Most trend lists are guesses. This one is not.
Two real studies came out for 2026. The National Kitchen and Bath Association surveyed 634 designers, remodelers, and showroom professionals about what they expect over the next three years. Houzz surveyed 1,780 homeowners who had just finished a kitchen remodel or were about to start one. Between them you get both sides: what the industry is pushing, and what people are actually paying for.
We have remodeled kitchens across Chicago and the suburbs for more than 25 years. Below are the trends the data actually supports, plus what each one means for a bungalow in Beverly, a split level in Orland Park, or a condo in Lincoln Park. If you already know what you want, you can skip ahead and look at our kitchen remodeling service page.
1. Wood Cabinets Passed White for the First Time
This is the headline change. Houzz found wood is now the most popular cabinet finish at 29 percent, up 6 points in a single year. White fell to 28 percent, down 5 points. Medium wood tones lead at 15 percent, followed by light wood at 11 percent. Dark wood is still rare at 3 percent.
The designer side agrees. NKBA found 59 percent say wood grain is growing faster than painted cabinets, and white oak is the single most popular wood at 51 percent.
White kitchens are not dead. They are just no longer the automatic answer.
Two tone kitchens are the middle ground. About a quarter of homeowners choose contrasting uppers and lowers. When they do, white leads on uppers at 40 percent while wood leads on lowers at 37 percent. Blue lowers follow at 19 percent and green at 14 percent.
What this means in Chicago. Warm wood sits well next to the original oak trim and hardwood floors in older homes here. It stops the kitchen from looking like it was dropped in from a different house. We build custom kitchen cabinets in house, so matching a stain to existing trim is a normal request for us rather than a special order.
2. Flat Doors and Hidden Appliances Are Taking Over
Minimalism is winning on the details. NKBA respondents named the flat slab cabinet door as gaining ground at 69 percent. Panel faced refrigerators came in at 72 percent, and panel faced dishwashers at 85 percent, which is one of the strongest numbers in the whole report.
Panel ready means the appliance takes a cabinet door front so it disappears into the run. No stainless box interrupting the wall.
One caution before you commit. Stainless steel is still the finish 72 percent of Houzz homeowners actually chose. So the visible appliance is not going anywhere yet. Panel ready costs more, the panels have to be built to the appliance specification, and if you replace that dishwasher in eight years the new one has to accept the same panel. Get the specification sheets early. Cabinet openings are built to appliance dimensions, and a late switch to a wider refrigerator means rebuilding cabinetry.
3. Slab Backsplashes Are Real, But Tile Still Wins
The slab backsplash is one of the clearest 2026 kitchen design trends. That is the look where the countertop material runs straight up the wall behind the range with no grout lines.
NKBA put slab and solid surface backsplashes at 75 percent for growth. On the homeowner side, Houzz found 28 percent went with slab while 72 percent still chose tile. Among the slab group, engineered quartz leads at 39 percent and quartzite follows close behind at 33 percent. Granite is at 9 percent, marble at 6 percent.
A good compromise shows up in a lot of finished projects: a slab panel behind the range where grease and splatter land, with tile on the rest of the wall. You get the clean look where it matters and keep the cost down. We handle both in house through our backsplash installation work.
Color has barely moved here. White backsplashes lead at 31 percent, off white at 26 percent. Everything else is a small slice.
4. Butcher Block Islands Are the Fastest Rising Trend
This one surprised us. About 1 in 5 homeowners use a different surface on the island than on the perimeter counters. Among that group, butcher block or wood slab leads at 44 percent, up 13 points in one year. Engineered quartz is second at 18 percent and granite third at 12 percent.
That is the single biggest year over year jump in the Houzz data.
It fits the wood cabinet story. People want warmth somewhere in the room. A wood island is an easy way to get it without committing the whole kitchen.
Be honest with yourself about maintenance before you pick it. Wood needs oiling, it marks, and it does not love standing water near a sink. If the island holds the prep sink, a stone perimeter with a wood seating overhang is the smarter split. Come look at both at our Crestwood showroom before deciding.
5. Quartzite Is Closing In on Quartz
Engineered quartz is still the default countertop. But natural quartzite is right behind it, at 62 percent for countertops and 61 percent for backsplashes in the NKBA survey. Granite and marble are both losing ground.
The difference matters. Quartz is engineered, so the slab you see is the slab you get, and it does not need sealing. Quartzite is natural stone, harder than marble, but every slab is different and it needs sealing.
Countertop colors have stayed conservative. White leads at 37 percent, off white at 26 percent, black at 9 percent. If you are weighing materials, our countertop installation page walks through each one, and we keep quartz, granite, marble, and quartzite slabs on the floor in Crestwood.
6. Storage Is the Trend Nobody Photographs
Here is the number that should shape your project more than any color choice. Houzz found 94 percent of renovated kitchens include specialty storage built into the cabinetry.
