Kitchen trends for 2026 and 2027, and what sells hereColors, cabinets, counters and appliances, for Northern Virginia homes
Pick your plan and a part of the kitchen. See the timeless choice, the 2026-27 trend and what’s fading, with the source for each.
Natural white oak, a smoky blue island· A concept image
Pictures: concept images, not real homes or stores.
Kitchen picker
What should you choose for your kitchen?
Your plan
Pick a part of the kitchen
Tap your plan and a part of the kitchen: the timeless pick, the 2026-27 trend, and what is fading, each with its source.
Updated October 26, 20262027 reports from October 2026A 30-second pick, plus a 6-minute read
Quick answer
Warm and natural is replacing all-white and gray. Wood cabinets now edge out white in remodels (29% to 28%),2 designers rank quartzite ahead of quartz (78% to 74%) and pick greens and blues after neutrals,1 and all five big 2027 colors of the year are greens or smoky blues.8,9,10,11,12 Architects see induction, working pantries and hidden lighting rising.6 Selling within 2 years? Stay timeless where it’s expensive (warm white or wood cabinets, white quartz, a matching stainless set) and add the trend where it’s cheap to change: paint, pulls, lights. Tap your plan and a part of the kitchen below.
Kitchens in 2026 and 2027, in six numbers
The 2027 designer report, the 2026 homeowner study, listings, the DC-area payback and the architects’ survey
National surveys and DC-area payback: they show the direction, not what your buyer will pay.
What moved
Wood is replacing white paint.
What homeowners chose this year against last year, and where designers say 2027 goes.
Houzz asks 1,780 homeowners every year what went into the kitchen they just redid. The 2026 study shows one clear turn: wood is replacing paint. Wood cabinets rose 6 points to 29%, now ahead of white (28%, down 5), and a wood or butcher-block top on a contrasting island rose 13 points to 44%. Quartz is still the most chosen counter, but it fell 7 points to 32%, and black island tops fell from 18% to 8%.2
Designers point the same way for 2027: white oak is their top wood (49%), natural finishes (34%) edge out light (32%) and medium (32%) ones, and 54% expect the island in a different color from the rest of the kitchen.1
Rising
Points up since last year’s study
Falling
Points down since last year’s study
Share of U.S. homeowners renovating a kitchen who chose each one, 2026 study against 2025.2
The colors
The 2027 colors: greens and smoky blues.
Tap a color and where it goes. Every 2027 color of the year, on a kitchen.
Neutrals are still the base for 96% of designers, then greens (83%) and blues (75%).1 The paint makers agree: all five big 2027 colors of the year are greens or blues, three greens (Webster Green, Celery, Grounded) and two smoky blues (Cottage Door, Artifact).8,9,10,11,12 Off-white is the top kitchen wall color (29%), and blue walls are rising (+2).2
How to use them: one color, in one place. The island, the lower cabinets or a pantry door, with warm white or wood around it. Tap a color and where it goes.
Webster Green on the island
2027 colors of the year
2026 picks, still in stores
Colors from each brand’s announcement; screen colors from the brand’s color page or a color-matching site.8,9,10,11,12,13
What each 2027 color is, and where to use it
- Benjamin Moore Webster Green (HC-130, 2027). A classic mid green; Benjamin Moore calls it “an expressive selection for kitchen cabinetry.” Where: cabinets or the island.9
- Sherwin-Williams Celery (SW 6421, 2027). An airy herbal green with yellow undertones; also HGTV Home’s pick. Where: walls, or a whole light kitchen.8
- Behr Grounded (T27-01, 2027). A dark mossy olive with brown undertones. Sold at Home Depot. Where: the island or lower cabinets.10
- Valspar Cottage Door (8004-38E, 2027). A grayed blue with warm undertones. Sold at Lowe’s. Where: the island, or a pantry door.11
- Glidden Artifact (PPG10-16, 2027). A warm, smoky blue; Glidden suggests it for cabinets in all-white kitchens. Where: cabinets in an all-white kitchen.12
The pros
What designers, architects and builders here are putting in.
