Words: Francesca Seden

January is the perfect time to anticipate the trends that are poised to influence the KBB sector over the next 12 months.  

Our industry insiders have identified a number of central themes, with sub trends, and a few outliers, which we’ll also delve into.

The first three main trends – smart/integrated technology, sustainability and accessibility – all feed into each other.

In terms of smart technology, functionality, voice activation and operation, remote-activated oven preheating, and the ability to check your appliance via an app, are all becoming increasingly mainstream. 

“Smart technology will continue to evolve,” adds Asko product and marketing manager Jessica Rhodes, “but with an emphasis on really practical features that enhance everyday life”.

This is backed up by research carried out by Häfele, with input from trend spotter website, Exploding Topics. According to Exploding Topics, search volume for the term ‘connected kitchen’ has increased more than 119% in the past five years. 

Additionally, Rachel Tuckey, chief product and marketing officer at Häfele UK cites the brand’s Homes for Living report in which 12% of homeowners said that smart and Wi-Fi enabled appliances would be in their top ten most desired items in their next kitchen.

When it comes to lighting, Sensio managing director, Michael Linsky, insists that smart LED will remain at the forefront of the market, driven by the rise in connected home technology control via Alexa and Google Home. “This allows users to completely personalise their illumination by setting lighting schedules, adjusting brightness, and colour temperature,” he added.

In the bathroom, smart, app-controlled showers and shower loos are set to be popular, along with technology which promotes wellness. Illuminated Wi-Fi connected mirrors and smart, integrated lighting will also be key.

According to industry experts, environmental awareness, efficiency and sustainability will also be a key trend for 2025, with Neolith UK’s senior sales manager, Ross Stewart, going further by saying that it won’t just be trendy, but an absolute necessity – using recycled and recyclable materials.

As well as products being sustainable in terms of their material use or reuse, it’s increasingly important to consumers that products stand the test of time – not just in terms of sustainability for its own sake – because consumers also want greater value for money. 

Because of the drive for greater efficiency, technology that promotes efficiency and sustainability, such as LED lighting, auto-dosing, app control and refrigeration tech that reduces food wastage will also still prove popular.

Finally, the trend for using planet-friendly materials will also be reflected in kitchens from an aesthetic standpoint, with the use of natural products such as wood, stone, glass and metal expected to remain popular.

Interlocking trends

The third key trend identified is accessibility and inclusivity, which is being driven by an increase in multigenerational living arrangements and a growing, ageing population. Again, most kitchen and bathroom brands recognise this, and many are developing products in this area, as demonstrated in our multigenerational living piece featured in the December 2024 issue. 

The trends for smart technology and sustainability both feed into this topic, with voice-activation being a primary feature which can be utilised by those with reduced mobility. Additionally, futureproofing makes designs more sustainable as they can be created to adapt to users over many years, meaning that there is little need for a redesign.

As well as these main themes, we’ve identified some sub-trends noted by many of our contributors, starting with customisation and personalisation, and convenience and multifunctionality.

Where the former is concerned, we can expect to see brands offering their products in a wide range of different colours and finishes, whether that be sinks and taps in a rainbow of metallic hues as offered by Franke, to customisable handles and knobs in different metallic trims as offered
by Bertazzoni. 

In terms of furniture, elements like open shelving, room dividers and customisable drawer inserts could prove even more popular for 2025. 

In bathrooms, the coloured suite has been making a progressive comeback for a while and this shows no sign of abating, and many brands also offer brassware and associated hardware in a wide range of co-ordinated finishes. 

And while these design trends might ordinarily only be applicable to homeowners, who can make permanent changes to their living spaces, Roca is considering renters with its Sonata collection – an easy-to-install range of bathroom accessories which doesn’t need drilling or screws. They can be secured with special adhesives which leave no mark or damage when the fittings are removed. With homeownership out of reach for so many in the UK, one wonders whether other brands might follow Roca’s lead here.