The most common features:
- Pullout waste and recycling bins, 64 percent
- Cabinets or drawers sized for cookie sheets and trays, 55 percent
- Spice storage, 41 percent
- Cutlery organizers, 38 percent
- Dedicated microwave storage, 38 percent
Built in features follow the same pattern. Three quarters of homeowners add at least one. Pantry cabinets lead at 47 percent, beverage stations at 24 percent, walk in pantries at 16 percent, built in seating and wine refrigerators at 17 percent each.
The designer forecast pushes even further. NKBA respondents were in 100 percent agreement that lifestyle features will shape kitchen layouts, with dedicated beverage areas at 85 percent, pet feeding stations at 64 percent, and eat in kitchens at 59 percent.
Why this matters more in Chicago than almost anywhere. Our housing stock is old and the original kitchens were small, closed off service rooms. You often cannot add square footage. Storage engineering is how you make a 1920s footprint work for a 2026 household. That is drawer boxes instead of doors, toekick drawers, and uppers taken to the ceiling instead of stopping short and collecting dust.
7. Warm Neutrals Replaced Gray for Good
Neutrals still dominate at 96 percent in the NKBA data. But the neutral itself has changed. Light brown and tan is now the top specific color at 67 percent. Greens follow at 86 percent overall and blues at 78 percent. Bright colors sit at the bottom, with millennial pink at 11 percent and bright red at 6 percent.
The paint brands landed in the same place. Benjamin Moore named Silhouette AF-655 its 2026 Color of the Year, a deep espresso with charcoal notes. Sherwin-Williams named Universal Khaki SW 6150, a warm earthy neutral between beige and taupe.
Where does the actual color go? NKBA found new statement colors land on the backsplash at 60 percent, the island at 57 percent, and decorative accessories at 55 percent. Not on every cabinet in the room.
That is the smart play. Color on the island is a few thousand dollars to change later. Color on every cabinet is a full repaint or a new kitchen. We handle cabinet finishing and interior painting as part of the same project, so the island can be a different color without adding a separate trade to your schedule.
8. Lighting Became a Design Element, Not an Afterthought
Eighty seven percent of NKBA respondents say kitchens are now a place to show off statement lighting. The practical numbers are even higher. Natural light rated important by 95 percent, quality lighting by 93 percent, and task lighting for work zones by 92 percent.
The specific fixtures gaining ground are under cabinet lighting at 82 percent, in cabinet lighting at 72 percent, and pendants at 63 percent.
Layered lighting is the whole idea: recessed for general light, under cabinet for the counters you actually cut on, and pendants or a fixture over the island for the look. Most dated Chicago kitchens have one ceiling fixture doing all three jobs badly.
Plan this before drywall. Adding circuits after the walls close costs several times what it costs during rough in.
9. Ventilation and Smart Features Are Growing Together
Powerful vent hoods scored 85 percent in the NKBA report, which puts ventilation ahead of most of the flashier technology. Steam cooking came in at 66 percent. Smart, larger refrigerators and custom refrigerator configurations both landed around 70 to 72 percent, along with WiFi enabled and app controlled appliances and lighting.
There is a local catch worth knowing before you buy a professional range. A high powered hood pulls a large volume of air out of the house, and past a certain rating that triggers a makeup air requirement so the house can replace what the hood removes. It affects both cost and mechanical design, and it is not something to discover after the appliance is delivered. We wrote about range hood makeup air rules in Chicago kitchens in more detail.
10. Kitchens Are Getting Bigger While Houses Get Smaller
Seventy six percent of NKBA respondents expect the kitchen footprint to grow over the next three years, even as overall home sizes shrink. Ninety four percent also expect homeowners to add connected functional spaces like mudrooms and flex offices.
In practice, the extra square footage comes from somewhere else in the house. Usually the formal dining room, which is disappearing into open kitchen and gathering space.
The Chicago version of this. Opening the wall between a closed kitchen and the dining room is the most requested change we get. Whether it is simple depends entirely on what that wall is doing. A partition wall comes out with framing and patching. A load bearing wall needs a sized beam, stamped drawings, a permit through plan review, temporary shoring, and posts carrying the load down to a footing that can take it. In two flats and three flats, that wall often stacks through every floor. We covered the full process in what opening a wall in an older Chicago home really involves.
Which 2026 Trends Will Still Look Good in 2036
Worth saying plainly, since we are the ones who have to live with these decisions alongside you.
Safe long term bets: wood cabinetry, transitional style, quartz and quartzite counters, layered lighting, serious storage, and warm neutral walls. Transitional design has topped the NKBA list at 72 percent precisely because it does not date fast.
Higher risk: very dark cabinets throughout, heavily veined statement slabs across every surface, and highly specific built ins for hobbies that may change. A pet feeding station is great until you no longer have the pet, and it is cabinetry either way.
Never a trend: the layout. Where the sink, range, and refrigerator sit relative to each other decides whether you like the kitchen every single day. Get that right first and the finishes matter less than you think.
What This Costs in Chicago
Trends only help if the budget is real. Houzz found the most common upgrades in a kitchen renovation are countertops at 91 percent, backsplashes and sinks at 85 percent each, cabinets at 84 percent, and faucets at 82 percent. Sixty eight percent replace all their cabinets rather than part of them, and just over half replace every appliance.
