You heard it here first, white kitchens are on their way out. Or are they? This is a hot debate right now, as white kitchens are the go-to for pretty much every kitchen renovation and are in most new developments I can’t help but wonder if they’ve saturated the market a little too much.

But, my personal opinion on their current popularity aside, shaker cabinets and white subway tile are both timeless and classic. But as with everything, if you see it too much, and too often, people get tired of it and it starts to seem stale. It’s inescapable, just like how we get tired of listening to that song we once had on repeat for hours at a time because it was the most amazing thing ever and we couldn’t get enough. At some point we actually start to dislike it…

Will white kitchens and shaker cabinets ever feel completely outdated? Only time will tell, but sometimes it just takes a few tweaks to freshen up a classic look. Here are some spaces that have a fresh take on the all white kitchen.

The simplest update you can do is change the hardware in your kitchen. Personally I love that brass and gold accents and details are having a bigger moment right now, to me it feels more dressed up and special than the stainless steel we’ve been seeing for the last few years. These spaces are still very minimal & classic, but with gold accents and hardware feel more dressed up too.

This first kitchen is definitely a high end design. I love the gold accents and the solid stone backsplash. This space definitely feels special!

I don’t know if this space has a gold range hood like the last image, it feels more casual but is actually very similar. The wood floors soften this space, but I love the solid backsplash and gold accents here as well.

This is a more casual take with the hex backsplash and relaxed wood shelves and stools, but the gold hardware and light fixtures still keep it dressed up and feeling special and fresh. The green on the back of the peninsula is a great splash of color too.

Whether or not you go for a different finish on your kitchen island, I love the wood butcher block counter in this space below. It lends a richness and softness that you can’t get with stone or having all the finishes and counters white. In this space the rich wood counters and floor, along with the dark island ground the space and give it a bit more of a cozy feel.

Patterned or colored backsplash tile is a great way to add a little something fresh to a traditional white kitchen. And depending on what you choose you can take the design a little more bold, or stay more understated and still classic. The trick to this is getting the right scale and a pattern/color that isn’t too trendy or extreme.

This backsplash is a more classic pattern and is subtle in color. It adds interest but doesn’t steal the show from the overall space… and it’s not going to look trendy our outdated anytime soon.

This tile adds a little pop of pattern and color without overwhelming the space and I love the open shelves with colorful accents too! The tiles are from Heath Ceramics, an American company that hand makes all of their products in California. They are extremely good quality and exquisite colors and designs. Always one of my favorites.

Or you can go really bold with the color. I love this deep blue/green hex tile, and it works in a traditional layout with upper cabinets or in a more creative way like we see here with the open shelf. Again, scale is always important, this is the perfect medium size tile that doesn’t overwhelm the space or look too busy.

So many ways to keep a classic white kitchen looking super amazing and everyone who comes into your space jealous ;)