Walnut and two-tone kitchens
Harvey Jones expects "richer variations such as walnut to take a larger role" than the light and white oak of recent years, often in two-tone kitchens that mix wood with painted units. Husk also expects deeper walnut tones to appeal to people who want a warmer room.
A walnut kitchen does not have to be solid timber throughout. Walnut veneer on tall units or the island, with painted base units, gives the look for less, and a painted island in a deep colour is an easy way to make a kitchen two-tone.
Slim Shaker doors
Shaker doors are staying, but slimmer. Harvey Jones describes slim Shaker and in-frame cabinetry with "a lighter, cleaner profile". A slim Shaker door looks at home in a Victorian terrace and in a modern rear extension, so it suits a kitchen that runs from one into the other.
Pantries, larders and appliance garages
Storage is moving behind doors. Harvey Jones says a pantry "no longer has to mean a whole room", and Husk expects pantry and larder storage to stay a priority in 2027. In most London kitchens that means a tall larder cupboard with internal drawers and shelves, or a pair of them either side of the fridge.
Toasters, coffee machines and other small appliances are going into appliance garages: cupboards on the worktop with doors that lift or fold back. Each one needs sockets inside it, so the sockets have to be planned before the units go in.
Kitchen island seating and built-in benches
Islands are being sized for the room rather than made as big as possible. Harvey Jones mentions two-tier islands, and Husk expects islands to look more like furniture, with built-in bench seating as part of a more sociable kitchen. A bench along a wall or under a window often fits a narrow London kitchen better than stools around an island.
Kitchen colour of the year 2027, and other colours
Magnet has named Morello, "a deep, sophisticated burgundy-red", as its Kitchen Colour of the Year 2027, and suggests pairing it with oak or walnut, brass handles and veined stone worktops. Harvey Jones expects warm neutrals and chocolate browns to keep replacing cool grey, and deep purples to return. Sage green and soft blues are still safe choices.
The paint brands have named their own 2027 colours, which we list in our 2027 paint colours guide. Near the cooker and sink, a wipeable kitchen paint is worth the extra cost.
Stone with character, and mixed metals
Worktops and splashbacks are moving away from plain, uniform stone towards stone with visible veining. Metals no longer have to match. Harvey Jones points to nickel and brass used together rather than one finish everywhere. If you are adding a new splashback over old tiles, read our guide to fitting a splashback over tiles first.
Layered lighting
Harvey Jones's advice is to "give every light a job": pendants over the island, under-cabinet lights over the worktops and softer lighting for the evening. Plan the lighting circuits before the walls are closed up. A qualified electrician has to fit them, and we arrange one when we fit the kitchen.
What it costs to update a kitchen in London
Keeping the sink and cooker where they are saves the most, because moving water, waste and gas is expensive, as our guide to moving a kitchen sink explains. If the carcasses are sound, replacing only the doors, handles and worktops typically costs £1,500 to £3,500 in London, and that is enough to make a kitchen two-tone or switch to slim Shaker doors. For a full refit, our kitchen fitting cost page shows priced examples, and our guide to reusing kitchen cabinets covers what can stay.
Our kitchen fitters in London fit new kitchens, including ones you have bought yourself, and refresh existing ones. Send the room sizes and a few photographs to get a price. We answer every enquiry within one working day.