Worktops Take Centre Stage In Kitchen Renovations, Houzz Study Finds

• Renovation spend continues to rise, particularly for large kitchens

Houzz Inc., the leading platform for home renovation and design, including the all-in-one software solution for industry professionals, has released the 2025 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. The survey found that the majority of homeowners upgraded their worktops during a kitchen renovation (92%). When it comes to choosing new kitchen worktops, homeowners prioritise materials based on their look and feel (65%), durability (44%) and ease of cleaning (38%), rather than cost (24%; down 7 percentage points from 2024).

Engineered quartz is the most sought-after worktop material (42%), followed by butcher block or wood slab (14%), laminate (14%), solid surface (12%), granite (10%) and marble (5%). White is the top choice for main kitchen worktops, selected by more than half of homeowners (32% white and 22% off-white), followed at a distance by wood tones (16%).

“Worktops offer a multitude of options for homeowners to personalise their kitchens for both aesthetic and practical reasons like durability and ease of cleaning. Even as design trends evolve, this feature remains a priority,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “We’re seeing a rise in overall kitchen renovation spend as homeowners invest in specific features and undergo major modifications, many of which require the expertise of qualified home professionals.”

Investment in kitchen renovations continues to grow, with over a quarter of renovating homeowners citing having the financial means for starting their kitchen update as a top motivation (29%). The median spend for both major and minor kitchen renovations* increased by 34% to £17,500 from £13,000 in 2024. The median spend for a major kitchen renovation of a large kitchen (100 square feet or more), climbed to £20,000, up from £15,000 the previous year. The median spend on a major small kitchen renovation (less than 100 square feet) is £4,900.

Nearly three-quarters of homeowners change the layout of their kitchen (71%) and over three in five upgrade plumbing, electrical or heating systems (63%). Considering the complexities of these projects, homeowners are continuing to turn to home professionals for help. In fact, 93% of homeowners hired a pro for their project. Tradespeople are in highest demand (61%), and other popular categories include kitchen fitters (45%), kitchen designers (44%), home builders (28%), architects (28%) and cabinet makers (24%).

Additional insights from the 2025 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study include:

• Slab splashbacks: The majority of homeowners opt for bold, larger-format slab splashbacks (62%), while nearly two in five choose tile (38%). Regardless of material, interest in full splashback coverage continues this year, with 40% of homeowners extending coverage to cabinets or extractors and even all the way to the ceiling (3%).
  
  
• A mix of cabinet colours: Nearly a third of homeowners choose differing colours for upper and lower kitchen cabinets (31%). White is the top choice for uppers, selected by more than two in five homeowners (23% off-white and 19% white), followed by wood tones (18%). Green takes the top spot for lower cabinets that contrast from upper cabinets (21%). Other common colours for lowers include blue (16%), beige and grey (11%, each).

• Vinyl flooring steps ahead: Vinyl or resilient flooring is the most popular choice for kitchen flooring (25%). Other common flooring materials include porcelain tiles (16%), engineered wood (14%) and laminate (14%). How a material looks and feels is the most important factor when choosing flooring (74%), followed by durability (65%) and ease of cleaning (48%).

• Japandi style emerges: The top three primary kitchen styles remain contemporary (28%), modern (20%) and traditional (11%, down 4 percentage points compared to the previous year). Interestingly, Japandi style is new to the scene, with 3% of homeowners choosing it for their kitchens.
  
  
• Specialty features drive oven preferences: More than 3 in 5 homeowners upgrade their kitchen with a new wall oven (63%). Of those, more than two-thirds incorporate specialty features (67%), including automated cooking (36%), remote timer activation (24%), precise temperature control (24%), control locks (23%), phone monitor controls and activity notifications (both 21%).

The 2025 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study is a report of homeowners who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a kitchen renovation. The online survey was fielded to UK Houzz users in November-December 2024. n=361. You can download the full report here.

Houzz has a directory of over 3 million home renovation and design professionals to assist with home projects. Houzz Pro provides industry professionals with a cloud-based, AI-powered project management and design software that helps them to run their businesses efficiently and profitably, including visual tools like 3D Floor Plans and Mood Boards that enable pros to help homeowners visualise their space and feel more comfortable moving forward with their project. Homeowners can also get inspired by the more than 25 million photos of professionally designed interiors and exteriors for inspiration.

*A major kitchen renovation refers to a renovation in which at least all cabinets and appliances are replaced. A minor kitchen renovation refers to all other renovations.

Source : Houzz

Image : Studio 29 Architects

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