There is a new backsplash and arched range hood trend in full swing going into 2024, here’s my take.
A brief history of kitchen trends
In my January 2018 trends report, I predicted that we would see more tile that was pearlized because pearls were popping up in fashion everywhere. 
Shortly after that, Zellige tile arrived on the scene.
Then the countersplash trend came next (below):
Now the stone backsplash trend has arrived on the scene and along with it, the dynamic range hood in stone. This is a design trend I just mentioned in my 2024 trends report last week.
Farmhouse Living did a great round up on this trend here. You’ll notice as you scroll that rustic beams are an important detail that is required with this feature.
Also, taking the stone up to the ceiling looks the best. It’s a statement and should be treated as one.
And the arched stone hood fan is no exception to this. I would call this an updated take on the Tuscan trend. During that trend in the 2000s this hood fan also had a moment:
The dark travertine backsplash dates this kitchen to the 2000s and you can see that updates have been made with lighting a new island countertop and of course stark white walls (not to be confused with that this is correct but the white island top makes it work) to make it feel more current (above).
And that leads me to the dynamic stone range hood that is super hot right now but remember, this look belongs in a house that is modern tuscan or French country mediterranean.
Some kitchen trends are a bigger commitment
This side of the Atlantic, we have a habit of swooning over all things European and rustic. The English Country kitchen that has been trending for a couple years now is case in point.
And certainly the trends continue to swing back to patina and charm. Nothing wrong with that. That’s what styling is for.
Here’s a kitchen renovation from Tuscan kitchen (above) where the previous homeowner had installed something similar to what’s trending now–but not done well–and then my client ripped it out with her renovation.
If you want my opinion I’d say unless a look like this is installed with full commitment, and in the right house, it ends up looking tacky or just plain wrong.
So I would tread carefully with jumping on board with the new rustic Tuscan backsplash trend because many of you will remember just how fast we wanted to rip out all that earthy tile not long ago.
And here’s definitely what NOT to do. This is just wrong (below).
Stone on an interior is a big commitment and a messy tear out 😉
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You make your point so concisely! I absolutely see what you’re saying. There’s a huge rustic stone fireplace in my home and I think technically that could allow me to put a stone wall in the kitchen, which would be pretty as I DO swoon over the english country kitchens like you say! But I won’t be for reasons of matching the stone, the expense, weight, permanence, etc.
As a devoted home cook I would like to point out that these niche ranges require you to prep on a surface located elsewhere, and since I like to work on a 3 foot area directly next to the stove, tossing things in pots as I go, I would not do a niche range.
I clicked on the link for BHG magazine below one of your pictures and the article cracks me up…never mentions everyone just finished ripping Tuscan kitchens out if they could just a few short years ago. Acting naively like this is straight off the Italian countryside with no bad modifications of it already from the 90s.
The only hope I see here is for those who couldn’t afford to change their Tuscan kitchen. Their eye might change if this gets popular enough and ease the frustration over not being able to make major kitchen changes. Might help them make more cost decisions to update the 99s kitchen to the 2024 version.
Second thought on the post…just don’t do theme kitchens. Ever.
A kitchen is for cooking. Many of these trends you highlight were clearly designed to sell a remodel, and not to enhance the cooking experience. As another commenter noted, there’s less counter space when you put a cooktop inside a stone closet. What an incredible waste of money foisted upon those who follow trends blindly.
My friend’s gorgeous home was built many years ago and has this arched brick cooktop enclosure. She hates it. No easily accessible counter space.
Claustrophobic. Looks rather grand but functions poorly.
Guessing these folks with stone backsplashes don’t actually cook. Between porous stone and mortar “grout”, plus the rough surfaces, grease and splatters will be impossible to remove and those areas are going to discolor over time.
Good point! What a mess stone would be. Yuck. I’m not interested in any design idea that makes cleaning difficult or impossible.
Here to make the same point as the commenters above, I would hate having my cook prep space walled off so close to the stove! It’s annoying to need to transfer all of the chopped veggies from the kitchen island to the stove, and inevitably dropping bits along the way. Plus there is so little room on those tiny side counters for cutting boards and stirring utensils, salts, etc. This is so impractical!
It feels very heavy and dark having your oven tucked into a brick or stone archway. It’s a Big No from me. Not sure why anyone would want to put that in their North American home.
I’ve seen some beautiful versions of these. They were in old, grand houses in France and Italy that were already full of beautiful arches and stone. And thanks for warning me off it because we really need counter space !