Will my Kitchen or Bath Remodel be dated in a few years?
There are so many exciting, trendy options on the market now. A typical remodeling challenge is to know how to be current without going out of style in a few years. When investing thousands in a remodel, you don’t want your newly renovated space to look dated a few years down the road. My advice as an Interior Designer? Keep it neutral. Don’t add anything too colorful or design specific. Add your personal design taste or color preferences with the paint color and accessories. With the built in parts of a space in a neutral finish, a purple polka-dot bathroom can be transformed to a pale blue spa bathroom before resale simply by changing the paint color and accessories. Neutral doesn’t necessarily mean everything is white or all beige. A neutral space can have grey or taupe tones and even subtle colors or patterns.
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1. White Paint Built-InsSticking with classic wood finishes or white paint for build-in vanities or kitchen cabinets can help to create a timeless look. In most homes, the trim color and ceilings are white. When you add white built ins to the space, the built ins become part of the architecture of the home rather than just a decorative element added. Some paint colors or finishes, like mauve, can put a date on the year the home was remodeled. White, on the other hand, is a classic finish with a timeless quality. |
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2. Metal FinishesAnother finish to avoid is oil rubbed bronze for faucets and accessories. It became popular because of its warm tone but it will place a specific date on when your space was remodeled. Instead stick with finishes that will be trending for years to come: brushed nickel, stainless and chrome. Don’t let anyone talk you into brass either. It’s making a brief come back but will be dated again before too long. |
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3. TileMost people don’t want to spend time cleaning grout lines, so smaller tiles and floor mosaics are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Square glass tile is no longer popular for kitchen backsplashes. The latest trend is to use rectangular glass mixed with stone mosaics instead. If you’re really worried about dating your kitchen, I recommend avoiding glass tile all together. |
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4. AppliancesFor kitchen appliances, stainless will be trending for a long time. It’s popular, despite fingerprint issues, because it helps reflect light and becomes a neutral element against any color palette. White appliances are okay, especially if you have white cabinets. Bisque appliances are almost non-existent and black appliances are not considered an upgrade. |
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5. CountertopsFor kitchen counters, it’s a good idea to stay away from Corian if you’re thinking about resale, as granite and quartz countertops are the most popular. Laminate is not considered an upgrade. Current trends are moving away from speckled countertop finishes and towards patterns that look like limestone or marble. |
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6. Bathroom Shower Enclosures & StylesFor bathrooms, stay away from framed shower enclosures in a master bath and instead, get a clear frameless construction. I would recommend pushing yourself a little bit outside your comfort zone toward the contemporary end of the spectrum with the style of faucet and towel bars you select. Particularly in bathrooms, contemporary finishes and faucetry don’t feel out of place when mixed with a more traditional vanity or tile. Pushing your design decisions to be a little more contemporary will help the space follow trend for a longer period of time. Trend in general is moving toward a clean transitional or contemporary aesthetic, so stay away from overly ornamental fussy window treatments and heavy moldings. |
