Image: Refined Lonestar by Sojo Design
We typically don’t use our blog space to simply click over to another website. But today, when I sat down to curate my own list of current trends and timeless styles for the kitchen, I came across a truly excellent image gallery, titled, “These 14 Incredible Kitchens Are What Dreams Are Made Of.” Kudos to Brie Dyas, who wrote the post.
I encourage you to click the link below and scroll through the images. The photos are wide shots, not details, so the gallery is more helpful at identifying which style you like than necessarily planning out your dream kitchen.
Here are a few of my observations:
- Undeniably, the kitchens shown range from spacious to huge. But focus on some of the smaller spaces and see how the designers and contractors played with scale to create a grand room in less space.
- No big surprise! We were thrilled to see exposed beams in one of the examples.
- Each of the kitchens shown has a timeless quality. I think it’s fair to say the author has a particular style she likes, even though she included a few outliers to her preferred aesthetic. Even if her style doesn’t jive with yours, the message is to design the core elements with an eye toward longevity.
- To wit, these kitchens give space to whimsy or trends with the easier-to-swap finishes, like pulls and light fixtures.
- Stone countertops are fairly subdued and consistent in pattern, for the most part.
- Many of the kitchens are showing mixed styles of cabinetry – from upper to lower cabinets, or main kitchen to island, or even simply from one color to another. This has been an emerging style over the past few years. On the subjective side, it’s an aesthetic choice. On the objective side, there are a two, off-the-cuff benefits.
- Even the most timeless kitchens will likely benefit from a little upgrading every decade or so. Mixed cabinetry means you can only change out one section of cabinetry for a huge visual impact.
- If the “mix” that you go for is a mix of color, you can designate one section (e.g. the island or the lower cabinets) to add an easily updated accent, dependent on your evolving style or trends. (Though this isn’t a particularly intense or expensive update, I recommend hiring a professional painter for cabinetry.)
Click over to the “These 14 Incredible Kitchens Are What Dreams Are Made Of,” and enjoy planning your next kitchen!