Four groups, four surveys, and new homes for sale in Loudoun this month.
Designers
NKBA 2027 report, 830 pros, October 20261
- Quartzite (78%) ahead of quartz (74%).
- Cabinets that hide the appliances: 85%.
- Kitchens split into zones: 81%; back kitchens rising: 47%.
- Layered lighting: 84%; lights under (87%) and inside (76%) the cabinets.
Builders here
New homes for sale in Loudoun, October 202621
- Toll Brothers at Woodburn, Leesburg ($1.78M to $2.31M): prep kitchens.
- Toll Brothers, Parkside Village, Aldie: a waterfall slab island, engineered quartz counters, LED strips under the cabinets.
- Van Metre, P2 at South 620, Aldie (from $1,046,240): a five-burner induction cooktop with a chimney hood, a wall oven and microwave, an undermount sink.22
- Toll’s 2026 design posts: waterfall islands, colorful cabinets, black kitchens.
Luxury and custom architects
AIA Home Design Trends Survey, March 2026: firms seeing a feature grow, minus firms seeing it shrink6
- Q4 2025 score
- A year earlier
- Below zero: more firms see it shrinking
Buyers
NAHB, What Home Buyers Really Want, 3,000+ buyers7
- A walk-in pantry and table space: 80% each.
- A double sink 78%, drinking water filtration 75%.
- An island and pull-out shelves: 74% each.
- Granite or natural stone counters: 73%.
Where they disagree: open or closed. 81% of designers expect kitchens split into zones, and 46% see semi-enclosed kitchens rising.1 Architects’ score for a kitchen open to the living room more than doubled, from +15.2 to +33.8.6 New homes here do both: an open kitchen and island for show, and a prep kitchen or pantry for the mess.21
The stores
What Northern Virginia stores and showrooms show.
What they stock and display this fall. Facts, not endorsements.
Stores don’t publish what sells by color, so this counts what they show and stock. The big-box shelves lean light and safe; the showrooms show where luxury kitchens are going: natural stone, warm metals, built-in appliances.
A fact list, not a recommendation. No store paid to be here, and none is endorsed. This site doesn’t name kitchen designers or remodelers.
What Home Depot shows: cabinet finishes by color
Finishes in its cabinet color gallery, counted October 26, 202614
The Home Depot
Stores across Northern VirginiaIts cabinet color gallery leans white and gray (the chart above). It sells Behr’s 2027 color, Grounded, and Glidden’s, Artifact.10,12,14
Lowe’s
Stores across Northern VirginiaSells Valspar’s 2027 color, Cottage Door (8004-38E), a grayed blue.11
Ferguson Home
Showrooms in Chantilly and AlexandriaPlumbing, lighting and appliances in one place. Its trend forecast names layered lighting, panel-ready appliances, walk-in pantries with coffee stations, statement sinks and warm, complex neutrals, and it pairs most 2026 colors of the year with brass, gold or champagne bronze.15
MSI
Showroom in DullesQuartz, granite, marble and quartzite slabs, and tile. Its home page leads with Calacatta-look quartz, quartzite, European white oak floors and ceramic tile.16
IKEA
Stores in Woodbridge and ChantillyIts SEKTION kitchen system shows 15 front series. Next to the whites and grays are the 2026-27 directions: HAVSTORP deep green, LERHYTTAN blue, VEDHAMN oak and ASKERSUND light ash. Prices, installation and what neighbors say: the budget section below.18
On a budget
Get the look without breaking the bank.
Six steps, cheapest first, then the IKEA route in numbers, and what neighbors say about it.