Colourful concepts

n 2025, it looks likely that stark white sanitaryware will be replaced by softer, more muted shades such as “cosy milky tones that evoke feelings of comfort and cleanliness”, says Lewis Neathey, leader of product management LIXIL EMENA and Grohe UK. 

This tone creates a natural atmosphere and balances out warmer, and bolder tones. With more warmth than the stark coolness of white, this creamier shade will also co-ordinate well with the more warmer tones that are set to be hot for the coming year across the KBB landscape. 

These include rich browns, as well as rich greens, such as ‘Transformative Teal’, identified by forecasters WSGN as its Colour of the Year for 2026. 

“For the Evergreen trend,” says Neathey, “all hues of green will be utilised depending on personal preference, with a focus on reconnecting with nature and conscious living.” This biophilia will extend to plants making a more regular appearance in homes, each promoting health and wellness.

With a final word on colours, Symphony’s design manager Josie Medved agrees that greens will dominate this year, along with blues, blacks and rich reds. Cool greys are out, and warmer greys will remain on trend. Medved says there will also be an increase in neutral shades, such as pebble, alabaster, plaster pink, greige, pale sage green and stone. “Colour drenching, where the same or similar tones are used across the room, will also become more common, particularly with darker shades in the bedroom.” 

We’re likely to see these warm tones, paired with tactile textured wood and stone, plus fluted glass, and some bold accents. These design trends feed largely into a desire to create havens for wellness and relaxation. Spaces will also be minimalist and uncluttered, or carefully curated with only the objects we want on show.

Easy living

To round off our technology and design trends section we offer a few words on convenience and multifunctionality. 

Looking at its first-party data from kitchen enquiries over the last 12 months, Halifax-based kitchen designer Creating Spaces Group has shared an analysis which revealed that homeowners are prioritising “convenience-first” design elements in their kitchens, with tiled flooring, clever internal storage, smart, hot water tap upgrades, and integrated appliances all front of mind during the design process.

Thinking about multifunctionality, appliances will have to work harder to maximise value for money and living space, so we can anticipate more feature-rich multifunctional ovens, hobs with integrated extractors, for a seamless look and more convenient way to maintain the appliance. 

Innovations in laundry, such as LG’s WashTower embody this trend, seamlessly combining a full-sized washing machine and dryer in a single, sleek unit, which promises to save valuable floor space, while streamlining laundry day with its intuitive controls and advanced cleaning technologies.

Asko’s Jessica Rhodes notes how the shift towards kitchens becoming multifunctional hubs for family life and socialising is driving demand for adaptable appliances and designs which cater to a wide variety of needs, from everyday meal preparation to hosting dinner parties with friends.

Looking towards the year ahead from a business and economic perspective – how the housing market, and other outside factors might impact the KBB sector – the general feeling is one of cautious optimism, as it often is.

David Morris, sales director at buying group MHK UK, notes that the middle to lower end of the market has remained stable. 

He explains: “Our retail partners have seen the volume of the furniture they sell increase by 20-25% this year, either through bigger projects or by expanding outside of the kitchen into different parts of the home such as studies, dressing rooms and home cinemas.”

There is a recognition of challenges ahead including increased material and running costs for businesses, including the recently announced rises in the minimum wage and national insurance contributions, as well limited growth opportunities available for some. 

A reduction in property sales may also lead to less KBB installations, says InHouse Inspired Room Design director Stuart Dance, “however, if the ‘improve not move’ trend sticks, this may change”. He adds that the rental market is also doing well so sales may likely increase with landlords looking to upgrade properties.

Additionally, there is also a target to build 1.5million homes by 2029, which is “no mean feat”, according to Paul Whyte, commercial director at Bertazzoni, “but the KBB market has the opportunity to benefit from the drive”.  

He adds: “With the Autumn Budget, General Election, and US Presidential Election out of the way, we hope that current issues will subside.”