What South Metro Kitchens Will Look Like in 2026

If you live in Lakeville, Eagan, Apple Valley, Rosemount, Farmington, or Prior Lake, your next great dinner party probably won’t revolve around a formal dining room. It will happen where real life already does: in a kitchen designed to be the social heart of the home.

National design studies show kitchens are getting larger, more personalized, and more integrated with entertaining spaces, especially in markets like Minnesota where long winters keep people indoors. And by 2026, South Metro kitchens are expected to lean into that reality even more—especially for homeowners who love to entertain and are investing in “one last, best” remodel.
Local remodeler The Cabinet Store + Culina Design in Apple Valley, trusted since 2001 and responsible for more than 1,000 Twin Cities kitchen projects, is already guiding South Metro clients toward the next wave of kitchen design. As Minnesota’s #1 Premier Cambria dealer and the #1 Premier Cambria Dealer in the Twin Cities, their team has a front-row seat to what’s coming next.
Here’s what 2026 kitchens are likely to look like in the South Metro—and how homeowners who love to entertain can get ready now.

1. “Warm Minimalism” Replaces Cold White-and-Gray

The all-white, ultra-shiny, heavy-on-the-gray kitchens of the 2010s are finally cooling off. Designers across the U.S. are forecasting “warm minimalism” as a defining look for 2026: clean lines, uncluttered counters, and simple cabinetry, but in warmer woods and inviting neutral tones instead of stark white.
In practice, that means:

• Slim Shaker or flat-panel doors, not fussy raised panels
• Pale oak and mid-tone wood floors instead of cold gray plank
• Cabinet colors in soft whites, oatmeal, mushroom, and greige—warm undertones that flatter Minnesota’s winter light
• Refined hardware in brushed brass, antique bronze, or soft nickel, sized modestly instead of oversized pulls

For South Metro homeowners who love to entertain, this style has two big advantages:

• It feels calm and timeless, not “trendy this year, dated next year.”
• It photographs as neutral—great if you ever sell—but in person feels cozy enough for Friday-night wine with friends.

The The Cabinet Store + Culina Design designers are already steering Lakeville and Eagan clients toward these warmer palettes and simpler profiles, pairing custom kitchen cabinets with Cambria tops in creamy, softly veined patterns instead of stark, speckled whites.

2. Conversation Islands Become the New Dining Rooms

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the island is the heartbeat. National remodeling data shows homeowners are enlarging their kitchens by borrowing space from dining rooms—and the island is doing triple duty as prep space, buffet, and hangout zone.
Trend forecasters expect 2026 islands to be:

• Bigger and more social – seating on two or even three sides so guests can face each other, not line up in a row.
• More sculptural – fluted or reeded bases, curved corners that are easier on hips and grandkids, and waterfall or monolithic stone looks that read like furniture, not “kitchen boxes.”
• Multi-level or extended – with attached banquettes, integrated tables, or “piano-shaped” forms that invite guests to linger.

In the South Metro, where many homeowners who love to entertain in places like Prior Lake, Rosemount, and Apple Valley are hosting grown children and grandkids, that translates into:

• One large, central island instead of a separate peninsula and table
• Comfortable counter-height seating with real chairs or stools that feel more like a lounge than a diner
• Clear zoning: one side of the island for prep, the other for guests to sit with a drink while you cook

These “conversation islands” line up perfectly with the way The Cabinet Store + Culina Design already plans their remodels: starting with how many people you regularly host and designing the island as the main social stage, not just a work surface.

3. Natural, Statement-Making Countertops (With Cambria Front and Center)

Quartz is evolving. Designers forecasting 2026 see two big movements at once: a renewed love for natural stones like quartzite, marble, and soapstone, and a push toward more sustainable, higher-performing engineered options in warm, organic tones.
What that means for South Metro kitchens:

• Warmer, softer veining – creams, taupes, and gentle marbling instead of chilly bright white with harsh gray streaks
• Bolder accent slabs – deep green, inky blue, or burgundy tones on an island, with quieter perimeter counters around the room
• More expressive edges – cove, bullnose, and subtly sculpted profiles that show handcrafted detail and feel good to lean against
• Mixed materials – stone on the main runs, perhaps butcher block on a small baking or coffee zone, or stainless-steel details for a chef’s corner

