Sustainable Kitchen Trends in 2020
Last Updated: Mar 19, 2025The kitchen may be the most utilized space in our homes. As such, the kitchen is an area in which we can significantly impact our goals toward healthy, comfortable, and sustainable living. Especially with today’s open-plan interiors that unite living, dining, and kitchen into one contiguous space, there is a lot we can do, beyond esthetics, to make these spaces benefit our health, wealth, and also, of course, the planet.
Consider the fact that kitchens are the place where kids do homework while the parents make dinner. Kitchens are the space where, during parties, guests seem to insist on congregating. In many new homes, a cocktail or wine bar, a small office or laptop area, the laundry room, or outdoor food prep or eating area may also be considered part of the kitchen.
Whether a dedicated chef or cook or someone who needs to get food on the table, we’re still spending lots of time in our kitchens these days cooking healthful meals, growing our herbs, and fermenting vegetables, and more while hanging out with family.
If you’re looking to incorporate more energy efficiency and sustainability in your kitchen bit by bit or through an entire remodel, we’ve got the 411 on making your kitchen light on the planet in 2020.
Looking for the latest? Check out our 2021 Kitchen and Dining Trends: Think Refresh, Not Remodel article.
Table of Contents
- Use Low or no-VOC and Natural Finishes
- Choose Electric Appliances Over Gas
- Smart Home Appliances Are in for 2020
- Buy Sustainable and Healthy Cabinetry
- Use Natural Countertop Materials
- Final Notes
Choose Electric Appliances Over Gas
Gas is detrimental to your health and damaging to the environment in so many ways. Studies reported in such peer-reviewed medical journals as the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and The Lancet show that gas appliances, particularly on gas cooking stoves, increase respiratory illness in children, young adults, and those who spent time cooking with gas.
According to Wendee Nicole in Environmental Health Perspectives, “Natural gas cooking appliances, which are used by a third of U.S. households, can contribute to poor indoor air quality, especially when used without an exhaust hood. Gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO), each of which can exacerbate various respiratory and other health ailments.”
Many more homeowners are making the switch to electric, and not just in the kitchen. “We see a huge push away from gas ranges and dryers toward electric range and dryers,” says Justin Riordan, interior designer, architect, and founder of Spade and Archer Design Agency. “We have even seen some cities banning natural gas lines to new homes because of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by burning gas.”
In 2020, it’s easy to electrify by installing an induction stove, the top choice for the 2020 sustainable home kitchen. Energy-Star certified refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, and clothes washers and dryers are a must. Enervee is an excellent resource, as it helps homeowners select the most energy-efficient products through scoring that analyzes product performance and total energy use.
Electrifying your kitchen means less energy use, improved indoor air quality, and better homeowner health. It also introduces the opportunity to move toward zero emissions by using solar to run electrical appliances. Moreover, electric appliances integrate easily with smart-home technologies.
Use Natural Countertop Materials
In addition to using reclaimed wood, bamboo, or sustainably certified wood cabinetry, the 2020 sustainable kitchen incorporates such natural materials as concrete, marble, recycled glass and natural stone. Such materials add warmth to the home, are durable, and are often available as a repurposed material.
Choosing countertops manufactured with non-toxic finishes and with lower embodied energy is key. Try to source materials locally to reduce the emissions associated with transporting material. Not all countertops are created equal. It's important to understand the upkeep required to maintain the type of countertype you are looking to purchase. How often does it need to be refinished or sealed? Is it porous? What are the recommended cleaning regiments? Opt for countertops that are not only natural but also require low maintenance.
Final Notes
Energy efficiency is more than a trend, of course. Climate change is here. Managing our resource consumption has reached a critical level. Homeowners committed to sustainability already know that energy-efficient lighting, fixtures, and appliances, as well as low-flow water fixtures and even touch-free sink faucets (which minimize water use with automatic shut off), are integral components of the sustainable kitchen.
We can always do more, as well. From choosing more durable and lower footprint countertops to composting kitchen scraps, proper ventilation to lower footprint flooring, creating a kitchen—the hub of the 2020 home—that’s comfortable, functional, and sustainable now and into the future is key to a happy, healthy home.
Camille LeFevre
Camille LeFevre is an architecture and design writer based in the Twin Cities.
