The ‘Cluttered Kitchen’ Trend Is Taking Over – Here’s How to Get the Look Without the Chaos
Artfully curated and entirely unfussy – here's how to get the cluttered kitchen trend right so your cooking space feels lived-in rather than messy
Clutter is usually considered a bad thing, but when it comes to this kitchen trend, it's the makings of a beautifully lived-in space. It's not clutter in the literal sense, but a way to describe a more collected decorating style that feels personalized and homey. It's a kitchen that's clearly used and loved, with an air of curated style.
It's a kitchen trend that's been slowly emerging over the past year, especially as we move away from sleek minimal spaces towards homes that feel like homes. It's about bringing the pieces you love into your cooking space, and embracing the charm of filled shelves and signs of life.
And it's also a trend that designers say is here to stay. Find out why interior designers say the cluttered kitchen trend is long overdue, how to bring a more collected look into your own space, and how to walk the line between artfully cluttered and messy.
The Appeal of the Cluttered Kitchen Trend
Open shelving filled with beloved recipe books, elevated kitchen storage, and collected ceramics give this space a beautifully lived-in look without reading as a mess.
The cluttered kitchen trend isn't about allowing your space to become messy and chaotic. It's the idea that a kitchen should feel just as lived-in and cozy as the other rooms in your home, just in a slightly different way that balances style and function. Think of it as collected, personalized, and full of thoughtful details that make a cooking space infinitely more inviting.
It's not just another aesthetic, either. As cool neutral kitchen colors and sleek materials fall out of favor, warm hues and patinated finishes are taking their place, and the desire for a space that feels characterful and lovingly worn is only growing. This trend allows the kitchen to become the true heart of the home, rather than a purely practical space.
'The appeal is that kitchens are finally being allowed to look and feel like the heart of the home again. They are busy, hardworking spaces, and a little bit of visual abundance can make them feel much more welcoming and personal,' says Sophie Pringle, Founder of Pringle & Pringle. 'I love the idea of having everyday essentials close at hand, with beautiful ceramics, cookbooks, favorite ingredients, and pieces that you use regularly becoming part of the character of the room. It is about creating a kitchen that feels lived in and enjoyed, rather than one that is always perfectly pristine.'
Thoughtful details in this kitchen, including the integrated plate rack on the wall, create a collected, curated feel without taking over the countertops.
It goes beyond the smaller pieces you add – the trend shows up through the larger kitchen installations, too. 'Everyone wants a home that feels lived-in, and the kitchen is the perfect place for that. Clutter does not translate into mess. It simply means displaying curated items with intention. Today, we can find beautiful appliances that actually merit being exhibited instead of being hidden behind panel-ready cabinetry. I am loving the latest coffee machines – and don't even get me started on the retro refrigerators. They make the kitchen feel cozy and homey,' says Ania Agárdy of Luxury Living.
The cluttered kitchen trend takes away the expectation of perfection. It should be easy to achieve because it naturally evolves as you use and live in your kitchen. It's a style you can take your time with – forcing a collected look never looks quite right, but filling shelves with inherited ceramics, travel collections, and seasonal pieces will instantly bring the look to life.
'I think there is something rather lovely about a kitchen that feels as though it has evolved over time, rather than being designed and styled all in one go,' adds Melissa Hutley, Co-Founder of Hutley & Humm. 'It is often the little things that give a room its soul – a collection of ceramics, interesting pieces picked up on travels, or something inherited from family. I would describe it less as clutter and more as a sense of abundance and personality. A kitchen should feel warm, welcoming, and used, not like a showroom where you are afraid to put anything down.'
Why It's Trending
'Do not assume that having plenty on display means the tiles have to disappear into the background,' says Grazzie. 'I would happily put a rich caramel glaze behind a collection of old kitchenware. Those variations from honey to deeper brown are gorgeous beside worn timber, and copper pans pick up the warmth beautifully.'
The way we use, design, and live in our kitchens is evolving. No longer purely a cooking space, they've evolved into social rooms where hosting, dining, and quality time are spent. The cluttered kitchen trend brings that personalized feel and cozier style that makes you want to spend time in them.