The 2026-27 look is mostly color, wood tone, light and hardware, and those are the cheap parts. The expensive part of a kitchen is moving things: plumbing, gas, walls. Keep the layout, and the trend costs a fraction of a full remodel. In the DC area a midrange minor remodel costs about $27,308 and adds back about 100.5% of that at resale.4
Cheapest first. Each step below adds to the one before. Prices are one-time, from this site’s kitchen remodel cost guide, each with its own source.
New-looking cabinets: what each route costs here
Cabinet work for a whole kitchen, one-time cost. Counters and appliances are extra, except where noted.19,23
- Paint the cabinets you haveMayflower, Northern Virginia$3,000 to $7,000
- Reface: new doors on your boxesHomeAdvisor, June 2026$4,234 to $10,226
- IKEA, installed by IKEAIKEA’s averages: $5,500 kitchen plus $2,500 installationabout $8,000
- Stock cabinets, installedMayflower, average kitchen$5,000 to $15,000
- Semi-custom, installedMayflower, average kitchen$15,000 to $35,000
- CustomMayflower; more in a large kitchen$35,000 to $60,000+
- Light it$500 to $1,500 one-time, installed (Mayflower)LED strips under the cabinets. 87% of designers plan lights there.1,23
- Change the pullsPulls only, no other workOne warm metal on every door. Brushed gold is rising (12%) behind brushed nickel (28%) and black (18%).2
- Paint one thing$3,000 to $7,000 one-time to paint all the cabinets (Mayflower)The island or the lower cabinets in one 2027 green or smoky blue; warm white or wood around it.23
- New counters onlyQuartz $70 to $160 a square foot, installed (Modern Kitchen VA)Keep the cabinets if the boxes are sound. White quartz is the safe resale pick.3,23
- Reface$4,234 to $10,226 one-time; $7,230 average (HomeAdvisor)New doors and drawer fronts on the cabinet boxes you have. The layout stays.23
- New cabinets, same layoutIKEA or stock: see the chart aboveKeeping sinks, gas and walls where they are is what keeps a remodel minor, and a minor remodel pays back best here (100.5%).4
The IKEA route, in numbers
IKEA’s own figures, before taxes.19
IKEA’s sample kitchen, priced
An ASKERSUND light ash kitchen for 100 to 200 square feet: $17,976.77 one-time, with 4 appliances. Measuring, delivery, installation and taxes are extra.19
How an IKEA kitchen works
- Plan it, freeWith an IKEA planner in Chantilly or Woodbridge, online, or at home. Or start in its online planner.
- Measure it, $79An IKEA measurer comes to the house; the $79 comes off a qualifying installation. You can also measure yourself.
- Clear the roomIKEA doesn’t tear out the old kitchen. Demolition, plumbing, electrical and walls are yours to line up.
- Install itAbout 2 to 3 days for a 10-cabinet kitchen. Assemble nothing yourself if IKEA installs: its warranty needs its team start to finish.
- Counters lastA custom countertop is measured on the installed cabinets and takes 3 to 4 weeks. IKEA plans about 60 days from start to finish.
Where in Northern Virginia
- Woodbridge The full store, 2900 Potomac Mills Circle (Prince William).
- Chantilly A smaller store with a planning studio, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center (Fairfax), open since June 18, 2026.
- Fairfax Corner Its planning point closes November 30, 2026.
- Leesburg A mobile pick-up point for online orders; no store in Loudoun.18
What homeowners here say about IKEA kitchens
What they liked
Ikea cabinets are really good for their price. Hardware is a quality Blum too.
r/nova, 2026I LOVE our IKEA cabinets! After 7 years of our abuse, they are still great.
r/nova, 2026The cabinets themselves have held up wonderfully.
r/nova, 2024we had a new kitchen in a little over a week
DC-area parents’ forum, 2024, with an independent installer
What went wrong
The IKEA-contracted installers were unbelievably terrible. Big, unfinished gaps in the walls behind the cabinets, uncaulked and unpainted…
r/nova, 2024The one that works through Ikea has really bad reviews.
