Et Lorem's Oliver Grigson and Jo Ainger on 2026 Spring/Summer kitchen trends

Oliver Grigson and Jo Ainger, from award-winning kitchen design studio Et Lorem, share the most sought-after interior design trends influencing the luxury kitchen space this Spring/Summer 2026.

This year, as consumers continue to seek out brands and products that offer value, authenticity, and a more personalised user experience, the luxury industry is predicted to grow by 6.5%. Homeowners are after a more curated approach to material, tone, and texture, so this year’s kitchen living spaces are intentionally more personal with key design elements like the furniture, surfaces, appliances, hardware, and lighting, blending everyday functionality with the look of lived-in luxury.

Style – Curated Luxury
To us, the most luxurious kitchen styles right now are zeroing in on curated luxury, where every design decision carries intent. Rather than overt design cues, this season is all about achieving a look of quiet confidence with high-quality pieces in sophisticated materials providing subtle expression without excess. The latest luxe materials are being chosen for longevity, while high-performance appliances such as hybrid cooktops, AI-enabled fridges, programmable coffee machines, and smart lighting systems are being used to create a refined kitchen aesthetic with superior functionality.

As the desire for healthy eating at home continues to rise with 93% of the UK cooking from scratch at least once a week, having the ability to cook at a higher level is essential. The latest appliances are addressing this by helping consumers recreate restaurant-quality meals at home in kitchens that are high functioning and deeply personal. Calling for kitchen layouts that reflect genuine lifestyles, curated luxury is not about excess: it’s about making considered investment in pieces that enhance daily life.

Materials – Tactile, Authentic and Enduring
Material selection is being driven by the need to provide more sensory, emotionally engaging home environments. Bespoke furniture in quality raw materials creates impact across door and drawer fronts with distinct finishing touches being used to full effect. Consider the weight, texture, and craftsmanship of hardware, as highly tactile handles have emerged as a creative way to engage the senses. We love the range from Hendel & Hendel, as we can introduce jewellery-esque handles and knobs in a range of finishes that add character and modern functionality in the kitchen.

Blending both form and function, worktop materials are also emphasising performance and aesthetic value with surface solutions from premium brands like Dekton, providing the organic visual language of natural stone while offering exceptional durability and thermal stability without losing its structural integrity, shape, or functional properties. 

Colours – Grounded Warmth and Earth Tones
Warm neutrals will continue to provide a calm and grounding foundation in the kitchen, with a layered blend of timeless white, taupe and mocha helping to bring softness and light in such a heavy use area in the home. For anyone wanting to express a more saturated colour palette, the kitchen is taking inspiration from the great outdoors with a confident shift towards green and blue in all forms. From muted sage and olive through to deeper, herbaceous shades such as forest green and pine, the green colour palette continues to lend itself to natural kitchen interiors. Equally, the colour blue is providing depth and luxury in today’s kitchen, and pairs beautifully with warm brass hardware, stainless steel and matt black appliances, and the latest tactile materials for the height of sophistication. 

Layouts – Zoned and Experience-Led
The modern luxury kitchen is carefully zoned, using the furniture to balance open-plan environments with clear intention. Now assuming more of a leadership role, the breakfast bar has continued to elevate the island unit and convert its once rectangular shape into an ergonomic workstation, with extra space to dine, socialise, and take in the outside with unobstructed views of the garden. The breakfast bar is not only helping to zone the kitchen but also allow for moments to reflect and take a breather.

Multifunctional layouts are winning out this season, with concealed preparation zones using pocket doors to hide cooking, baking, and drink-making facilities, integrated storage such as floor-to-ceiling pantries, deep drawers and bespoke cabinets, and ergonomic space planning all coming together to improve workflow, and create a kitchen that feels effortlessly put together, and aesthetically well defined. Open-plan living remains one of the most popular design layouts, but try to think personally. The most in-demand schemes right now are deliberately more diverse and are selecting products with different styles, materials, finishes, structures, and levels of functionality.

Functionality – Invisible and Intuitive
The most desirable kitchen appliances are fully integrated and high functioning. Extraction is now discreet with fully clad cooker hoods that disappear into the wall, downdraft ventilation systems and flush-fitting appliances within the worktop itself. Cabinetry that is seamlessly integrated is also serving the invisible kitchen trend, providing a look that is calm and minimal with customisable internal storage systems and pull-out designs helping to organise the kitchen and maximise space.

Lighting is also a gamechanger, with human-centric smart solutions helping to transition from task to accent lighting, and even sense when the user is near to automatically illuminate kitchen cupboards, display units, and essential storage when in use. Technology in the kitchen is no longer stealing focus; it’s about empowering daily rituals, from the morning coffee to cooking up a storm, or keeping devices accessible and fully charged. 

Sustainability – Longevity is Luxury
These days, long-term thinking is the best way to achieve sustainability in the home. With the desire to look beautiful for decades, the most coveted eco-solutions are not only extending the lifespan of the kitchen but also helping consumers to lower their carbon footprint. Whether opting for durable materials, high-efficiency appliances, or supporting brands and businesses with climate friendly practices, sustainability continues to be an essential characteristic of luxury kitchen design. Helping to break away from a throwaway society towards one that is environmentally responsible, sustainable kitchens are now a true expression of considered design.