Photo by Becca Tapert

Originally Posted On: https://blog.timesunion.com/lifestyle/never-out-of-style-how-to-design-the-perfect-timeless-kitchen/431/

 

If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen, you don’t want to go through it more than once in your homeownership life. Getting inspiration from other people’s upgrades is a great way to get started on your kitchen project.

Creating a timeless kitchen will keep you from having to spend more money and time on your kitchen in the future. Instead of opting for trends, design your kitchen with classic elegance. Continue reading this article to learn how to create a kitchen that will look good for years to come.

How Long Will You Live in the Home?

When you’re upgrading your home, you need to think about how long you’ll stay in the home. If you are planning on selling your home within the next few years, you need to pay more attention to what is going to sell well. If you plan on staying in your home for years to come, you can put more of your personality into it.

Just because you’re trying to create a timeless kitchen, it doesn’t mean you can’t put your own spin on things. Even adding a little bit of your unique flair can make you feel more at home. Designing a kitchen you won’t have to do major changes to while you live there will save you thousands of dollars.

Which Colors Will Remain Popular?

If you walk into a kitchen designed in the 70s with true 70s design trends — you know it. You’ll notice the burnt orange, olive greenish colors, and other loud yet muted colors. While these colors were hot in the 70s, virtually no one is excited about an orange and green kitchen these days.

If orange and green aren’t the way to go, then which colors should you use for your kitchen? If you are worried neutrals are the only long-lasting color and that your kitchen is going to look boring — think again.

Look at old yet still popular fabrics to get inspiration for your kitchen colors. Think of old rugs and other fabrics that people still love even though they are hundreds of years old.

How you use the color is another major factor in whether your kitchen stands the test of time or not. If you mix and match the colors in unique ways and they don’t blend and look attractive, you might be in line for a remodel. Some people find it helpful to work with a color expert to design their kitchen color scheme.

Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops are never going the way of the dinosaur. Since they require less upkeep, homeowners love having them in their kitchen. The surface gleams and givens your kitchen a constant look of sparkling clean.

Whether you’ve chosen dark or light colors for your kitchen, quartz will pair nicely with it. You can find almost any color you want since it is a manufactured product, unlike marble or granite. You’ll also notice quartz doesn’t chip easily, which means it can last for years to come even in high use areas like your kitchen.

Open Layouts

Gone are the days when people want to have homes with kitchens that block them off from the rest of the family while they are cooking. Having open kitchen layouts allow you to interact with everyone else even when you’re in the kitchen cooking a delicious meal.

If your kitchen is closed off from everything else, you can open it up. When you are ready to take down walls, you should always speak with a professional when you’re doing the serious parts of kitchen remodeling. You don’t want to remove any load-bearing beams or walls.

Fewer people want a formal dining space in their homes and are opting to open it up. Dining rooms turn into an extension of the kitchen for an informal and homey feel. Blocked off kitchen don’t show any signs of making a reappearance in popularity, so if you’re trying to figure out if opening the kitchen up is worth it or not — the answer is, yes!

Shaker Style Cabinets

One of the major benefits of putting shaker style cabinets in your home is that they are so easy to match. Their long-lasting look is exactly what you need when you don’t want to have to update your kitchen again. Their almost flat panel design only has a little raise, which is enough to give it an appealing look.

You can easily color stain these cabinets for the perfect look. Since there isn’t a lot of detail and ridges on the cabinets, there isn’t a lot of need for maintenance. Low maintenance will keep you from headaches and additional costs.

You’ll also love the low price since they are so easy to construct. If you do end up with a broken cabinet, you won’t have to take out a second mortgage to get things fixed.

Subway Tile

There are so many different ways to use subway tile in your kitchen. Subway tile is affordable, classic, and it is beautiful. If you want to add a little personality to your subway tile, you can try different types of grout to give it a little extra pizzaz.

You don’t have to use a lot of subway tile. You might decide to only use it for the backsplash or an accent wall. Using a little bit of subway tile is a great way to break up the look of your kitchen if you feel like it is too matchy-matchy.

Organizers for Your Cabinets & Drawers

Organization never goes out of style. Many people don’t do well with organization, and no matter how long you have your home, it will help you keep things in order. Even if you decide to sell your home, you’ll be able to use the organizers for your cabinets and drawers as a benefit for the buyer.

Organizers aren’t costly or difficult to put in and give you a good return for your investment.

Induction Cooking

Outfitting your kitchen with induction cooking will make you happy with your cooking experience for years to come. With induction cooking, you won’t have to have a big hood vent, and your kitchen won’t be a hot box when you’re cooking.

Instead of having to wait for the cooktop to heat up for a long time, you’ll be able to get quick heat, which makes cooking your meals much easier. Even saving a few minutes every night makes a big difference in the ease of use and time management.

Induction cooking gives you consistent results, and it’s not hard to clean like gas or electric stoves. You don’t have to worry about food burning onto the cooktop and causing different to clean messes.

Single-Level Kitchen Islands

While old kitchen designs might have opted for islands that are higher than the countertop, they aren’t popular anymore. Having a single-level kitchen island makes it easy for you to use all your kitchen countertop space. You can prepare your meal wherever you want and not have to worry about running out of places for your prep tools.

Some people like the raised bar option to hide dishes, but if you have a deep enough sink, you won’t need to worry about it.

Ceiling Treatments

Who looks up? Well — everyone.

While you might not have seen many ceiling treatments in the past, they are becoming more popular these days. Not only are they popular now, but it won’t be going away anytime soon.

You spend a lot of time in your kitchen, and creating a little drama with interesting dimensions will make the space more enjoyable to work in. Whether it’s coffers or moldings you’ve fallen in love with, you’ll be able to make your kitchen stand out and look amazing by adding a little bit of detail.

LED Lighting

LED lighting no longer makes you feel like you’re in a hospital. Technology advancement now allows LED lighting to provide an appealing and welcoming light to your kitchen while still being effective.

LED lighting is best used to light hard to see places like underneath your island, cabinets, and toe-kick.

Your Timeless Kitchen Is Here

Now you know more about how to create a timeless kitchen. Your kitchen is the hub of your home, and it is important you focus on making it both desirable to the eye and functional.

Do you need more help with home improvement projects and other important tasks? Our site has many home-related articles to help you as you work on your project.

Browse our site, find your favorite home improvement and DIY articles, drop a bookmark, and come back soon to read more.

 

This post was written by 800 modeling. 800 modeling is a full-service general contractor offering home renovation and remodeling services in Los Angeles County for over 40 years. Click here to see more.