Create a Classic Kitchen to Outlast the Trends

With the housing market in a slump, home improvement is on everybody’s mind. Just switch on the television and find HGTV, DIY, and other networks that are dedicated to helping you create the perfect look for your home. But how do you know what looks good today will still look good 10 years from now? How much money will you spend increasing your home’s value just to see the next new thing in home fashion come along and make your space feel second rate? How much are you willing to risk on the value of your home?

The most valuable space in your home is the kitchen, and the best way to create a timeless, classic look that will outlast the current trends is to collaborate your vision with a professional kitchen designer. Kitchen designers know how a kitchen should work. They can create an efficient and comfortable work space and also coordinate stunning cabinetry with coordinating countertops. Think about the cake baker, their knowledge or flavor, texture, and chemistry create that delightful cake you can’t stop eating. The cake decorator, though he may create a beautifully edible canvas, cannot change what is underneath the icing. The same goes with your kitchen, a few facelifts and design-on-a-dime color changes could make your kitchen “look” better, but designing a new kitchen with a specialist can add much more value to your home.

An example of how fickle the fashion trends of home improvement can be is the panel of top designers at a recent International Builders Expo in Las Vegas who listed upscale kitchen finishes such as granite countertops are more and more becoming less desirable with homebuilders and renovators. Not that long ago granite countertops were the hottest thing on the market. According to this panel of designers and contractors, buyers are now moving towards more affordable, low-maintenance, laminate countertops, which tend to last longer and come in various styles. Another example of a trend that is quickly picking up speed in kitchen design currently is glass countertops. Yes, I said glass. This is the trend for the current, modern-looking kitchen that many people are seeking. I am going to save you right now from losing thousands of dollars in your home’s value and tell you that this trend will come and go quickly. Though modern looking, this leaves your space cold and (industrial) feeling, not the warm and cozy feeling people usually look for in their kitchens.

So what do you do with this information? What does a classic kitchen look like? If that were as easy a question to answer everyone’s kitchen would look identical. But designing a classic kitchen goes beyond looks, beyond the current “hip” countertop material, it is creating the room that people linger in, that families spend time in, that birthday cakes are baked in, and Thanksgiving dinners are prepared in. A classic kitchen, though beautiful with crafted wood cabinets, the perfect amount of ornamentation and striking countertops, will be efficient in its design, well-proportioned and should have a well thought out layout of cabinets, speciality storage and appliances. Work spaces are created with the client’s needs in mind. A classic kitchen will reflect the architecture of the home and will have a timeless style that in 10 years will still look fresh. Everyone’s “classic” will be a reflection of their home and their individual style and working with a professional designer can help you find that perfect combination.