Houzz Inc., the leading platform for home renovation and design, including the all-in-one software solution for industry professionals, today released the 2023 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study*.

The survey of more than 1,000 respondents found that the vast majority of homeowners incorporate sustainable features during a kitchen renovation (94%). Popular choices include LED bulbs (76%), energy-efficient appliances (60%) and energy-efficient windows (39%). Also, more than 2 in 5 homeowners opt for a timeless design as a sustainable choice during renovations (43%). While the most frequently cited reason for incorporating sustainable options is “long-run cost-effectiveness” (80%), making choices that are environmentally friendly is also top of mind for more than half of renovating homeowners (58%).

“Homeowners are gravitating towards sustainable choices during kitchen renovations, and it is interesting to see the intersection of economic solutions and environmental concerns. The most frequent reason behind choosing sustainable options is long-run cost effectiveness, with environmental-friendliness as a secondary consideration,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “In addition, we see homeowners continue to invest more in their kitchens than in any other areas of their homes, as they make major changes to their spaces.”

Kitchen projects command the most significant investment in the home, with median spend on renovations increasing steadily since 2019 (£10,000) to £12,000 in 2021*. Pro hiring for kitchen renovations also continues to be strong with 92% of homeowners working with a pro for their project. Tradespeople (e.g., electricians, painters, plumbers, stonemasons) are in the highest demand for kitchen renovations (65%); other popular categories include kitchen designers (51%), kitchen fitters (49%), home builders (31%) and architects (27%). Three percent of homeowners hire dedicated professionals to advise on eco-friendly options.

Additional insights from the 2023 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study include:

– Contemporary leads the way: Contemporary is the top style choice for renovated kitchens in 2023 (27%), followed closely by Modern (26%) and at some distance by Traditional, Country and Scandinavian (11, 6 and 5 percent, respectively).

– Popular pantries: When it comes to built-in features, 41% of kitchen updaters are installing pantry cabinets and 15%  make space for a walk-in pantry. 

– Classic colours: For walls, worktops and splashbacks, white is the most popular colour  (51, 45 and 39 percent, respectively). Grey is the most common alternative to white, with 13 percent of renovating homeowners painting the kitchen walls grey, 11 percent opting for grey splashbacks and 11 percent installing grey worktops. That said, blue, green and beige bring visual interest to the space through contrasting kitchen cabinet colours (17, 13 and 7 percent, respectively).

– Electronic upgrades: Renovating homeowners updating their appliances as part of their kitchen renovation, incorporate technology into their kitchen appliances with Wi-Fi connectivity, smartphone/tablet controls, and colour touchscreen displays (18, 17 and 15 percent, respectively). 

– Kitchen usage is varied: While the majority of homeowners (98%) use the kitchen for cooking, they also eat (70%), bake (58%), entertain (52%) and socialise (46%) there. A quarter of homeowners (26%) also work from their kitchen. One in three homeowners report that their lifestyle is healthier post-renovation (35%).

Houzz has more than 25 million photos of professionally designed interiors and exteriors, including completed kitchen projects, and over 3 million active home renovation and design professionals, including kitchen and bath designers, kitchen and bath fitters, architects, and home builders.

The 2023 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study is a report of homeowners who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a kitchen renovation. The online survey was fielded to Houzz UK users in November-December 2022. n=1,085.

*Spend data from the Houzz & Home Survey, sent to registered users of Houzz UK and fielded March-April 2022. n=3,281

You can download the full 2023 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study here.