For Minnesota homeowners, Cambria quartz remains uniquely attractive: it’s durable, nonporous, and made by a Minnesota company—Cambria—just down the road in Le Sueur.
The Cabinet Store + Culina Design is the #1 Cambria Dealer in the Twin Cities and lists itself as the #1 Cambria dealer in Minnesota, with an extensive Cambria display in its Apple Valley showroom.
That local partnership matters for homeowners who love to entertain and want:

• Low-maintenance countertops that don’t need sealing
• Subtle, timeless patterns that won’t feel dated in ten years
• The confidence of working with a team that fabricates and installs Cambria every day, not once in a while

4. Smarter Storage and Hidden “Backstage” Zones

As kitchens become more social and visually calm, the mess has to go somewhere. National trend reports for 2025–2026 show a strong rise in:

• Walk-in pantries, butler’s pantries, and sculleries for small appliances, overstock, and messy prep work
• Concealed kitchens and appliance garages, so counters stay clear and open-concept spaces don’t feel cluttered
• Deep, full-extension drawers instead of lower cabinet doors, which are easier on backs and knees—especially important for aging in place

Layered lighting is also a key 2026 move: warm under-cabinet lighting, toe-kick lighting, and dimmable pendants over the island that can shift from “bright prep mode” to “soft dinner-party glow” with a tap.
For South Metro homeowners who love to entertain, expect 2026 kitchens to include:

• A hidden coffee or beverage center behind cabinet doors
• Pull-out trash, recycling, and compost near the sink and island
• Charging drawers and discreet outlets to keep phones and cords off the countertops
• Smart but subtle technology—induction cooktops, smart ovens, and app-controlled lighting that quietly support daily life without turning the kitchen into a gadget showroom

These features are already common in designs The Cabinet Store + Culina Design is building in Lakeville, Farmington, and Eagan—especially in single-story homes where aging in place and easy circulation matter.

5. Personal Color, Local Sensibility, and “Forever Home” Details

One of the biggest shifts heading into 2026 is emotional: homeowners are less interested in what will get the most “likes” and more interested in what feels like them. National and Minnesota-based trend reports alike point toward:

• Richer colors in small doses – deep greens, blues, and wine tones on islands, bars, or larders, with calmer main cabinetry.
• Textured details – fluted wood, paneled island faces, and furniture-like hutch pieces that make a kitchen feel collected, not cookie-cutter.
• Regionally appropriate materials – durable finishes that handle Minnesota seasons and holiday crowds, with wood tones and fabrics that feel warm in January as well as July.

For South Metro homeowners who love to entertain, many of whom are in “forever homes” in places like Prior Lake and Rosemount, that means kitchens designed to:

• Flow easily to outdoor decks or three-season spaces
• Host Thanksgiving for twenty without feeling cramped
• Stay visually relevant for the next decade instead of chasing fleeting, extreme looks

The Cabinet Store + Culina Design designers—who collectively bring over 150 years of experience—specialize in this kind of personalized, but not faddish, design: rooms that look distinctly “you” but are grounded in long-term design principles.

6. What South Metro Homeowners Can Do Now

If you’re a homeowner who loves to entertain in Lakeville, Eagan, Apple Valley, Rosemount, Farmington, or Prior Lake and you’re thinking about a remodel before or during 2026, three moves will position you well:

• Design around the island first. Decide how many people you want to seat comfortably and how you like to entertain. That number should drive island size, shape, and seating—not the other way around.
• Commit to a warm, minimal base and layer personality on top. Choose cabinetry and countertops that are calm, warm, and timeless; express bolder personality in the island, backsplash, lighting, and bar area, which are easier to refresh later.
• Invest in storage, lighting, and circulation. A walk-in pantry, deep drawers, appliance garages, and layered lighting may not be the flashiest line items in your budget, but they will do more for your daily life—and your enjoyment of hosting—than any single gadget or trendy color.

For South Metro residents who want a guided path, The Cabinet Store + Culina Design offers complimentary kitchen design sessions and in-home kitchen design consultations, bringing design, custom cabinets, Cambria countertops, and installation together under one locally owned team.

For a limited time, The Cabinet Store + Culina Design is offering a Holiday Special: a Free Kitchen Design Consultation with one of their designers. It’s an easy first step toward a 2026-ready kitchen that feels custom-built for the way you love to entertain.

By the time 2026 arrives, the South Metro’s best kitchens won’t just look current in a magazine. They’ll feel like exactly what they are: warm, social, beautifully built “grown-up clubhouses” where friends and family actually want to stay all night.