Vienna homeowner, 2022The Ikea contractor is fine. Honestly most contractors have bad reviews.
a reply in the same thread, 2022charged extra couple thousand to account for the fact that Ikea is more time consuming to install
on other contractors, same thread, 2022
Homeowners online, quoted as written; not verified. Reviews of IKEA’s installers are of the company holding its local contract at the time.20
Before you sign. Ask who installs, and see their recent kitchens. Get the demolition, plumbing and electrical priced too, since IKEA’s installation leaves them out. Check every box against the order list when it arrives. And keep the layout: that is where the savings are.19
Selling
What helps a kitchen sell here.
Timeless where it’s expensive, on trend where it’s cheap to change.
Timeless where it’s expensive
- Cabinet boxes and layout
- Counters: white quartz, or quartzite
- Floors: wood tones
- A matching stainless set
On trend where it’s cheap to change
- Paint: one green or blue, on the island
- Pulls: one warm metal
- Lights: under the cabinets, pendants
- Faucet, stools, a slab backsplash if the budget allows
Buyers pay for a kitchen that looks finished and cared for, not for the newest trend. In NAR’s 2025 Remodeling Impact report, 48% of agents saw buyer demand for kitchen upgrades rising.5 In the DC area, a midrange minor kitchen remodel adds back about 100.5% of its cost at resale; a midrange major remodel 48.9%, an upscale one 32.4%.4 Asked which kitchen upgrades give the best return, 54% of designers named cabinets and 49% the layout.1
Zillow found that listings naming certain counters sold above the price it expected. That is a link, not proof: homes with quartzite tend to be finished well everywhere.3
Listing words that sold for more
Sale premium over Zillow’s expected price, 2025 listings3
What it costs here, with prices checked this month: the kitchen remodel cost guide.23 What to do before you list (a weekend shine, a smart update, or price it in): the kitchen part of What to fix before selling.
Right timing, right price and right condition make a smooth sale. Timing is a decision, not a coincidence: if the kitchen needs work, a winter of updates and a late-winter list date often beats rushing it.
Fading
What’s fading, and what takes its place.
Part by part, from the same reports.
Fading doesn’t mean wrong. A clean gray kitchen still sells. But if you’re choosing now, these are the choices the reports say are on their way out, and what is taking their place. Tap a part in the picker at the top for the numbers behind each one.
- Cabinets
Open shelves, high gloss, all grayNatural white oak, an island in its own color - Paint colors
Cool gray on everythingOne green or smoky blue, in one place - Countertops
Speckled granite, black island topsQuartzite, with wood on a contrasting island - Appliances
Gadgets buyers don’t ask forInduction, built in, panel-ready - Hardware
Knobs on every doorWarm metal: brushed gold, brass, bronze - Backsplash
Small glass mosaicsOne stone slab, counter to ceiling - Lighting
One ceiling fixture for the whole roomLayers, and lights inside the cabinets - Floors
Gray floors, laminate, carpetWide-plank white oak, or porcelain tile - Sink and faucet
Touch-free faucetsFiltered water, a statement sink - Layout and pantry
A second islandA prep pantry or back kitchen, a drinks station
Questions
What people ask before they choose a kitchen.
What are the kitchen trends for 2027?
Warm and natural: wood cabinets (white oak above all), quartzite counters, one green or smoky blue on the island or lower cabinets, warm metal hardware, induction, layered lighting, and pantries or back kitchens that hide the mess. The NKBA 2027 report (830 designers and pros, October 2026) leads with these.
What is the most popular kitchen cabinet color for 2026?
Wood. In Houzz's 2026 study, wood cabinets (29%) edged out white (28%) for the first time, with off-white at 15%. Green (6%) passed gray (5%).
What kitchen colors are in for 2027?
Greens and smoky blues, on a neutral base. The 2027 colors of the year: Benjamin Moore Webster Green, Sherwin-Williams Celery, Behr Grounded, Valspar Cottage Door and Glidden Artifact. Designers pick greens (83%) and blues (75%) after neutrals (96%).
