Why You'll Probably Regret Adding Textured Walls To Your Kitchen

In the world of design, trends come and go — and tend to come back again. Some kitchen trends are making an exit in 2026, for instance, but, like the various retro kitchen items that made a trendy return in 2025, we're sure they'll be back. One design feature that's back in style is textured walls — but if you elect to add them to your cooking space, odds are you'll regret it.

In an exclusive interview with Food Republic, Dotan Trabulsi, CEO of Optimal Home Remodeling & Design, shed some light on why textured walls are such a bad idea in a kitchen design. "[The] most common texture types for kitchens [are] orange peel, knockdown, light skip trowel, and sometimes Venetian plaster or heavy hand-troweled finishes," he explained. "The textures form valleys that hold grease, steam, and dust — especially around the range and sink — causing darkening and making cleaning a challenge."

In contrast with smooth walls that easily wipe clean, the very details that give textured walls their character also form problematic filth traps across the entire surface. No amount of scrubbing ever seems to fully clean them, and the catch-22 is that rubbing too aggressively can damage the texturing. "My suggestion is to add character where you don't cook, and keep anything near heat, water, and grease as smooth and wipeable as possible," Trabulsi advised.

While smooth walls are a lower-maintenance option, they also give a higher-end look to a space. However, they come at a higher price point to match, which is one reason some choose not to install them.

There are various reasons people opt for textured walls — but their drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Yes, texturing is easier, cheaper, and faster than installing smooth walls, which require a skilled contractor and take more labor and time. However, textured walls are much more difficult to remove, repaint, and repair. So, they don't actually offer benefits in the long run.

Another reason some choose texturing is that it hides flaws in drywall. Damage, unevenness, visible seams connecting the drywall sheets, and other imperfections are covered up by texturing. But, ironically, the very textures applied to a wall to hide those imperfections end up creating imperfections of their own. "I have visited kitchens that were five or six years old and remodeled, whose textured surfaces near cooking zones appeared 'fine' from 10 feet but[,] on closer inspection[,] revealed permanent staining," Dotan Trabulsi detailed.

Another thing to consider is how textured walls also absorb light. They cast shadows across your wall, bringing darkness and making things feel smaller — which is the opposite of what you want, especially in your kitchen. Those shadows also contribute to the perception that the walls never come clean, as they continue to "look" dirty after they've been washed.

From a health standpoint, the grooves and crannies in textured walls can also gather allergens like pet dander and dust, potentially worsening allergies. Bacteria and microbes also settle into the crevices of rough textures (which is why smooth food-contact surfaces are considered more hygienic, and why bacteria-trapping textured surfaces are avoided in hospitals). Those little peaks and valleys additionally hold moisture — another reason they're not ideal near cooking surfaces and sinks. This can become particularly problematic if you live in a humid area, as the increased moisture can contribute to mold and mildew.

Dotan Trabulsi clarified that if you want textured surfaces, they aren't a no-go for every area of a kitchen, but they definitely don't belong in high-touch and heavy-usage spaces. "Textured walls are perfectly fine for low-splash areas like breakfast nooks or pantry walls," he shared, "but work zones should have smooth drywall or a full-height backsplash finished in washable paint. However, if the walls are smooth, they are easier to keep clean and to repaint smoothly, as well."