Restb.ai uses AI and Computer Vision to Uncover the Local and National Trends Driving Homebuyer Preferences
Kitchens have long been considered the heart of a home, but what are homebuyers looking for in kitchens today? Over the past six years, evolving buyer preferences have reshaped layouts, cabinet colors, and styles, revealing nationwide patterns and surprising regional differences. Restb.ai, a leader in AI-powered computer vision for real estate, recently analyzed millions of property listings over the last half-plus decade to uncover how these changes influence homebuyer decisions and property value.
A new Special Report on Kitchens, part of Restb.ai’s ongoing research series, provides the most comprehensive look yet at kitchen design trends across the US, focusing on five major metro areas: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, and Los Angeles. The findings reveal that while certain features like white cabinets and shaker styles dominate nationally, regional preferences showcase diversity as unique as the homes themselves.
"Kitchens play a pivotal role in shaping buyer decisions, but uncovering these trends on a national and regional scale would have been impossible without AI,” said Nathan Brannen, Chief Product Officer at Restb.ai. “Analyzing millions of kitchen photos within property listings to identify different layouts, colors, and styles would take tens of thousands of hours of human effort. With computer vision, we can unlock these insights in minutes, providing actionable data that helps real estate professionals and others stay ahead of evolving buyer preferences.”
National trends redefine kitchens
- Islands take center stage: Featured in 73% of new homes in 2024, kitchen islands have become the hallmark of open-concept living, offering storage, workspace, and seating. Islands are also gaining ground in existing homes, now appearing in 38% of listings.
- White cabinets dominate: Clean, bright, and versatile, white cabinets lead in both new (69%) and existing (45%) homes. Their rise reflects a broader shift toward lighter, minimalist interiors.
- Shaker cabinets reign Supreme: With their timeless appeal, shaker cabinets have surged to 86% of new homes and remain the top choice across all listings.
Regional references highlight local style
- Miami bucks the trend: While the rest of the country embraces islands, Miami kitchens feature peninsulas more than twice as often, a design choice well-suited to compact layouts. Miami also leads in modern flat-panel cabinets, which appear in 16% of homes – significantly above the national average.
Denver leads in islands: Nearly half (43%) of Denver’s kitchens feature islands, reflecting the region’s preference for multifunctional, open-concept designs.- Cabinet colors in contrast: Chicago kitchens show a near-equal split between white (41%) and medium brown (39%) cabinets, in sharp contrast to Atlanta, where white cabinets dominate 58% of listings.
- Shaker cabinets shine in Denver: With a 65% share, shaker cabinets are especially prominent in Denver, underscoring their versatility in blending contemporary and classic aesthetics.
Why these findings matter
“Kitchens remain a key driver of property appeal and buyer decisions,” said Brannen. “This new insight not only highlights national preferences but also emphasizes the importance of understanding local differences. Whether it's a Miami peninsula or a Denver island, tailoring design and marketing strategies to these nuances can give agents and other industry professionals a powerful advantage.”
Brannen added that Restb.ai’s proprietary AI technology “provides unparalleled insights into real estate trends, helping industry professionals optimize listings and align design choices with what buyers value most.”
What Restb.ai did
Restb.ai meticulously examined millions of single-family properties listed over the last six years, from 2019 to 2024, across five diverse US metro markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, and Los Angeles.
This geographically diverse dataset captures a wide range of real estate dynamics, uncovering general conclusions about kitchen trends nationally and regional variations.
Additional information about the Restb.ai Special Report is available on its Blog at blog.restb.ai.
About Restb.ai
Restb.ai, the leader in AI-powered computer vision for real estate, provides image recognition and data enrichment solutions for many of the industry's top brands and leading innovators. Its proprietary technology transforms property imagery into actionable insights, helping clients unlock new value from visual data and providing deep insight into each of the 1 million property photos uploaded daily.
