Designers and consumers alike are making their preferences known, and manufacturers are tracking the trends. While chrome and satin finishes reigned, matte and flat textures are stepping forward in kitchen design, bringing a softer, quieter look. It’s grounded, without a doubt, feels current.
It’s not just about style. Matte surfaces cut glare and add texture you can see and feel. Some promise to reduce smudges and fingerprints (IMO: this is not the most defensible claim, but for some products and shades, yes).
From small appliances to full remodels, the experts say this trend is just picking up speed.
Black Matte Faucets, Fixtures, and Hardware Aren’t Going Anywhere
Matte black shifted from trendy to standard. Walk through any showroom and you’ll see it everywhere—on faucets, cabinet pulls, lighting, even pot fillers.
Brands like Moen, KOHLER, even Allen + Roth have expanded their matte black offerings across collections, delivering their most sought-after products with modern, low-sheen finishes.
This isn’t just anecdotal. The NKBA 2026 Kitchen Trends Report points clearly in this direction. Honed and matte finishes are expected to dominate in the near term, especially for sinks, faucets, lighting, and countertops. For sinks specifically, matte finishes statistically edge out brushed and satin in popularity.
To send a stronger signal, 81% of respondents in NKBA's report say undermount sinks in matte finishes are expected to be popular for the next three years.
Designers report that there’s a reason it’s sticking around:
- It hides water spots better than polished chrome. If you like a satin faucet, you’ll also like matte black.
- It pairs well with wood, stone, and painted cabinetry.
- It works in modern and contemporary spaces, and helps to modernize and elevate traditional kitchens.
Brands have been leaning in.
- Buster + Punch pushes the trend further with knurled details. Even its GROHE SPA collection—marketed for bathrooms—deserves a nod.
- Lutron’s Alisse keypad satisfies demand with an Architectural Matte collection that includes three matte products: Matte Black, Architectural White, and Brilliant white.
- Moen’s Host Granite Sink is available in matte black, a great match for consumers looking for a product that checks all the boxes: stain-resistant, heat safe, sound deadening, eco-friendly, and impact-resistant.
Matte Finishes Get Colorful, Too
Even heritage brands are leaning into this mood. KitchenAid’s new Spearmint stand mixer captures the spirit of matte, even if it doesn’t technically claim the label. The 2026 Color of the Year, Spearmint, is described by the brand as a sand-like texture that diffuses light and adds depth. It’s undeniably global, and retro, yet the non-glossy finish places it right in the here and now.
“For Spearmint, we spent a lot of time getting the finish just right,” shared Brittni Pertijs, Design Manager: Color, Material & Finish at Whirlpool Corporation.
The inspiration they claim? Nature! “Ultimately, we looked to mint leaves for inspiration and wanted to tap into the soft, subtle texture you only notice when you touch them,” she highlighted. “That led us to a sandy finish that feels both inviting to the eye and soft to the touch, which took a lot of development to perfect.”
That last line matters. What brands like KitchenAid, and the aforementioned Buster + Punch and Moen are achieving isn’t just flat paint. It’s tangible dimension. When brands talk about texture now, they mean it. The appeal of matte finishes is sensory as much as visual.
The Cooktop Goes Matte, Too
Appliances are following suit, and Kenyon is the brand that caught our eye.
Kenyon’s signature matte-black induction cooktop features its SilKEN® matte black glass-ceramic surface. It’s modern, very subdued, extremely unlike the other glass-top cooktops I’ve used and explored.
Traditional glass cooktops reflect overhead lighting and show every streak (I can attest; we’ve been using a high-gloss induction cooktop since 2019). A matte surface softens glare, masks light scratches, and, depending on the countertop sheen, could feel more integrated.
Cabinetry Without the Shine
Matte cabinetry might be the biggest shift of all. For years, glossy lacquered cabinets signaled “modern.” Now, flat finishes in painted wood, laminate, and even thermofoil are leading new remodels.
Matte surfaces absorb light instead of bouncing it around the room, and a space filled with matte cabinets can signal a completely different aesthetic. My own kitchen cabinets were designed with matte laminate doors, and though I can’t claim that greasy kid fingerprints are invisible, they aren’t bad at all. And moreover, the colors we chose look rich and grounded.
Softness aside, there’s something to be said about how matte cabinets play with other materials. There’s less competition, more opportunity to let other features stand out. Think:
- Honed stone countertops
- Textured tile backsplashes
- Warm wood shelving
- Brushed or matte metal hardware
Why Matte Feels Right Right Now
There’s a cultural layer here, too. Homes are working harder, moving away from idyllic perfection. Whereas high-gloss surfaces read as “high quality perfection,” modern kitchens are offices, homework stations, and gathering spots. A softer finish feels less formal. More livable.
The shift doesn’t mean shine is gone forever; if we know anything at all, it’s that high-gloss still has a time and place, and it’ll be back in full force someday, but for now it feels like the center of gravity has changed. From KitchenAid’s sand-like spearmint stand mixer to a matte-black induction cooktop, it’s clear that kitchens are embracing softness. And for many of us, that softer look feels just natural.
