KitchenAid Color of the Year 2024 just dropped, and it's a complete departure from last year's hue

The heart and soul of KitchenAid is color. That's what distinguishes these iconic stand mixers from the competition: KitchenAids can not only beat batter, knead dough, and whip cream better than anything else out there, but they look good doing it. The KitchenAid artisan is our pick for the best stand mixer for a reason.

When you picture a KitchenAid stand mixer, you might imagine it in a bright, block color. There's the iconic Empire Red, as well as the vibrant hibiscus and earthy beetroot shades of previous years. But the KitchenAid Color of the Year 2024 has landed, and this year marks a major departure from such warm color trends. Blue Salt is soft and cool, reflecting the natural shades of air and water.

Blue Salt isn't just blue. This color has tonal highs and lows, just like real rock salt. As it catches the light, Blue Salt takes on tinges of pink and purple. According to Brittni Pertijs, the Lead Color, Material & Finish Designer at KitchenAid, Blue Salt is 'a subtle sensory reminder to see every day in a new light', and a great way to put a new twist on blue kitchen ideas.

What's the KitchenAid color of the year 2024?

There's nothing like Blue Salt in the KitchenAid colorways. That's because the KitchenAid design team created this color themselves by combining light and dark shades of blue until they achieved their desired effect. 

After months of experimentation, Brittni says that she felt that something was missing. 'We knew we wanted an iridescent finish, so we began layering different shades of blue with chromatic nail polishes,' Brittni explains. Before long, the team had arrived at Blue Salt: soft, sweet, and slightly spacey. 

If you like to follow color trends, then you'll understand that Blue Salt marks a major departure from previous Colors of the Year. 2023's Hibiscus was a vibrant pink; so bright that you either love it or hate it. We had a sample in the test kitchen and the color had a depth to it that doesn't come across in pictures, but it's totally understandable if you think it's too garish for a neutral kitchen.

There's something subtler about Blue Salt. In the same way that you only need a grain of salt to unlock new depths of flavor, it only takes a dash of color to make a statement in the kitchen.

Color lovers who can cast their minds back a couple months might remember Pantone's Color of the Year 2024: Peach Fuzz. I like to think of Peach Fuzz and Blue Salt as sister shades, with Blue Salt as the cooler, quieter younger sibling. As we head further into 2024, I get the sense that we'll be leaving loud luxury behind, and playing with calmer hues. 

The KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer in Blue Salt

I wouldn't cover the KitchenAid Color of the Year without telling you exactly what you can buy in Blue Salt. At the moment, there's just the one product available for purchase, but it's the most iconic KitchenAid of all: the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. 

If you're in the market for an attractive appliance, but you just can't get on board with KitchenAid, you might appreciate the Smeg Retro Stand Mixer. Smeg produce kitchenware in a wide range of bold hues and cute pastels to pop against plain white walls. This stand mixer is almost as capacious as the KitchenAid Artisan, and a little cheaper, too, and it's just as easy on the eye, though nowhere near as capable at mixing.