Time for a kitchen update? If you’re pursuing a kitchen renovation, then good for you! An updated kitchen is vital when it comes to increasing resale value. If you plan on living in your home for a while, it should create a more inviting, relaxing, and enjoyable space for you to cook and entertain in. But updating your kitchen doesn’t have to mean adopting a “modernized” look. You can still retain a beautiful, classic aura in your newly remodeled kitchen space. Here are some quick tips on how to incorporate a classic kitchen look in your renovation.
Classic Kitchens have clean lines and neutral colors
A few classic kitchen elements have truly stood the test of time. The stainless-steel appliances, hardwood floor, white subway tile backsplash, and the shaker cabinet are all classic kitchen elements. What do all of these elements have in common? Simple: they’re subtle and rely on clean lines to create a visually-relaxed and polished backdrop. They’ve become staples of the beautiful and timeless classic kitchen, and at least a few of them should find their way into yours.
When it comes to creating a classic kitchen that’s truly timeless, you want to shy away from visual distraction or chaos. Your favorite color might be magenta, and your favorite pattern might be floral, but this is not the place for them (save that for a guest bedroom).
Stick with neutral colors in a classic kitchen (a solid white kitchen will never go out of style). And truly, it is vital that you keep those lines clean. The streamlined look of the shaker cabinet will never distract and looks great in any kitchen, with any color scheme or décor. The horizontal subway tile in a classic kitchen is another great go-to. And while you certainly don’t have to rely on ALL of these elements, incorporating at least a few and maintaining the principles of neutral colors and clean lines will go a long way in conveying that timeless, classic feel that you want.
And speaking of classic kitchen colors…
The all-white kitchen will never go out of style. And in that all-white kitchen, a beautifully-white natural stone counter-top might surprise you. One bold option is going to be Carrera marble. Carrera marble has stood the test of time (it was even the material of choice for Michelangelo! Remember “The David?”). It’s incredibly durable and strikingly beautiful, and unlike other natural stone counter-tops, can achieve a crisp white that others simply can’t.
By checking out Marble, you can find many more examples of stone colors and designs. Granite, limestone… they’ll call themselves “white,” but what you’re really talking about is a creamy off-white or sand. Marble is the ultimate in timeless and will send the resale value of your kitchen through the roof! Until you’re ready to sell, new marble kitchen countertops will bring an incredible sense of luxury to your classic kitchen that you’ll love too (just be careful: the biggest drawback of marble is its ability to stain).
Storage, storage, storage
You want to have great storage in your classic kitchen for a lot of reasons. (Many of which have nothing to do with the look and feel of the space). You can make or break a kitchen remodel with the thoughtful storage spaces you include. Having to reach into odd places or go searching for utensils and appliances when you’re cooking can absolutely ruin the experience. The right classic kitchen will put all of that within reach, and just out of sight.
Visually Clean Classic Kitchen
But from a look-and-feel perspective, you also want to make sure your kitchen has great storage so that the room is visually clean. Those clean lines rendered by your marble countertops, shaker cabinets, and a beautiful white subway tile backsplash. If they’re buried under exposed countertop appliances, loads of unnecessary décor, or even FOOD left out in the open it will not work. The less you can have out and exposed on your countertops, the better. So please, when you update your kitchen, make ample storage that hides appliances and products as a top priority. And while it has become trendy to have open, floating shelving in a kitchen, this trend is just that: a trend. Eventually, popular opinion will swing back to hidden appliances and clean lines. In the interest of creating a timeless classic kitchen look, it’s best to just keep things hidden if at all possible.
A classic, timeless kitchen can be yours, and it can be yours more easily than you might think. Just keep to the staples that have stood the test of time: the shaker cabinet, the hardwood floor, and the natural counter-top. Shy away from visual distraction, keep your appliances out of sight, and think “clean lines” in all that you do. Your classic kitchen design will be stunning, and you’ll absolutely love it for years to come.
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