Colors are spicing up kitchen design. Magnet, a kitchen retailer based in the United Kingdom, recently analyzed sales trends as well as social media and Google search data among U.S. and U.K. consumers to identify the most popular trends. Say goodbye to all-white, cookie-cutter kitchens as colors like greens and blues become appealing options to homeowners.

“Over the decades, the kitchen has moved from a primarily functional space to the center of the home,” says Jenn Nash, senior design lead at Magnet. “This evolution of use also brings a new, invigorated appreciation of color. People are increasingly using the home to express themselves but need versatile spaces. Multiuse spaces need extra-thoughtful consideration, but an emphasis on living spaces rather than practical is getting peoples’ imaginations flowing.”

Magnet reveals the following top three kitchen cabinet colors in its 2023 interior trends report.(link is external)

Nature-Inspired Green

Magnet’s report found that over the past year, Google and Pinterest searches for “green kitchens” have jumped 50%. The term nets an average of 74,000 monthly Google searches. On Pinterest, searches for “olive green kitchens” have increased 51% during the past year, and searches for “sage green kitchens” are up 48%.

“From deeper forest and olive shades to the more subtle tones of eucalyptus and sage, the versatility of the green hue is, in part, what makes it the go-to palette in today’s modern kitchen,” Nash says. “Combining associations with nature and an evocativeness of balance, growth, renewal and harmony, green is a refreshing color that allows the hardest-working room in the home to feel both invigorated and calm in equal measure.”

The rise of green kitchens also falls in line with growing consumer interest in biophilic interior design, a concept that taps into our human instinct to connect with nature, Nash says. “If we look at the popularity of crittall and bi-fold doors—displaying open views of the outdoors—increased use of botanical architecture and the juxtaposition of both refined and raw natural materials used in the kitchen, it’s evident that more and more of us are looking to blur the boundaries between the interior and exterior,” Nash says.

Magnet reports that over the past six months, demand for green cabinets has grown the fastest. The company’s Ludlow Arboretum Green kitchen, which launched last summer, has already become one of the most popular styles.

Blue Kitchens

Thanks to the coastal interior trend—which actress Reese Witherspoon helped popularize with her powder blue kitchen—Magnet reports that demand for light blue kitchens is soaring. Searches for blue kitchens increased 24% on Google and 25% on Pinterest over the past year. What’s more, Google searches for “beach blue kitchens” have skyrocketed 271% in the same time period.

‘’Blue kitchens have been an extremely popular choice over the last few years,” Nash says. “Oceanic, serene, safe and stylish, they offer a versatile foundation that pairs perfectly with classic shaker styles as well as minimalistic modern designs. As people look for more contemporary takes on classic palettes alongside brighter environments, we are seeing lighter shades of blue kitchens grow in demand.” Lighter blue hues offer a timeless, fresh approach “with an added sense of playfulness and personality in both classic and contemporary spaces,” she adds.

Darker hues of blue also are trending. Magnet reports that over the past six months, navy blue kitchens have been the company’s second-best seller next to Tatton Midnight.

Neutral Kitchens (But Not White!)

Colors in the kitchen don’t have to be too bold, Magnet notes in its report. Despite the rise of maximalist interior trends, neutral and cashmere kitchens remain one of the biggest trends of 2023.

Magnet reports that Google searches for “neutral kitchens” have increased 47% over the past year while searches on Pinterest have jumped 54%. Similarly, searches for “cashmere kitchens” have increased 22% on both Google and Pinterest. Beige and neutral kitchens have been Magnet’s third-best seller over the past six months.

“Although we are seeing more people embrace brighter and more saturated colors in the kitchen and beyond, the minimalist kitchen trend and its accompanying neutral palette still holds strong in 2023,” Nash says. “These hues have a space-enhancing effect and offer the clean and timeless finish all-white kitchens have so long been used for.”

Earthy tones can offer a warmer, cozier vibe than white, Nash adds. “This soft, cozy feel is what defines the emerging trend for cocooning—feeling safe and nurtured with the help of cozy interior styling,” she says. “Think traditional, heritage styling mixed with contemporary accents, increased use of green shades, lots of layering, timber textures and plenty of soft furnishings. Cozy living is a key trend to look out for this year.”

*Published by the National Association of Realtors*

The majority of homeowners say they would like to lighten up their home’s exterior with a neutral color palette, according to a new survey of more than 1,400 respondents conducted by The Harris Poll and commissioned by Alside, an exterior building product firm. The top five most popular siding colors for 2023, as identified by survey respondents, are:

• Off-white/cream
• White
• Light gray
• Light brown
• Medium blue

“It’s interesting to compare the national survey data to what we’re seeing in the market,” says Chase Creighton, business director of vinyl & composite cladding for homebuilding firm Associated Materials. “The farmhouse trend is driving more of the preference of homeowners choosing white and light colors. It’s possible, too, that cost may be a driver. As building material prices have risen, consumers may have gravitated toward lower cost options and away from premium colors.”

