How to Design Your Own Timeless Kitchen

5 Min. Read

Do you want to remodel your kitchen only for it to look dated in 10 years? As one of the biggest investments in your home, make sure you carefully consider all the style options available to you. Kitchen design trends are fun, but at the end of the day, most people don’t want to spend thousands of dollars to remodel again. Designing a timeless kitchen means creating a lived-in feel while maintaining beauty and functionality. If you would like to create your own timeless kitchen design, follow these 7 steps. 

When it’s finally time to start your kitchen remodel, things can get exciting very quickly. The endless door styles, finishes, and cabinet storage provide almost limitless possibilities. Included in these options, however, can be some quickly fleeting trends. Make sure you age-proof your kitchen by making selections that stand the test of time. 

Timeless kitchen cabinet styles include things like shaker and flat-front (or slab) door styles and paneled appliances. Since these door styles have history and focus on simplicity, you can be confident your kitchen won’t look outdated in 10 years. 

In addition to classic door styles, another way to design a timeless kitchen is by matching your home’s architecture. For instance, if your home is Craftsman style, then selecting a beautiful wide shaker cabinet is the perfect choice. Honoring the architecture of your home will never go out of style. 

If your house is beautiful, but can’t hold up to your family, why bother remodeling? Instead, make sure to talk with your remodeling professionals about which materials will suit you best. For homes with young children, try base cabinets in a darker color or stain to conceal any rough housing that might occur.  

When it comes to furniture like bar stools, dining room chairs, and draperies, choose these accent pieces based on the durability of their fabric. Easy-to-clean, machine-washable materials stand up to wear and tear and are lifesavers that help protect your investment. 

Lastly, think about how your family functions. Do you love to cook? If so, it probably makes sense to splurge on the nice range, but if not, go for something less expensive and use your budget on another important design feature.  

Colors schemes and fixtures can easily make or break your kitchen project. Most trends heavily depend on these two elements so take your time working through these details. The basis of any timeless kitchen design is a versatile color scheme. 

If you look throughout history, kitchen designs that age well mostly consist of neutral color schemes and natural materials. Neutral tones like white, taupe, gray, black, and warm light to mid-toned wood finishes are the best choices for longevity. This can even include subdued blues and greens if you need a pop of color. These colors are flexible and will never go out of style. 

The key is to create balance, so don't overdo it with an all-white or wood color scheme as this can age your kitchen. Mixing and matching finishes will create a more lived-in feel while providing interest and character. You can also use this principle with fixtures and hardware- the more variety, the less likely it is your kitchen will go out of style. 

As the second largest design element in your kitchen, countertops and backsplashes need special attention. Natural and organic materials will always be ‘in’ so don’t be afraid to go with marble or granite, however, quartz is also a great choice. Focus on more minimal patterns and neutral colors that aren’t ‘in your face’. 

In relation to backsplashes, avoid trendy colors and patterns because they’re the first indicators your kitchen's time has passed. Try long-term solutions for a backsplash like historical subway tile patterns, matching slab backsplashes, and handmade tile to future-proof your space. 

Designing your kitchen to meet your long-term needs is crucial. Talk to your design professional about the kitchen work triangle. This concept is incredibly functional and works to make any kitchen more effective. The National Kitchen & Bath Association created the work triangle principle. 

Basically, it says that the most important traffic pattern in the kitchen is between the sink, refrigerator, and cooktop. In order to design a functional kitchen, the total number of feet for this triangle should be no more than 27’. To make cooking and cleaning more convenient, each leg of this traffic pattern should be a minimum of 4’, and no longer than 9’. 

Outside of the work triangle, other needs include food, dish, and cooking utensil storage. If there’s room, integrate a pull-out pantry for dry goods near the refrigerator. This keeps all food in the same area, meaning fewer trips across the kitchen. Store things like large utensils and pots near the range and dishes and silverware by the dishwasher for convenience.

Any timeless kitchen design will include proper lighting. This will always consist of abundant ambient lighting for general work, and task lighting for detailed work like chopping veggies and preparing meat.  

A great way to add some character and personality through ambient lighting is to add sconces by areas like the cooktop. Not only will you add a sense of history to your kitchen, but this lighting will add to the overall atmosphere. For task lighting, add halogen or LED light strips under your wall cabinets and floating shelves to provide direct light for food prep. 

Once the foundation of your kitchen has been figured out, it’s time to decorate. This is an area where it’s okay to be a little more ‘wild’ than with something more permanent, like cabinets. Wall paint, area rugs, dishes, décor, and cabinet hardware are all moderately priced and easy to replace.  

Have fun embellishing with some bolder colors and textures. Then, when preferences change you can switch them out. If you find you are attracted to the newest trends, but want a timeless kitchen, this is the most flexible area to incorporate your favorite new styles. 

Study these ‘ageless’ kitchens. What do you like about them? What colors and textures are used? Most of the time you will notice they’re eclectic in style and often mix old items with new. Take hold of these ideas and use them in your kitchen. A long-lasting, properly designed kitchen takes time and looks like it’s been curated over time.  
 
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