Kitchen remodels are revealing clear shifts in priorities for the home. Wood cabinets are dethroning white, and aging-in-place design is on the rise. Renovating homeowners are rethinking layouts, planning for the long term and investing in smarter, more functional spaces, often without making kitchens any bigger. Find out more about these and other key insights from the just-released 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study.
1. Wood Cabinets Overtake White
Wood has claimed the top spot for kitchen cabinet color. Nearly 3 in 10 renovating homeowners (29%) are choosing wood cabinets — a 6-percentage-point jump from the previous year, pushing white into second place at 28% after a 5-point decline in that period. Medium wood tones lead the pack (15%), followed by light wood (11%) and dark wood (3%), signaling a shift toward warmth and natural character.
Off-white holds steady at 15%. Green (6%) now edges out gray (5%), while blue, beige, black and greige remain niche options, each used in fewer than 5% of renovated kitchens.
Warm midtone wood cabinets surround a rich, dark wood island in this inviting Sacramento, California, kitchen by Usher Building & Design, which uses Houzz Pro software.
2. Aging-in-Place Planning Moves to the Forefront
Designing for aging and long-term needs is becoming a bigger priority in kitchen remodels. More than half of renovating homeowners (53%) address current or future special needs in their kitchen projects — up 3 percentage points from the previous year. These include updates for aging household members, pets, household members with disabilities and young children. While fewer renovating homeowners expect the special needs to arise within the next year (25%, down 4 points), most are planning ahead: 52% anticipate needs emerging in five or more years, with smaller shares looking one to two years out (9%) or three to four years out (14%).
Aging-related updates are driving the shift. Among renovating homeowners addressing current needs, nearly one-third (31%) focus on aging household members, up 5 points year over year. Planning for future aging needs is even more common, at 41% (up 6 points). By comparison, far fewer renovating homeowners design for pets (8% current; 5% future), household members with disabilities (6% current; 7% future) or young children (5% for both), with several of these categories declining year over year.
When homeowners do plan for aging, they overwhelmingly prioritize safety and ease of use. Nine in 10 (90%) include accessibility features, a 2-point increase from the previous year. As this graphic shows, pullout cabinets lead the list (59%), followed by additional lighting (51%) and wide drawer pulls (44%). Rounded countertops (34%) and nonslip flooring (32%) are also popular, while more specialized upgrades — such as wheelchair-accessible doorways (21%), lower fixtures (15%) and lower countertops (5%) — remain less common.
KSI Kitchen & Bath installed a pullout spice cabinet beside the cooktop in this Detroit kitchen for easy access while cooking.
3. Layout Changes Lead the List of Major Upgrades
Reworking the kitchen layout is the most common major upgrade. More than half of renovating homeowners (52%) modify their kitchen’s layout, outpacing upgrades to home systems (42%) and wall updates (33%), the latter of which is down 3 percentage points from the previous year.
Other big changes are far less common. Just 11% alter the ceiling, 5% move the kitchen to a new location (down slightly year over year) and 4% make structural changes to the flooring.
When homeowners do rethink the layout, familiar configurations still dominate. L-shaped kitchens lead at 35%, followed closely by U-shaped layouts at 31%. Galley kitchens account for 14% of kitchens with a changed layout.
An L-shaped layout connects this stylish Wyoming, Minnesota, kitchen by Murphy Bros. to the living room. Murphy Bros. uses Houzz Pro software.
4. Most Kitchens Keep the Same Footprint
Even as homeowners rethink how their kitchens work, most aren’t making them bigger. Although 52% of renovating homeowners change the layout, more than two-thirds of kitchens (68%) end up about the same size after renovation — a share that’s up 4 percentage points from the previous year. That means many homeowners and pros are finding smarter ways to reconfigure kitchens within the existing footprint.
Expansion is the exception. About a quarter of kitchens (26%) grow somewhat, down 2 percentage points year over year, and just 6% become significantly larger. When kitchens do expand, they most often borrow space from adjacent rooms. Of the 32% of renovating homeowners who enlarge their kitchen footprint, 25% take space from dining rooms, followed by breakfast nooks (17%) and home additions (16%). Smaller shares expand into hallways (10%) or living rooms (8%), with even fewer tapping laundry rooms (7%), family rooms (6%) or closets (5%).
Looking at final size, half of renovated kitchens (50%) measure 200 square feet or more. Another 38% fall between 100 and 199 square feet, a share that’s up 4 points, while only 12% come in under 100 square feet, down 1 point.
This roomy, light and airy Atlanta kitchen by Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs includes a walk-in pantry on the left and a separate butler’s pantry through the arched opening on the right.
5. Functionality Becomes a Stronger Remodeling Driver
Practical concerns are increasingly pushing kitchen projects forward. More renovating homeowners now cite kitchen deterioration or dysfunction as a reason to remodel, with the share rising 3 percentage points year over year to 38%. That puts functionality nearly on par with dissatisfaction with the old kitchen’s style (41%).
