 homeowners (84%) rely on professional help during a kitchen renovation.
General contractors are the professionals most commonly hired for kitchen renovations (55%), followed by cabinetmakers, which are at a four-year high (35% in 2024 compared with 26% in 2020). A quarter of renovating homeowners hire a kitchen designer, and 16% bring in an interior designer for their kitchen remodel. Architects (15%) and kitchen remodelers (11%) are also sought after.
4. Investment in Kitchens Reaches New High
The median spend on kitchen remodels in 2023 is up 22% from the previous year, to $55,000, among homeowners undertaking major remodels. (“Major kitchen remodel” refers to a remodel in which at least all the cabinets and appliances are replaced.) Also worth noting: The median spend on major kitchen remodels is up 57% in 2023 compared with 2020; three years ago it was $35,000.
The median spend on minor remodels continues to increase as well. It was $18,000 in 2023, increasing by 29% year over year, and has more than doubled since 2020, when it was $8,000. (“Minor kitchen remodel” refers to any remodel that is not considered major.)
Economists like to reference the median, or midpoint, figure rather than the average for this kind of data because the average can be skewed, can be volatile year over year, and can be misleadingly high or low because of a single project that costs far more or less than others.
5. Preference for Long Islands Grows
More than 2 in 5 homeowners (42%) opt for islands that are 7 feet or longer, with the share increasing by 10 points since 2020. Islands shorter than 6 feet are losing popularity, down by 5 points year over year. This trend might be influenced by homeowners’ reported usage of islands for entertaining (54%) and socializing (44%) post-renovation.
6. Majority of Cabinets Still White
White continues to be the most common cabinetry color (46%), and the percentage is up by 6 points year over year. Wood (25%) and green (4%) inched up by 1 percentage point each during the same time. After holding steady at 10% for the past three years, gray has decreased by 2 percentage points.
Despite a slight dip in popularity as a primary cabinet color (to 4%), blue remains a top pick for island cabinets that are a different color from the main cabinets (25%). Green jumped in popularity for island cabinets that are a different color from the main cabinets (10%, up from 5% in 2023).
7. Interest in High-Tech Appliances Rises
More homeowners (54%) prefer to replace all the appliances during a renovation, rather than just a few (34%). Homeowners increasingly are opting for appliances with high-tech capabilities, with the percentage up by 5 points, to 44%. Nearly a third of homeowners (30%) choose appliances with Wi-Fi connectivity, and 29% opt for models that can be controlled with a smartphone or tablet; both those figures rose by 5 percentage points year over year. Interest in features such as touch-screens, smart home connectivity, and built-in apps and cameras also has grown since last year.
8. More Backsplashes Replaced
The vast majority of homeowners (86%) replace the backsplash during a kitchen renovation, and that share is up by 2 points since last year. Backsplashes most commonly extend to the cabinets or range hood (62%). But 1 in 10 (10%) renovating homeowners covers the entire wall up to the ceiling. The most popular backsplash material is ceramic or porcelain tile (54%), followed by engineered quartz (11%). Natural stone is sought as well, with homeowners choosing marble (9%), quartzite (6%) and granite (4%).
Other popular kitchen upgrades include countertops (91%), cabinets (85%), faucets (83%), light fixtures (79%), flooring (68%) and the replacement of all appliances (54%).
9. Many Homeowners Plan Ahead for Aging
Among renovating homeowners addressing special needs in the kitchen, the most common reason is to accommodate aging household members’ future needs (36%) and current needs (27%).
Functional elements incorporated for the current and future needs of aging household members include pullout cabinets (58%), extra lighting (54%) and wide drawer pulls (48%). Safety features, including nonslip flooring (37%) and rounded countertops (34%), are also a priority.
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