Is quartz or quartzite better for resale?
Both help. Zillow found 2025 listings naming quartzite sold for 5.3% more than expected and quartz 3% more. Quartz is still the most installed counter (32%) and the safer choice in a townhouse; designers now rank quartzite slightly higher (78% to 74%).
Are white kitchens going out of style?
Not out, but no longer automatic. White cabinets fell 5 points to 28% and now trail wood. Warm white is still the safe pick before a sale, especially with white quartz and a matching stainless set.
Are gray kitchens out?
Mostly. Gray cabinets fell to 5% of remodels, behind green, and gray floors are 11%. Glidden named its 2027 color as a step away from cool grays.
Is open shelving out?
Designers think so: 64% say open shelving is on its way out, and 85% say cabinets now hide the appliances. Closed storage, pantries and appliance garages lead.
Are induction cooktops worth it?
Architects score induction the top rising kitchen product (+56.5), and new homes here include it: Van Metre lists an induction cooktop with a chimney hood in Aldie. Among homeowners, gas still leads (48% to 26%).
What kitchen hardware finish is popular?
Bar pulls in brushed nickel (28%) or black (18%) are the most chosen; brushed gold is at 12% and rising, and showrooms pair the new colors with brass, gold or champagne bronze.
What kitchen upgrades add the most value?
A smaller update usually beats a big remodel: in the DC area a midrange minor kitchen remodel adds back about 100.5% of its cost, a major one about half or less. Designers name cabinet upgrades (54%) and layout (49%) as the best returns.
Should I follow kitchen trends if I'm selling soon?
Keep the expensive parts timeless (cabinets, counters, floors, appliances) and add the trend where it's cheap to change: paint, pulls, lights. Buyers pay for a kitchen that looks finished and cared for.
How can I update my kitchen on a budget?
Keep the layout and change the surfaces, cheapest first: under-cabinet lights ($500 to $1,500 installed), new pulls, paint (about $3,000 to $7,000 for all the cabinets here), new counters, refacing ($4,234 to $10,226), then new stock or IKEA cabinets. Moving plumbing, gas and walls is what makes a remodel expensive.
How much does an IKEA kitchen cost, installed?
IKEA says its average kitchen, without appliances, costs about $5,500 and its average installation about $2,500, both one-time. Its sample 100 to 200 square foot kitchen is $17,976.77 with four appliances and a custom countertop, before measuring, delivery, installation and taxes.
Is there an IKEA in Northern Virginia?
Yes, two stores: the full store in Woodbridge (Potomac Mills) and a smaller store with a kitchen planning studio in Chantilly, open since June 18, 2026. The Fairfax Corner planning point closes November 30, 2026. Leesburg has a pick-up point, not a store.
Are IKEA kitchens good quality?
The cabinets get good marks from homeowners here, and SEKTION carries a 25-year warranty. Most complaints online are about installers, so ask who installs and see their recent work. IKEA's own installation comes with a 5-year workmanship warranty.
Does this picker save what I tap?
No. It runs in your browser, and nothing is stored or sent unless you choose to text or email Ahmed.
Your next step
Planning a kitchen, to sell or to stay?
Send me a photo of your kitchen and what you’re thinking. I’ll tell you what buyers at your price expect, which changes pay, and which to skip. In English or Arabic, with real numbers, not a pitch.
اقرأ هذه الصفحة كاملة بالعربية ←
وكيلك العقاري الموثوق في شمال فرجينيا.
Keep exploring
Your next pages.
Keep reading
- Homeowner guideKitchen remodel costWhat a kitchen costs, and what it earns back when you sell.
- CheckWhat to fix before sellingTap what your house has: see what to fix, what to make shine and what to skip. Staging, pre-listing inspections and selling as is.
- ToolWhat is my home worth?A written valuation from the closed sales nearest you.
- Selling guideSelling a houseCosts, timing and pricing, step by step.