For many years, the all-white kitchen was all the rage. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, and to this “beholder,” all that white spelled bland and uninspired, not to mention a challenge to keep looking spic and span.
Fortunately, just as I begin early plans to overhaul my 1950 home’s kitchen and other spaces, kitchen trends have taken a wide turn in the road.
Latest Kitchen Trends
According to Urban Kitchens founder/owner Jo Meacham and her business partner, Neila Crank-Clements, the hottest kitchen trends evoke character and charm—and color!
“The biggest change for kitchens in 2025 is the style of the cabinets and accessories,” Jo shares. “In contrast to the Shaker style, cabinet doors and drawer fronts are more detailed, with soft greens and blues or dramatic forest greens and navy replacing all-white kitchens. The new styles are being described as ‘cozy’ or ‘comfortable.’”
Move over, white. Today’s homeowners “are choosing riskier colors,” she says. “Bold colors and wallpaper are being incorporated to create a personalized kitchen. Forest and sage green, soft blue and dark blue, taupe, charcoal and cashmere are the forerunners. And wallpaper is making a spectacular revival; for use on ceilings as well as walls, wallpaper introduces a bit of personality and whimsy.”
Jo and Neila also listed other hot kitchen trends:
- Full backsplashes. Extending the countertop to serve as the backsplash provides a timeless, seamless and easy-to-care-for surface.
- Elevated coffee bars or beverage bars designed specifically for drinks. Often a wine fridge or under-counter refrigerator is included. This versatile space can serve as a breakfast station in the morning and a wine bar in the evening.
- Decorative Range Hoods. Custom hoods may feature a combination of wood and stainless steel. Other styles include textured wood hoods and custom stainless steel or copper hoods.
- Warm woods. Natural wood tones are making a move back to the kitchen. Natural materials bring an organic feel and can be contemporary, midcentury or Scandinavian.
- Natural stone countertops. Spectacular natural quartzite and granite are being installed on islands with neutral engineered quartz on the outer countertops.
- Open Shelving. A controversial element in the kitchen—some people prefer a more clean and sparse aesthetic—open shelving allows you to insert some personality into the kitchen and help keep your countertop clutter-free. Floating shelves or shelves with decorative brackets are popular, but remain a personal choice.
- Integrated appliances with panel fronts. When used, the design theme feels more incorporated and without interruption.
- Statement backsplashes. While full backsplashes are popular, the variety of tile continues to expand. Zellige, a thicker, handmade tile, is very popular and its artistic look and feel complements the moody look that is in style.
“White kitchens are giving way to more warmth and personality,” Jo says. “Moody tones, mixed materials and textured finishes are coming back. Also, matte black hardware and fixtures are being replaced with brass, copper and brushed nickel. Mixed metals are widely popular.”
An Investment With Payoffs
Achieving an elevated look for your kitchen doesn’t have to break the bank. For those who are happy with the “bones” of their kitchen, but would like to give it a facelift, she suggests replacing doors and drawer fronts, painting the cabinets, and installing new countertops, the faucet, sink and backsplash. Even a limited remodel on this scale reaps significant returns: an average of 96% return on the investment (according to a 2024 Cost vs Value Report).
The main regret she hears from their clients who took this route was that they did not undertake the project sooner!
While some homeowners have the experience and willingness to tackle their own kitchen remodel, for most of us, calling in a pro is the only way to go. Founded in 1999, this woman-owned design + build kitchen and bath company’s mission is to provide its clients with personalized service and innovative design solutions using premiere products.
“We offer a one-stop shop experience to clients throughout the state of Oklahoma,” Jo says, adding, “Our team of talented and creative staff strive to create a custom look for your home that is sure to inspire. From the craftsmanship that goes into each of our products to our helpful and skilled designers, Urban Kitchens offers every kind of service you would expect from a modern kitchen and bath specialist.”
Urban Kitchens has completed kitchens, bathrooms and whole-house renovations all over the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, including Edmond, Norman, Enid and Clinton. They recently completed a project in the Texas panhandle.
Urban Kitchens’ One-to-one Approach
Whether you’re planning a small remodel or a total remodel of your kitchen, bath or other space, you want it to reflect you: your personality, interests, etc., as well as the specific needs of the household. You won’t find cookie-cutter remodel plans at Urban Kitchens.
“Our design studio is in the heart of the city at 4205 North Western. Each house, neighborhood and city is unique with distinctive architecture and culture. Our clients want kitchens to stand the test of time and we believe designing a kitchen that complements the existing architecture is the answer,” Neila says, noting that over the past several years, their portfolio has expanded to include not only kitchen and baths, but also master suites, whole-house remodels, and additions.
If you’ve been dreaming of and planning for a kitchen remodel, how can you help make it reality? Jo suggests collecting photos of kitchens they like from home and garden or lifestyle magazines, or creating a Pinterest page.
“On the other hand,” Neila says, “we do have clients who have no point of inspiration and rely on our design team to wow them. These projects are a lot of fun!”
Another great idea is to visit Urban Kitchens’ website, UrbanKitchensOK.com, which has numerous images featuring recent kitchen and bath remodels. Urban Kitchens, originally called Vintage Kitchens, specializes in historic remodels. They have completed these remodels for homes in every one of OKC’s historic districts.
Whatever your dreams are for your kitchen, Urban Kitchens is there to help you make that dream come true, from conception to completed project.
Visit Urban Kitchens at 4205 N. Western Ave., OKC, call them at 405.702.7747, or message them off their website to start your conversation on your very own dream kitchen. Even if it’s an all-white kitchen. (LOL)
MEET THE URBAN KITCHENS TEAM
Jo Meacham
Jo has been creating kitchens for distinctive residences throughout the Oklahoma City area for over 26 years. A graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in architecture, Jo spent over 20 years as a historic preservation consultant.
Neila Crank-Clements
Neila, who joined Jo Meacham as partner in 2019, boasts over 16 years of experience remodeling historic homes and building and designing new homes for OKC’s historic districts.
Megan Crowe
Megan (Neila’s sister) works with clients to design projects, select materials and serves as a project manager. She is also the design studio manager for the company and serves as its Norman designer and project manager.
“The biggest change for kitchens in 2025 is the style of the cabinets and accessories."