The thought
A kitchen market can grow in pounds without growing by the same amount in projects. That can happen because materials, labour and business costs rise. It can also happen because the projects that do proceed become larger or more highly specified, or because a greater share of total spending is concentrated among customers at the upper end of the market.
JKMR’s latest luxury-market figures illustrate the scale of that concentration. It defines the luxury segment as approximately the highest-costing 7.5% of projects, currently those worth at least £70,000 including fitting and VAT. On its model, this group represented more than one pound in every three spent across the fitted-kitchen market during 2025.
What triggered it
JKMR calculates that the luxury segment was worth £2.15 billion at end-client prices in 2025. Although it accounted for only 7.35% of projects, it represented 35.6% of market value.
The research also suggests that the route to market has changed. Specialist studios supplied more than 60% of luxury projects in 2025, compared with just over half in 2016. The share attributed to direct contract businesses has declined over the same period.
This fits a wider market picture previously described by JKMR. Its 2025 overview reported that UK installation volumes had fallen to just under 1.05 million in 2024, more than 18% below 2022, while fitted-kitchen product sales had risen to almost £5.4 billion. It attributed the divergence partly to higher average project spending and specification.
Why it matters for homeowners
A market-value figure can easily be mistaken for evidence that the experience of the average kitchen buyer has improved or that demand is strong across every segment. The concentration identified by JKMR suggests otherwise.
High-value projects can support manufacturers, premium appliance brands, surface suppliers and specialist studios even when a larger number of households remain cautious about undertaking a complete renovation. Different businesses can therefore give apparently conflicting descriptions of the same year.
The figures also show why an “average kitchen price” has limited meaning. A small upper segment carrying a disproportionately large amount of spending can pull the overall average upwards without indicating what most households actually pay.
Practical takeaway
When reading market reports, note whether the figure describes the number of kitchens installed, total end-client market value, product-only sales, an average or median project value, a particular route to market, or a defined price segment.
For homeowners, the existence of a large luxury market does not establish a suitable budget for an individual home. A £70,000 project may contain a different room size, building work, design service, cabinetry, appliances, surfaces and installation scope from a lower-cost project.
Use itemised quotes and category allowances for your own scope. Treat luxury-market value as background context, not a quotation benchmark.
Sources
Related Market Watch notes
More current kitchen market commentary that may help the same planning questions.