2026 is the year of the kitchen sink skirt – this is how designers make it work in a modern home
Pleats are proving very pleasing, but avoid cottage-core curtains in favour of unexpected materials
Think kitchen sink skirts are purely the preserve of the cottagecore crowd? Think again! Far from the cutesy patterns of those designs, these kitchens by top interior designers are reimagining the look with modern pleating, contemporary colours and unexpected materials. It’s why we are calling it as this year’s kitchen must-have.
Pleasing pleats
Eschew the loose style of traditional kitchen skirts in favour of something all the more put together and formal. The pleats that decorate the island in interior designer Zoe Wolker’s Villa Ecru look like a grown-up take on the trend – especially paired as they are with decadent marble and stainless steel. @zoewolker
Form-fitting leather
Ruched leather is not a common kitchen material, but Australian designer Fiona Lynch has made a strong case for its use with this island in Hawthorn House, where the buttery-soft yet hardy fabric is paired with a Calacatta Vaticano marble top and travertine base. Raw materiality was the theme; the result is pure luxury and drama. fionalynch.com.au
Ombré colour
Patricia Bustos is not an interior designer who’s tentative when it comes to colour but, for the kitchen in her own studio in Madrid, she decided to keep the palette simple and let the materials – from brick to terracotta – do the talking. Her one flight of fancy? This ombré mauve curtain, which enlivens the space while disguising clutter. patricia-bustos.com
Metallic edge
The kitchen skirt takes a futuristic turn in this studio apartment in Athens by Federica Scalise. A clever choice in a small home, the metallic fabric makes a statement while, much like the mirrored cabinet beside it, maximising light. federicascalise.com
Maximalist dressing
The curtains that replace cabinet fronts beneath the sink in interior designer Kristina Busko’s Valencia apartment are a continuation of a language used throughout the home, where curtains also replace walls to divide the open-plan space. kristinabuskodesign.com
Tonal stripes
Think under-counter skirts are too fussy for a modern home? This Parisian kitchen by Alice Lacherez may change your mind. From the pared-back pleat of the neutral-coloured striped fabric to the thin, minimalist marble surround, it is perfection. alicelacherez.com
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