Smeg Says Teal, and We’re Listening — The Kitchen Shade of the Year Is Here

Every year comes with a set of defining shades — color-of-the-year declarations that not-so-quietly dictate everything from handbags to wall paint. Pantone might hold the loudest megaphone (and we do love Mocha Mousse), but when it comes to kitchens — the most literal interpretation of taste — it’s the appliance brands that call the shots.

KitchenAid crowned Butter — a whispery yellow kitchen color trend that’s already done mileage on the spring 2025 runways. And now Smeg, arguably the premiere purveyor of glossy, candy-colored cult classics, has spoken: dubbing Jade Green as the color of the year, and culinary shade to watch for 2025.

The name is a touch misleading. Smeg’s Jade is less gemstone, more Amalfi coastline — a dusty teal with Mediterranean leanings, more reminiscent of Positano waters than your typical houseplant green. Still, it’s everywhere. And its arrival feels pointed.

“The growing interest in teal and turquoise kitchens, especially with the debut of Smeg’s ‘Jade Green,’ feels like a reaction to years of minimalist, neutral tones dominating the design world,” says Charlotte-based designer Cate Gutter of CWG Design.

And Karen Olle, marketing director at Smeg USA, agrees: “Over the past couple years, we’ve seen a shift towards bolder, statement-making colors in kitchen design.”

Still, it’s not exactly a jewel-box, shock-value teal, either. “This particular shade feels calming, like the first hint of spring,” says Cate. “This shift toward softer greens is especially timely as we all look for ways to bring the outdoors in and create spaces that feel both vibrant and peaceful.”

This teal appeal, she adds, is psychological as much as aesthetic: “People increasingly seek spaces that feel more personal, calming, and connected to nature. Jade Green, with its dusty, soft green hue, taps into this desire for a more grounded, serene atmosphere.”

For creative director Steven Rodel of Guy Goodfellow, teal makes its strongest statement when it whispers. He’s used Farrow & Ball’s “Green Smoke No. 47” on cabinetry to create what he calls “a warm, rustic feel with a modern twist.”

For those not looking to repaint, Steven offers a more low-lift approach: “Just keep it to the highlight colors in dishes and bowls.” Teal, he notes, is a color that works well in a kitchen, playing nicely with nearly everything — natural woods, unlacquered brass, handmade ceramics — or, if you go the Smeg route: stainless steel.

Point being: teal — a somewhat unorthodox culinary color — has surprising range. Cate puts a ribbon on it: hues similar to Smeg’s Jade Green are “the perfect way to create a serene, nature-infused atmosphere in the kitchen without losing that inviting energy that’s so essential.”

Timeless, not try-hard, it's true that modern kitchen ideas in 2025 are turning up the technicolor — but in the gentlest, most transportive way possible.

Call it a vacation state of mind. Or just a better way to do green. Here's how to shop the look.

We’ve covered what’s coming — now for what’s going. These are the outdated kitchen trends kindly being shown the door in 2025.