How to Create a Timeless Kitchen

The Farmhouse Style Won’t be in Forever

Joanna Gaines and the whole farmhouse style is definitely ‘in’ right now here in New England, Western Mass and in Monson, but it’s not going to be ‘in’ forever.  So how do you create a kitchen that’s going to stand the test of time?
I have a few ideas for you for how you can renovate your kitchen without wasting money on trendy items that will look dated next year or the year after.

The first thing you want to do  if you want your kitchen designed to last is use white or off-white cabinets.

Yes, wood toned cabinets are still a thing here in Monson but when you choose a stain that you like at the moment, it tends to go out of style quickly. Just look at those 80s oak cabinets now. They look dated don’t they?  White or off-white kitchen cabinets tend to last longer.

Speaking of those cabinets, you want to keep the style of your cabinets simple too.

Don’t go crazy with ornate doors and moldings. If you keep it simple and classic then your kitchen feels fresh and new for longer.

The next thing you can do so that your kitchen design will stand the test of time is keep your backsplash simple.

Unless you want to replace it in a few years, don’t go with one of those trendy mosaic glass backsplash tiles, or even the encaustic tiles that you always see on Fixer Upper. Keep it simple with a subway tile.
Yes, it’s okay to go with one of those others, but realize that it’s going to look dated much more quickly.
If you choose a simple tile like a subway tile, in a neutral tone, the style will end up lasting longer.
If you want to be a little different with a neutral tile, you can always install it in a different type of pattern, like a chevron pattern or a crisscross pattern instead of just the usual stacked brick pattern, like MyTexasHome did in the picture below.

This one below, from DecorPad, although it’s pretty now, is going to be out of style quickly.

Another way to  create a timeless kitchen is to mix your metals.

When you go with one metal tone, such as brushed nickel, not only does it tend to be a little bit boring, it also tends to go out of style quickly. Case in point, the brass of the 90s. Here’s the thing though if you had mixed brushed nickel with a little bit of brushed gold, like in the pic from HomeBunch below, it keeps the style of your kitchen lasting a little bit longer. So, mix it up. Have a little fun. Think of it this way if one of the metal finishes does go out of style you have less to change.

Natural stone countertops are another way to create a timeless kitchen

While different stones come in and out of style, stone countertops remain timeless, if you keep them neutral without too much movement in them. That means not too much veining and not too much variation in the stone. The more veining and the more variation you have in the stone, the faster your kitchen is going to go out of style and feel dated. See how the kitchen below (by Wilson Design & Construction, found on HomeBunch) feels classic and the next one (also from HomeBunch), while gorgeous, will probably feel dated sooner?

You also want to stay neutral with your appliances to create a kitchen that won’t go out of style quickly.

If you choose a color for your appliances, like the one below from KBIS, then they’re going to go out of style faster.

Think about those avocado green or burnt orange appliances from The Brady Bunch era. Those colors might be coming back but I guarantee you that they’ll go out of style much faster than your stainless steel appliances will.

The moral of this whole story?
Keep it simple and don’t go too crazy.
That’s not to say that you can’t have some personality and interest in your kitchen. It’s just that you need to keep that personality and interest in inexpensive things like accessories that you can change out when you want to.  

If you’d like a copy of my Kitchen Renovation Questionnaire that’s packed with things that you NEED to consider BEFORE you start your renovation click HERE!