Other motivations remain steady. About a third of renovating homeowners cite having the financial means to renovate (33%), while a quarter remodel to improve resale value (25%). Meanwhile, fewer homeowners are renovating to personalize a recently purchased home, with that share dropping 4 points to 24%.
Urgent fixes are still relatively rare. Just 4% of homeowners remodel to address damage from a disaster, and only 3% cite safety or health concerns as the primary trigger.
YB Interiors, which uses Houzz Pro, transformed this Atlanta kitchen from dark and dated to bright, functional and inviting.
6. Style Updates Dip Slightly, With Transitional Still on Top
Style updates remain a major focus in kitchen remodels, even as they dip slightly year over year. A vast majority of renovating homeowners (78%) still change their kitchen’s style, despite a 3-percentage-point decline from the previous year. Among those making a style shift, transitional continues to lead at 25%, followed by traditional (12%), modern (11%) and contemporary (10%). Midcentury remains a niche choice, selected by just 6% of homeowners.
Beige and Bleu Design Studio gave this Boston kitchen a transitional look, featuring sage green cabinets paired with warm wood accents.
7. Kitchen Budgets Swing Widely by Scope and Size
Kitchen remodeling costs vary dramatically depending on project scope and kitchen size. We’ll start with major kitchen remodels, in which all cabinets and appliances are replaced. The median spend for a major kitchen remodel is $55,000.
Size makes a significant difference, especially for major projects. Renovating homeowners spend a median of $75,000 to remodel a larger kitchen (250 square feet or more), versus $46,000 for a smaller one (less than 250 square feet).
At the high end, spending climbs quickly. Among the top 10% of spenders, major remodels reach a median of $150,000 for larger kitchens and $120,000 for smaller ones.
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. The median spend reflects the reported costs of homeowners who completed a kitchen remodel by mid-2025 and is not adjusted for inflation.
The median spend for minor kitchen updates, which involve replacing only some cabinets and appliances, is $20,000. Larger kitchens come in slightly higher at $25,000, compared with $20,000 for smaller spaces.
Among the top 10% of spenders, minor remodels reach a median spend of $50,000 overall — $53,000 for larger kitchens and $44,000 for smaller kitchens.
Dark stone countertops, a statement range hood and a rich wood island define this high-end Salt Lake City kitchen by Maven and Hutch.
8. Pantry Cabinets Top Among Built-In Kitchen Features
Built-ins continue to play a major role in kitchen remodels. More than three-quarters of homeowners (76%) include built-in features as part of their renovation.
Pantry cabinets top the list, added by nearly half of renovating homeowners (47%). Beverage stations rank second at 24%, reflecting the growing desire for dedicated drink and entertaining zones. Built-in seating such as banquettes and wine fridges are tied at 17%, followed by walk-in pantries (16%) and breakfast bars (14%). More specialized additions remain less common, with baking stations included by 9% of homeowners and butler’s pantries or prep kitchens by 7%.
Pocket-door pantry cabinets with built-in pullouts bring smart storage to this New York kitchen by Boxco Studio.
9. Partial Cabinet Upgrade Strategies Shift
Most kitchen remodels still involve a full cabinet overhaul. More than two-thirds of renovating homeowners (68%) replace all their cabinets, while just over a quarter (27%) opt for partial cabinet upgrades. Only 5% leave their cabinets untouched.
Among homeowners choosing a partial approach, refinishing cabinet exteriors remains the most common strategy (50%), though its share has slipped by 5 percentage points year over year. At the same time, adding some cabinets is gaining ground, rising 5 points to 32%. Replacing some cabinets (26%) and swapping only the doors (20%) continue to be popular options, while refinishing cabinet interiors has declined, down 5 points to 12%.
This Philadelphia kitchen by Revival features custom white oak cabinetry, a sage green island and marble countertops and backsplashes.
10. Most Homeowners Rely on Pros for Kitchen Remodels
Kitchen renovations remain firmly in professional hands. The vast majority of renovating homeowners (87%) hire at least one pro for their kitchen project. General contractors are the most commonly hired, engaged by nearly half of homeowners (48%), followed by building specialists — including electricians, plumbers and HVAC pros — at 42% and cabinetmakers (34%). Kitchen designers are also key players, hired by more than 1 in 5 homeowners (22%), though that share is down 3 percentage points from the previous year. Design-build firms (13%), interior designers (12%), architects (11%) and dedicated kitchen remodelers (9%) round out the list.
Professional involvement is nearly universal on higher-end kitchen projects. Among renovating homeowners spending $50,000 or more, 98% hire at least one professional. General contractors lead the list (60%), followed by building specialists (53%) and cabinetmakers (43%).
Design expertise also plays a larger role at this price point. About one-third of homeowners (34%) work with a kitchen designer, while others turn to a design-build firm (18%), an interior designer (13%), an architect (13%) or a dedicated kitchen remodeler (11%).
The 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study gathered information from 1,780 Houzz users who reported being 18 years old or older, being a homeowner and having completed a kitchen remodel or addition in the past 12 months or to be currently working on one or planning to start one in the next six months. The survey was fielded between July 6 and July 30, 2025.
