Every era has its countertop design trends. The 1970s brought granite and laminate into the spotlight. The ’80s were the decade of tile. The ’90s were an explosion of Corian, with encore appearances by granite, laminate and tile.
The ’20s are no exception. You can still order fine custom countertops made from any of the above materials (with the exceptions of Corian and laminate, which aren’t premium). But if you want something truly fresh and contemporary, consider the Gallery 77 team’s favorite countertop design trends!
Bold Veins
When stone forms naturally, water can flow through it while depositing various minerals. This eventually leaves behind a “vein” – a long, winding line of color. Commonly found in granite and marble, veins essentially “randomize” a stone’s appearance, giving it greater visual appeal and variety.
Big and bold veins are becoming increasingly popular in kitchen countertop design. It’s a direct result of the lockdowns, when more homeowners appreciated the need for a striking focal piece in the kitchen – and chose their kitchen’s largest feature to provide it.
Warm Colors
In color theory, “temperature” refers to the perceived coolness or warmth of a light source (which includes surfaces that reflect light, such as countertops). As you may already have intuited, green, blue and purple are “cool,” whereas red, orange and yellow are “warm.”
We’re currently in an era of warm colors. Cooler colors may return someday soon – as might dominant whites and grays – but until then, homeowners will continue brightening up their kitchens with rich ochre marble, cheerful pink granite, and engineered quartz (which can take any color imaginable).
Matching Backsplash
It’s a lifetime investment. It’s easy to clean. It’s difficult to damage. A natural stone backsplash offers many advantages. And when it’s made of the same stone as the countertop itself, it only provides a greater return on investment.
Matching backsplashes are another aspect of the growing trend toward boldness. It magnifies the natural stone’s impact on the kitchen and surrounding rooms. More variety. More drama. More color! (You may want to pass on this trend if your countertops are already multi-colored and heavily patterned, as it could make your kitchen too “busy.”)
Contrasting Tones
The safest bet? Match your countertop to your kitchen’s interior as closely as you’re able, which will create a cohesive (if not conservative) aesthetic. But as you’ve already learned, 2025 – and quite possibly the whole second quarter of the 21st century – is about being bold. That’s contrasting tones to a T!
Creating contrast with your new countertops is easiest if your kitchen aesthetic is already dominant white. Just select black countertops, and stand back as your kitchen begins glowing with confidence. If your kitchen isn’t white, then selecting the best countertop color to contrast against it isn’t difficult. Learn a couple minutes’ worth of color theory and you’ll be contrasting with the best of them.
Sintered Stone
“Sintering” is a process for turning powder into a solid using heat and pressure. Sintered stone is commonly made of quartz, feldspar, glass, porcelain, and natural pigments. It is a relatively new material, as cost-effective techniques for manufacturing it didn’t exist until around 30 years ago. It is also becoming increasingly popular – so much so that it has earned the “trend” designation in 2025.
Sintered stone will outlast any trend it’s a part of. If you install it today, then your countertop will easily last into the ’50s. A sintered stone countertop is also hygienic, easy to maintain, environmentally friendly, and undamaged if you place a piping hot lasagna on top of it. And thanks to its many manufacturers, sintered stone countertops are available in any color and pattern you could ask for.
Get Expert Countertop Installation by Gallery 77
The police will not come to your house and arrest you for failing to follow a contemporary countertop trend. (They just don’t have that kind of budget.) That means you’re at liberty to choose any countertop for your kitchen, regardless of what the so-called “experts” advise.
And you know what? It doesn’t matter which countertops you believe would suit your kitchen best. So long as you live in the Twin Cities or greater Hudson, WI area, Gallery 77 is standing by to fabricate and install them. Contact us today to get started!
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