Are you debating between trendy or timeless kitchen designs? Trying to figure out the difference - now that timeless kitchen design is trendy?
For a more detailed explanation of what "timeless" means in regards to kitchen design - complete with ideas - read, Designing a Timeless Kitchen...
This post will cover some of the pros and cons of each.
Pros & Cons of a Trendy Kitchen Design
A trendy kitchen design focuses solely on current design trends, without much thought into the future. This kitchen will look like it's fresh off the (insert-current-year) home design webpages.
The Pros:
- Instant curb appeal. Trendy kitchens appeal to a range of current homebuyers because they resemble exactly what viewers have seen on Houzz, HGTV and other, trend-based design programs and websites.
- It's contemporary. Since trends are always changing, you're guaranteed to have a contemporary design with all the newfangled bells and whistles.
- You can play with both. Things like stripes, polka dots, and chevron accents come in and out of style (trendy) but have cycled for decades (timeless), so sometimes favorite trends come back around just when you're ready to pull the trigger on a new kitchen design - saving you some of the trouble.
The Cons:
- They're transient. Perhaps the biggest con is that almost all trends are guaranteed to go back out of style. Think about 70s, 80s and 90s kitchens, for example; odds are you have a clear image of how each "trend" looked.
- It can be more expensive. If you follow trends, your lifetime kitchen design budget will be pricey since you'll have to change/re-do things every handful of years or so. This is why we advocate creating a "timeless" foundation, using accents to trend it up.
The Pros & Cons of a Timeless Kitchen Design
A timeless kitchen is designed such that it could be viewed 25 years ago - or 25 years into the future - and be appreciated for it's style and lines, even if technology has evolved.
The Pros:
- Cost-effective. This is often the most cost-effective approach because even if high-end material costs are higher, durability and multi-decade longevity makes the investment worth it.
- Widespread appeal. Sure, a few future homebuyers might wish it were a little more trendy, but they can also see that a timeless kitchen design is lasting and that preferred, trendier updates will be easy to implement.
- Chameleon effects. It only takes a few updates here and there, or a minimal investment in accessories, to make a timeless kitchen look trendy too.
The Cons:
- Boring. While they do have wide-scale appeal, they can appear boring if you are too "vanilla" in your choices. Working with a professional kitchen designer should help you land on the right side of timeless-but-boring and timeless-with-character.
- Expensive at the outset. Sometimes, timeless features - like custom cabinets and ultra-durable countertops come with a steeper price tag. However, this isn't always the case and, as pointed out above, durability typically pays off.
Don't' forget, there are plenty of clever ways to incorporate timeless and trendy features. Open shelving is a prime example. It has been used in kitchens since the beginning of time, and it is currently trending. In many cases, shelves are 100% open - meaning the edges have no walls or borders. You can use cabinet box dimensions, sans doors, to create a trendy, spill-free open shelving "look," leaving it easy for cabinet doors to be installed if desired down the road.
Wondering which of your kitchen design ideas are trendy or timeless? Looking for a way to artfully incorporate both? Visit the design team here at Kitchen Magic for some helpful, professional advice.
