Celebrity interior designer Nikki Chu has built a celebrated career through over 30 licensing deals and branded collaborations with top names like JennAir, Ann Sacks, Kohler, and Disney, and more. As the star of the hit TV shows UNBOXED with Nikki Chu and Renovation Diary, which air in over six countries, Nikki brings her expertise and bold design sensibility to a global audience. 

As we approach 2025, she shares her vision for the future of kitchen design, touching on everything from sustainable materials and smart technology to multifunctional spaces and innovative storage solutions. Nikki offers a fresh perspective on how kitchens will evolve into multifunctional, aesthetically captivating hubs for the modern home. Read on for her top 10 predictions for the kitchen of 2025, plus a bonus dish on what kitchen appliance manufacturers are missing out on. 

1. Eco-friendly materials and sustainability in kitchen design

From energy efficient appliances to sustainable flooring such as cork, bamboo, or reclaimed wood, eco-friendly materials are being incorporated into high design and high-performance kitchens. Sustainable elements like concrete, recycled glass and LED lighting are no longer associated with lack of design; the mixed use of recycled and durable materials continues to evolve, with different finishes, stains and natural coatings creating a new and modernized aesthetic appeal in the kitchen space.

2. The rise of smart kitchens

We will see more innovation from refrigerators and ovens helping to manage food lists, order online, cook meals, and create recipes for us. 

(For more on smart kitchens, read our interview with Kalko Lighting’s award-winning designer, Takayuki Ishii here)

3. Personalization and multifunctionality: the kitchen as a social hub

One of the top priorities I hear from clients is that they want a kitchen that is focused on entertaining, along with a space that can blend in beautifully with the rest of the home. Kitchens have always been the central gathering space for families, but now they have become secondary workspaces and multipurposed areas that require a much more thoughtful layout.

4. The evolution of modular kitchens: adapting to changing needs

Kitchens now have to function as co-work spaces, entertainment, family gathering spaces, home offices, and of course areas to prep and cook meals. With all of these needs, the traditional way a kitchen functions has completely changed. 

Most of my clients are looking for beautifully designed rooms that don’t feel like a kitchen, which means we are seeing less upper cabinetry and more concealed appliances, coffee stations, shelving units that incorporate décor and glassware, and modular furniture that can rotate and function as a prep station, eating surface and additional entertainment space.

5. Smart storage solutions: the key to organized kitchens in 2025

I am seeing several products that are game changers for kitchen organization such as the ComfortSpin from Hettich, which is a smart rotating organizer for the fridge or the pantry. Products that add innovation in shape, flexibility and rotation is what makes them such a game changer, with easy access to everything that is stored in the back of the fridge that tends to get lost. Creative fruit displays are becoming much “cooler” allowing it to display nicely on the kitchen island, along with Lazy Susan style trays that hold items that get used daily.

6. Creative storage hacks: a personal touch in kitchen organization

My fancy water bottle collection has taken over my cupboards. Who doesn’t love a new travel water bottle? To stay organized with my collection, I use a small metal wine organizer to hold all of mine. I also hide all of my small appliances and gadgets to keep my kitchen looking clean and stylish, the coffee maker, toaster and blender all sit behind a cabinet door which keeps my counters free of clutter.

7. Design trends: color, materials, and aesthetic shifts in 2025

Instead of everything matching, people are looking for warm wood tones, honed marble, unique island designs, and mixed metals.

8. Functional backsplash design

One trend I love is a “hidden storage” backsplash, where a slab material discretely slides open to reveal extra, secret storage for frequently used items. The Hettich SlideLine systems achieve this function really beautifully, engineered to have a smooth and effortless glide that stands up to daily use. I expect to see this trend more and more as homeowners continue to want clutter-free, organized countertops!

9. Integrated appliances: transforming workflow and user experience

Years ago, the kitchen was tucked away in a home, often behind a wall or a pair of doors. The new kitchen is all about being incorporated into the design of the home, a place where everyone seems to hang out. 

The concept of building a dream kitchen starts with eliminating kitchen clutter and mess with cleaner storage solutions and hidden small appliances that tend to spoil the look of the space. While integrated appliances are now standard in high-end kitchens, we are seeing a surge in coffee bar designs, specialty bars for entertainment, and hidden counters inside cabinets that allow for prep work or storage that can be concealed.

I am partial to my own coffee and toast bar behind my wall-to-wall pantry doors. Upon entering my kitchen, it just looks like a beautiful space, but behind all my cabinets the real function is happening so it allows my design to always be in the forefront.

10. Blurring boundaries between the kitchen and other spaces

My home is built around my kitchen and the experience of entertaining. I incorporated what would be considered traditional dining into my kitchen design with a sofa (instead of chairs) that faces the island with the dining table in front of it. 

So, while I’m cooking and entertaining, my guests are comfortable and facing me for proper conversation. Work[ing] into the design of my kitchen is a small bathroom and a sitting area with a television, which makes entertaining happen all in one location of my home. 

Just because something was written on the floor plan, doesn’t mean that’s how you have to use it. Most homes will add “traditional dining” or “main living room,” but why be limited to what a floor plan says. Use the space to fit your lifestyle!

Bonus: unaddressed opportunities in kitchen design

I feel like the appliance market is missing an opportunity to create products in brushed gold tones for those who prefer a warmer aesthetic. I would love to see an appliance collection that appeals to those who prefer using golds, browns and copper tones in the kitchen. I would love to design a brass dominant collection of kitchen appliances to see how the mass market would respond to something more unique and elevated.

We look forward to seeing many fabulous designer kitchens in 2025 and seeing how NIkki’s predictions are applied in your clients’ spaces! To learn more about Nikki Chu and explore her work and collections, visit her online.