If you’re renovating, remodeling, or simply refreshing your home, new kitchen or bathroom cabinets provide a simple way to make the most impact. The best cabinet styles mix functionality and elegance to transform the room without overpowering it. Regardless of the style of architecture, the right cabinets can elevate it, and reflect the personality of the homeowner, making their daily routine more enjoyable.
However, trending designs of kitchen and bathroom cabinets can change dramatically, leaving many homeowners with outdated ideas that don’t show as well or last as long. If you’re interested in keeping your kitchen and bathroom as current as possible, these four trends will help you design a space that matches what the biggest names in design are doing with their cabinets in 2025.
1. Changing from White to Neutral
Stark white kitchens used to be in, but the look of a blank slate no longer dominates design trends in 2025. Designers in Maryland and elsewhere are opting for more neutral colors like grays, off-whites, and taupes to encourage more relaxing, less stimulating environments.
The logic behind this change is twofold. White is a stark and clean design choice, but it shows every flaw. As homeowners live with their choice for a while, they begin to see every smudge and fingerprint, such that even when it remains clean, it’s too bright and distracting to be relaxing.
More welcoming and versatile spaces require a more refined palette, which is why designers in 2025 are opting for pastels, neutrals, and warmer tones. They’re finding these tones to be a better fit for the wood and stone surface accents that homeowners crave, while also complementing the natural light and seasonal changes in Southern Maryland better than pure white.
2. Wood-Grain Finishes Look Better Than Ever
Sustainability is in, so homeowners are naturally looking for ways to incorporate natural tones, accents, styles, and forms into their cabinet designs. The trick is to invoke the past trends of wooden cabinet designs without relying on them. Glossy oak cabinets can look too formulaic, but with a modern wood finish, homeowners can make a bespoke kitchen or bathroom refresh pop with newfound elegance.
Instead of the glossy finishes of old construction-grade cabinet work, modern custom cabinets are made from textured wood grain with a matte finish, providing graceful yet understated designs. Instead of oak, white oak and walnut are becoming more preferred choices, especially for coastal, contemporary designs. Rift-cut finishes provide subtle, clean lines for a more modern style, perfect for modern takes on farmhouse designs.
Drawing out the wood grain and pattern instead of shying away from it is a way for modern designers to add authenticity and natural warmth to their kitchens and bathrooms. When it’s time to add stone or tile accents or flooring to the room, the contrast with natural wood grain can create the modern look that homeowners crave.
3. Maximizing Space With Hidden Functionality
Clean, modern kitchens and bathrooms have to keep a strict space economy to remain functional and relaxing. Homeowners in Southern Maryland want cabinets that combine spaces smartly and keep their rooms from becoming cluttered and uninviting.
This is why multi-functional cabinetry has exploded in popularity, from hidden trash drawers and custom spice racks to individualized flatware inlays, pull-out pantries, and drawer inserts. Homeowners are looking for any space they can use to double up with creative cabinetry and keep clutter out of view for their visitors.
Popular options include devoting space under the sink to organization, creating deep cabinet drawers for kitchen or bathroom essentials, or hiding charging stations in custom cabinet inserts. Many homeowners are looking for cabinet designs that add functional space to their most-used rooms without changing the overall impression.
4. Inset Cabinets Bring Tradition Back
The classic architectural styles of Southern Maryland, including Cape Cod, Colonial, and Farmhouse homes, can be resurrected in kitchen and bathroom cabinetry with inset doors. The flush appearance of the cabinet frame echoes these traditional styles, and unlike panel doors, they never go out of style. Inset cabinets will run up the cost of the kitchen and bathroom remodel, but for those with high-end property refreshes, they are still widely considered the peak of bespoke cabinet designs.
Partner with Kitchen and Bathroom Designers to Create Your Ideal Cabinets
When remodeling or updating kitchens and bathrooms, the cabinetry can set the tone of the experience, change the palette, and define how the room will be used every day. These trends in color, craftsmanship, materials, and utility are just a few examples of how Southern Maryland homeowners blend timeless designs with modern functionality.
At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our design team specializes in custom bathroom and kitchen cabinetry. We work with an in-house team of contractors and tradesmen to help homeowners individualize the style, color, and function of their cabinets to the lifestyle they hope to achieve while staying current with the latest trends.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start designing cabinets that can turn any house into a trendy modern home.