'For many years, minimalist kitchens dominated design, but people have realized that having everything hidden makes the space feel less personal and more clinical. Kitchens have become a gathering area in the home. It is the first place a family gets together in the morning. When you create a space that is informal and intimate, it actually encourages conversation and gets us to put away our cell phones,' says Ania.
It also encourages homeowners to treat their kitchen as a place to showcase personality – just because functional tasks take place in a kitchen doesn't mean it has to feel clinical. It deserves just as much decorative attention as any other room.
'I think people are increasingly drawn to homes that feel individual and have a sense of history about them. There has been a move away from interiors that are too perfect or minimal, towards spaces that feel layered, comfortable and reflective of the people who live in them,' Melissa explains. 'The kitchen is such an important part of family life, so it makes sense that people want it to feel relaxed and full of character. We love mixing old and new and letting treasured objects and everyday pieces become part of the decor.'
How to Get the Look Without Creating a Messy Kitchen
Shelving plays a pivotal role in the collected feel of this kitchen, from the pretty kitchenware displayed on the walls to the dedicated bookshelf in the island for easy-to-access, visible recipe books.
There's a fine line between a kitchen that feels collected and one that just feels messy. Think about where you want to display decorative and elevated pieces to create a more lived-in look. Keep items on your countertops to a minimum to avoid cluttering your hard-working surfaces.
'It boils down to organization. I always incorporate display areas such as floating shelves and glass doors. The goal is to mix varying textures, shapes, and heights, combining daily essentials with decorative anchors,' says Ania, who emphasizes utilizing less-used areas to balance style and function.
'There is something rather sad about beautiful pottery spending its life behind a door while the kitchen gets decorated with things bought specifically to decorate a kitchen. Put the pottery on a shelf. Hang those lovely pans from a rail and enjoy them between meals. That is what appeals to me about this look: the things you use become part of what makes the room beautiful,' adds Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra.
Once you've chosen which areas of your kitchen to curate into more collected, focal spaces, the rest depends on the items you put there. Be considerate, and balance decorative pieces and prettier kitchenware so your storage still has a practical purpose.
'There is a growing appreciation for spaces that combine beauty with practicality,' Sophie adds, 'where the things you use every day can be incorporated into the design rather than simply being seen as clutter.'
'For us, it is all about being considered with what you put on display. Open shelving can be a wonderful way to introduce character, particularly if you mix useful pieces such as plates and glassware with ceramics, artwork, cookbooks and perhaps a few collected objects,' says Melissa.
'In this project, we used open shelving in the kitchen to keep the space feeling light and relaxed, while introducing plenty of opportunity for personality. I would always suggest grouping things rather than scattering lots of little objects around, and mixing different heights, textures and materials to create interest. Keep the practical necessities organized and let the more decorative pieces tell a story. You want the kitchen to feel generous and full of life, but still somewhere that is a pleasure to cook and spend time in.'
What you display is just as important as what you don't for a successfully cluttered kitchen. 'The key is to be clever about what you display and what you conceal. We love designing functional pantries that incorporate breakfast and coffee stations, as we have done in many of our projects, so that appliances, cups, cereals and all those everyday essentials can be kept together and neatly tucked away when not in use,' Sophie adds.
'In our Hammersmith kitchen, we also designed the island with generous, deep drawers for practical kitchen storage, while incorporating open shelving at the sides for cookbooks and favorite pieces. The island is both highly functional and adds personality to the room. I always suggest displaying a few things you genuinely love or use regularly, rather than filling every available surface. That way, you get the warmth and character of a lived-in kitchen without sacrificing a sense of order.'
Shop the Cluttered Kitchen Trend
This emerging kitchen trend is all about bringing collected charm and personality to your cooking space, so take notes from designers to ensure you get the look right. Start with a few beautiful pieces on display, then let the rest grow over time.
Love beautiful design ideas, expert advice, and inspiring decor trends? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.