That is close to a full kitchen for most people, not a light refresh. Our kitchen remodel cost guide for Chicago breaks the pricing into tiers by scope so you can see where your project lands before you start selecting materials.
One more finding worth repeating: 87 percent of renovating homeowners hire professionals, and general contractors are the most in demand at 48 percent. A kitchen has roughly a dozen trades that have to arrive in the right order. One missed handoff pushes the finish date by weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2026 Kitchen Design Trends
What is the biggest kitchen design trend for 2026?
Wood cabinets overtaking white. In the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, wood reached 29 percent of renovated kitchens while white dropped to 28 percent. Medium wood tones are the most popular at 15 percent. The National Kitchen and Bath Association found the same shift on the professional side, with 59 percent saying wood grain is growing faster than painted finishes and white oak leading at 51 percent.
Are white kitchens out of style in 2026?
No. White is no longer the default, but it is still the second most popular cabinet color at 28 percent and it still leads for upper cabinets in two tone kitchens at 40 percent. White also remains the top countertop color at 37 percent and the top backsplash color at 31 percent. A white kitchen will not look dated. It just will not look like the only option anymore.
What countertop material is most popular for 2026?
Engineered quartz is still the leader, with natural quartzite close behind at 62 percent in the National Kitchen and Bath Association survey. Granite and marble are both declining in popularity. Quartz needs no sealing and looks consistent slab to slab. Quartzite is natural stone with more variation and does need sealing. We keep all four in our Crestwood showroom so you can compare full slabs instead of small samples.
What is a slab backsplash and is it worth it?
A slab backsplash uses one continuous piece of countertop material running up the wall instead of tile, so there are no grout lines. Twenty eight percent of renovating homeowners chose slab in 2026, while 72 percent still chose tile. It costs more than most tile and cleans up easily behind a range. A common middle path is a slab panel behind the cooking area with tile on the remaining walls.
Is a butcher block island a good idea?
It depends on what the island does. Butcher block and wood slab jumped 13 points to 44 percent among homeowners choosing a contrasting island surface, making it the fastest rising material in the 2026 data. Wood needs periodic oiling, it marks over time, and it does not hold up well to standing water. If your island holds a sink or is your main prep surface, stone on the working area with a wood seating overhang gives you the look without the maintenance problem.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Chicago?
In most cases yes. Chicago requires a permit once work goes past finishes and touches the systems in the walls, which includes moving a wall, adding or relocating electrical circuits, moving the sink or any supply or drain line, running a new gas line, or adding a new exterior vent for a hood. Replacing cabinets and countertops in the same footprint with no plumbing or electrical changes generally does not. Requirements and review times change, so confirm your specific scope with the Chicago Department of Buildings. AMG Proline prepares and files the permit package and schedules the inspections for you.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Chicago in 2026?
Cost is set by scope rather than square footage. A cosmetic refresh that keeps the layout is the lowest tier. A full remodel in the same footprint is where most homeowners land. A gut remodel that moves walls, relocates plumbing, or upgrades the electrical panel is the highest. Cabinet construction, countertop material, whether plumbing and electrical have to move, and the condition behind the walls are the four items that move the number the most. AMG Proline gives a fixed written estimate after an in home measure, itemized by trade and material.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
Two clocks run at once. Before demolition, design, selections, and ordering take several weeks because cabinets are built after you order them and countertops cannot be templated until the cabinets are installed. Once demolition starts, a cosmetic refresh usually takes about two to three weeks, a full remodel in the same footprint about five to eight weeks, and a gut remodel with a layout change about eight to twelve weeks. Late selections and mid project changes are the two things that most often extend a schedule.
Which 2026 kitchen trends will age the best?
Transitional style topped the National Kitchen and Bath Association forecast at 72 percent specifically because it blends traditional and modern elements and does not date quickly. Wood cabinetry, quartz and quartzite counters, warm neutral walls, layered lighting, and built in storage are all low risk choices. Higher risk choices are very dark cabinets throughout, dramatic veining on every surface, and built ins designed around a single hobby. The layout matters more than any finish, because it determines how the kitchen works every day.
Planning a Kitchen Remodel in Chicago or the Suburbs
Trends are a starting point, not a plan. The kitchen that works is the one designed around your walls, your windows, your budget, and how you actually cook.
AMG Proline handles design, permits, cabinets, countertops, plumbing, electrical, and finish work with our own in house team. One contract, one point of contact, one schedule. You can see completed work in our project gallery, browse full kitchen remodeling services, or visit the Crestwood showroom to compare slabs and cabinet finishes in person.
We serve Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, including Crestwood, Orland Park, Naperville, Tinley Park, and Lincoln Park.
Call (708) 979-3298 for a free in home estimate, or request a free quote online. Licensed and bonded in Illinois, IL #104.020448.
Sources: NKBA / KBIS 2026 Kitchen Trends Report, based on a survey of 634 industry professionals. 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, based on a survey of 1,780 U.S. homeowners. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year announcements.
