Honestly, there’s a particular kind of heartbreak that comes from renovating your kitchen, loving it for all of five minutes, and then watching the design date itself at a pretty fast rate. Yeah, honestly, who doesn’t love doing a kitchen refresh from time to time, right? But at the same time, trends move fast, but your kitchen doesn’t have to keep up with them. In fact, it probably shouldn’t. Well, when it comes to anything in your home, honestly, it shouldn’t even be keeping up with any trend at all (even if the internet makes you feel pressured to do otherwise).
Well, as you know, when you’re making big choices that involve money, mess, and tiles that require commitment, the goal is to love your kitchen now and in a decade. It’s such a giant investment, you absolutely need to love it. Plus, it’s not about playing it boring, but it’s about knowing where to go classic and where to have a bit of fun.
Start with the Layout (Not the Look)
Alright, alright, so before getting excited about paint colours and pendant lights, the layout needs to make sense. Yeah, that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many pretty kitchens have people bumping into cupboards or cramming their coffee station into a corner with no plug. For example, the triangle between your cooker, sink, and fridge still matters. It makes cooking less of an obstacle course and more of a flow. It also stops you from hating your kitchen when the novelty of the splashback wears off.
You Need to Avoid Trend Traps in Big-Ticket Features
Seriously now, there’s a major difference between loving a trend and wanting to live with it. Yep, you read that right. So, it’s one thing to buy a quirky-looking teapot or a green vase. But it’s another to commit to avocado cabinetry because it’s all over Instagram right now, or archways, terrazzo designs, or whatever else.
The things that are expensive to replace, like the flooring, cabinetry, tiles, and kitchen benchtops, should lean more toward timeless than trendy. Now, that doesn’t mean they have to be plain or dull. It just means they need to play nicely with the evolving styles around them. Actually, here’s a nice example: a neutral-toned benchtop can work with almost anything from coastal to industrial to traditional farmhouse, which makes updating your style down the line way less complicated.
Just Let Your Personality Shine in the Details
Once the major stuff is settled, that’s your green light to add flair. What does this mean? Well, this is the hardware, lighting, artwork, bar stools, even the kettle, basically, all of those pieces are easy to update when you’re ready for a change. Again, the major investments shouldn’t be replaced, but it’s okay to change out all the others from time to time, because, yeah, sometimes, looking at the kitchen can get a little tiring because of how boring it can get.
It’s the same strategy people use with fashion basics; a great pair of jeans can go with anything; it’s the top and shoes that change the mood. So yeah, kitchens are no different.
It’s About Thinking Long-Term
Sure, that wow factor is great, but unless you’re a millionaire, you shouldn’t be throwing money left and right towards your kitchen; it’s better off standing the test of time and thinking of the long run.
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