Soft kitchens are all about embracing warmth through the use of color, textures, and materials. Long gone are the days of harsh edges, rough textures, and ruined finishes. Designers and homeowners alike are embracing a lighter touch to kitchens when renovating, and there are plenty of reasons for it.
A kitchen trend that is set to last, soft kitchens create a sense of calm, coziness, and timelessness in this area of the home. After all, kitchens are known to be the beating heart of a space, so why not embrace a softer and more comfortable interior?
But what exactly makes a soft kitchen, and how can you create the same for your space? To better understand this trend and its growing popularity over the years, I spoke to a few designers, and here's what they had to say about it.
What Is the Soft Kitchen Trend?
If you're ready to give your modern kitchen ideas a revamp, then soft kitchens may just be the way to go. Embracing airiness can provide comfort to your kitchen and also create a more lived-in and inviting feel. But what exactly is this trend about, and what do designers make of it?
"The kitchen has always been the heart of the home, but the way we live in it is evolving," says Ana Jenkins, design consultant from ABI Interiors. "The soft kitchen trend isn’t just about colors or materials — it’s about creating a space that welcomes you, where living, cooking, and gathering happen seamlessly."
Ana continues, "The soft kitchen trend is all about warmth, tactility, and comfort, with natural materiality and soothing color palettes. But it goes beyond aesthetics; a soft kitchen is designed to feel lived-in, approachable, and flexible."
Leila Touwen, co-founder of Pluck, says soft kitchens are all about embracing the cozy. "A room that not only do you want to cook in, but also to sit and relax in, a place that is a pleasure to pass time in. It is a reflection of how we use our kitchens nowadays; they are rooms not just for prepping meals, we also want to sit in them," she tells me. "They are often in prime places in a home, with garden views, so it makes complete sense that we gravitate towards them naturally."
How to Embrace the Soft Kitchen Trend
"A soft kitchen starts with thinking about how you live in it, not just how it looks," explains Ana. She says it's best to start with kitchen colors and materials that feel welcoming, "think matte cabinetry instead of high-gloss, natural wood tones, and soft-touch surfaces."
And then you can start to think about adding layers of texture, which can be done "through textiles, from linen napkins to cushioned stools or a small rug that anchors the space. Rounded edges, gentle lighting, and warm hardware all subtly make a space feel more intimate," adds Ana.
Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL, says, "Styling these rooms with vintage cream pudding bowls, plain linens as base cupboard curtains, and big wooden platters gives a simple, humble look to a room."
She continues, "Scale is important; try to source bigger items rather than lots of small bits and bobs. A large mixing bowl on an old French piece of linen sitting on a cream prep table is the ultimate look for simplicity and understated style. It’s the gentle, undramatic colors that are becoming more popular, no more bold statements, back to good old-fashioned creams."
Soft Kitchen Accessories
You cannot go wrong with linen. This elegant set of four from La Redoute comes in a range of stunning colors. Ideal for when you want to set a table — these napkins are the perfect soft kitchen touch.
Anchor your space with an elegant kitchen rug. This Wide Stripes Faded Nougat from Nordic Knots will not disappoint. Made from a hand-woven flatweave design, this piece will certainly uplift the way your kitchen looks and feels.
Bring in an elegant touch of marble with this Fossil Beige Marble Round Serving Board from John Lewis. Ideal for hosting season, this handy, yet chic serving board is the perfect set up for those late night dinner parties.
But how exactly can you incorporate this soft kitchen trend into your space, without having to do too much? Well, Ana provides a breakdown of exactly what you need to do, even if you're working with a small kitchen.
1) Opt for soft, warm tones:
"Start with gentle, inviting colors throughout the kitchen — think warm creams, soft greys, muted pastels, or earthy neutrals," says Ana. "These tones make the space feel calm, welcoming, and effortlessly cozy, setting the perfect backdrop for daily life and gatherings."
2) Incorporate softer natural materials:
You can bring warmth and texture through natural materials, such as matte wood cabinetry and stone kitchen countertops. "Soft-touch surfaces, like brushed metals like our Kingsley Brushed Brass Kitchen Mixer, make the kitchen feel approachable and lived-in, rather than cold or overly polished," notes Ana.
3) Get creative with color, texture, and patterns:
And lastly, Ana says, "Layer in interest with textiles and accessories. Upholstered stools, cushioned seating, patterned rugs, and linen napkins add visual depth and a sense of comfort. Small pops of color or subtle patterns can create personality while keeping the overall feel soft and inviting, transforming the kitchen into a space that truly embraces life and living."
As a final note, Leila from Pluck says that adding vintage kitchen items is a great way to embrace the soft kitchen trend. She tells me it's best to use "Antique furniture, something that is old and made of wood with a characterful patina. Your kitchen table, or smaller pieces, a console and table, stools, and old chairs will all add a softer layer."
So, why not give it a go and embrace something new in your home?