In fact, Alside, in its review of its company’s sales data, found that demand for white siding paint has more than doubled since 2018. View some of the leading siding colors below.

By Felicia Pulley, Real Estate Staging Association

© NiseriN/Getty Images

Some real estate agents don’t understand how home staging actually works. The Real Estate Staging Association recently spoke to home stagers and asked them what they wish real estate agents better understood about professional home staging. The following are some of the most common misunderstandings they cited:

1. Staging is not interior design.

A professional home stager is an interior designer in reverse. Their objective is to make a home look as inviting as possible to a broad audience. So in other words, they take away design elements rather than introducing new ones.

Decluttering a house is always the first thing on a seller’s to-do list. Professional stagers simply organize and fine-tune that process. When all the extraneous items are taken away, the stager may add some neutral touches that will help buyers see themselves in the home. (Learn more about the process: The Consumer’s Guide to Real Estate Staging(link is external).)

2. Professional home staging services are too expensive.

Home stagers wish real estate agents and sellers understood that their overhead can be pretty high. They maintain constantly rotating inventory and storage or warehouse costs. They also have to pay for transportation and gas, as well as ordinary business expenses such as insurance, payroll, and business licenses. “I wish other agents would understand the cost of labor these days,” says Klara Dove, a home stager and REALTOR®. “It’s not just about hauling a couch over there. The moving prices with labor that’s insured is expensive. Movers make more money than I do sometimes!” (Tip: Find out the laws in your state regarding moving expenses and income taxes. In some states, sellers can deduct certain moving expenses, and staging service may be included.)

Laura Jones, founder of Home Harmony, says the cost of home staging can pay off in the end. “I wish agents realized how much less staging a home professionally is versus a $10,000 to $20,000 price reduction when they don’t get an offer in a reasonable timeframe,” she says.

3. It’s more than installation day.

Professional home stagers need time to prepare. “We don’t drive around town with a truck filled with furniture,” says Andrea Young, founder of Intuitive Design Studio. “There is planning and preparation that goes into it.” Real estate pros should bring a home stager in for a consultation as early as possible so that they can work with the client to discuss the listing agent's process, timeline, and budget for staging. “Staging shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be a priority, like photography or cleaning,” says home stager Savannah Jones, founder of Where the Heart Is.

4. Stagers really mean it when they say the property needs to be ready on installation day.

In a perfect world, the property would be vacant, and the landscaping and cleaning would already be done. But too often, stagers find a house that isn’t fully prepped.

For a vacant staging project, Rebecca Boler, founder of The Rebecca Bolder Company, broke down an ideal situation: Agents and homeowners would have all work (contractors, landscapers, cleaners, etc.) completed a minimum of 24 hours prior to arrival. The access details would be provided a minimum of 24 hours prior to arrival and no other people (including the homeowner and agent) would be onsite for the duration of the stage. Then, the photos would be scheduled a minimum of 24 hours after the trucks arrive.

5. Let the home stager sell their services directly to sellers.

You don’t want to jeopardize the listing by pushing outside services. Not to mention, home stagers say, it’s usually easier for a professional third party to tell a seller that their cat odor is really bad. Let the professional home stager do the dirty work.“

Far too often real estate agents pass along our bids to the sellers, void of context and the expertise to sell staging at a high level,” says Ryan Marsh, CEO of OnStage Inc. and a member of the RESA National Board of Directors. “Simply by allowing us to meet with sellers directly, the odds of selling our services and increasing the competitiveness of their listing increase ten-fold.”

6. Professional staging is your silent partner.

Some agents may balk at the idea of professional staging. But according to the National Association of REALTORS®, 82% of buyers’ agents report that professional staging helps clients visualize a home as their own. As more and more buyers search for properties online, it’s more critical than ever that sellers make a great first impression. Staging a property has a tremendous influence on a buyer’s decision to see a property in person, and perhaps even make an offer.

“Professional home staging can be an agent’s silent salesperson,” says Nicole Schenk, founder of Simple Elements Home Staging. Plus, agents will have another professional by their side: RESA home stagers adhere to a code of ethics.

“Stagers want to be real estate agent’s partners to elevate not only the value of the property but elevate the agent’s value and brand,” says Kathryn Lenhardt, a home stager and founder of First Impressions Staging + Design in Seattle.