2021 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study
Storage in Demand: Storage was key in 2020, with nearly all kitchen renovators performing some work on their cabinets (94%) and nearly two-thirds replacing all kitchen cabinets (63%). Of the 31% who opted for partial cabinet upgrades, 28% added at least some cabinets to their newly renovated kitchen, nearly 4 times as many as the previous year.
Kitchen Spend Consistent Year on Year: The median spend on major kitchen remodels (in which all the cabinets and appliances are replaced) completed in mid-2020 remained stable at $35,000. The median cost of a minor remodel to a large kitchen is almost two and a half times higher than the cost of a minor remodel to a small kitchen, at $12,000 for a large kitchen and $5,000 for a small one.
Changes in Openness: The number of renovating homeowners creating an open-concept floor plan by opening up their kitchen to other interior spaces has dropped dramatically since 2019 (43% in 2021 versus 53% in 2019). One in five homeowners opens the kitchen to an outdoor space (22%).
Hardwood Flooring Steps Down, Vinyl Steps Up: Following the spike in interest for hardwood flooring in 2019, it dropped six percentage points and returned to the number two position (23%), after ceramic or porcelain tile (24%). Vinyl continues to grow as a desired flooring material, with 19% choosing vinyl or resilient flooring in 2020, up six percentage points from the previous year.
Neutral With Hints of Gray: Renovated kitchens continue to feature neutral tones of gray, white and beige wall surfaces. That said, some kitchen renovators are going for somewhat colorful, alternative looks, including blue walls (7%), gray flooring (14%), multicolored backsplashes (18%) and black appliances (10% choose black stainless and 6% choose another material in black).