Kitchen Design Ideas That Will Last

Mustard & Avocado Appliances - Popular for a Few Years, Maligned for Decades. How To Avoid This Mistake.

When it comes to kitchen design, it's essential to make a distinction between timeless and trendy. It's a fine line that interior designers and design-build firms walk for their clients. Every client comes to us with unique needs and project goals, with the bottom line being that they want their kitchen to better meet their aesthetic and functional needs. Once their project is complete, however, their satisfaction will largely depend on what they put into their space.

As the designer, our goal is to create a design that includes everything they've asked for while providing them with a design that won't feel dated in a few years. Kitchen remodeling is a significant investment. And while we work hard to meet our client's needs by creating a design that encompasses the best elements of the latest trends, we also strive to provide them with a timeless design that is not affected by passing time, or changes in fashion.

Here at Degnan Design Build Remodel, our award-winning designers are aware of all of the latest trends in kitchen design. Our designers are artists who think of your home as their canvas. They collaborate with clients working closely with the homeowners to create the perfect design based on their style, taste, and vision.

Timeless Design and Future Classics!

Working with an experienced designer is a smart decision when it comes to creating a functional kitchen design. They will help you to make smart, informed decisions based on their wisdom and perspective gathered over time. Our team has seen the ebb and flow of trends and design fads, and their goal is to guide you toward choices that you'll still love a decade from now.

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One of the biggest challenges as a designer is the distinction between trendy and timeless. While we strive to reach a balance, kitchen remodeling and design aren't about creating a "museum" that never changes. An effective design will not only thrill you when it's finished, but it will also be capable of growing and evolving as your needs change in the future.

In fact, an essential element of a good designer's wisdom is the ability to look at trends and predict which ones will stand the test of time, and which will prove fleeting. The secret is creating a kitchen that serves as a timeless backdrop, but leaves room for trends to come and go and styles to change... a kitchen that ages and adapts gracefully to changing styles and trends.

Creating a Timeless, Yet Adaptable Kitchen Design

medium color selections and square panel doors - even if they are raised panel - are a safe, timeless value

A good designer can help you think through ways to get the effect you're looking for while creating a timeless design. Here are some examples:

• Today, there is a trend to make the kitchen island a different color than the main cabinets. But color trends change every few years. Refinishing an island can be difficult. A good designer will offer you options to capitalize on a trend while taking a more timeless approach, for example keeping the island natural wood.

• Another example is surface materials. Today, floor tile with bright floral patterns are all the rage, but chances are after a few years you'll tire of them. A good designer may give you a more lasting tile pattern. If you're still looking for a bright splash of color, your designer can satisfy your desire with accents like upholstery or window treatments. These types of finishes are easily changed later. This can get you the colors and patterns you seek, without a long term commitment.

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• Other trends may take an established timeless style and add embellishments that become quickly outdated. A great example is the "farmhouse" style made popular by Joanna Gaines. This style is characterized by vintage accessories, neutral colors, and lots of shiplap. Although it's still a popular style in rural areas, in other regions, it's quickly being replaced with more colorful designs and modern touches like mid-century modern inspired lighting, bold wallpapers, and ultra-clean lines.

A good designer is aware of trends like these and can help you to choose colors, finishes, and décor that are current but not trendy. Unless, of course, your goal is to be trendy! In that case, your designer can help support your vision and embrace it.

Timeless Design Tips

Here are some ideas of how to create a timeless kitchen design that can easily change as your style and tastes change.

• Neutral Colors

Incorporating bold, funky colors is a great idea. The best way to do this is to build from a base of neutral colors but express yourself with accents and furnishings, which are temporary. Using accent pieces like area rugs, table cloths, or flowers are all ways to create a kitchen that embraces your current color interest. Want a kitchen with real staying power? Go for colors but from a neutral color palette.

shaker doors are a timeless kitchen design feature, and backsplash tile that has a bit of distinction without being too trendy creates a kitchen that will last.

• Shaker Style

Shaker style cabinets are a guaranteed classic. Shaker style works great with both traditional and modern designs. Well-built, shaker style cabinets will last and stay stylish for decades with proper care and regular maintenance. Shaker cabinets offer a timeless simplicity and elegance.

• Custom Cabinetry

Your designer can help you to maximize your space to its full potential with custom cabinetry. This is especially important in older homes where custom cabinetry offers unparalleled value. Glass cabinet doors are a neutral feature that can help create a feeling of spacious while allowing you to bring color accents via the contents.

• Stone Countertops

a kitchen that is well designed can live a second lifetime. This parade home from 2000 got an update with new countertops, backsplash, hardware, and the original oak cabinets were painted. it is still beautiful and ready for the next 20 years.

Stone countertops are a timeless option for the kitchen. Granite is always popular, but today you have a lot of more exotic options like onyx, soapstone, limestone, and more. However, if you're looking for timeless, granite, or quartz are a win, especially whites, grays, or tan combos.

Functionality is Timeless!

Sometimes a trendy kitchen can look amazing and age well, but they aren't always designed well. For a kitchen to be truly timeless, it must be designed with a focus on function.

A designer is an artist, and like all artists, every designer has their own signature style that may or may not be a good fit and work for you. If you don't already have someone in mind, how do you choose the right person for your project? While you want someone whose style you like, personality is also important. A super-casual client might not hit it off with a formal designer and vice versa.

At Degnan Design Build Remodel, we have several award-winning designers on staff, to better meet our client's needs. If you're planning a kitchen remodeling project in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area, give us a call at (608) 846-5963. Meet our design team and let us show you the possibilities!

View These Kitchen Design and Remodeling Projects

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An Above the Garage Master Suite Addition Remodeling Project

We recently completed an addition for our clients, John and Amy, a professional couple with young children living in the Blooming Meadows neighborhood in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Their home featured three bedrooms on the second floor. The existing master bedroom was outdated and impractical for modern living, and with three young children, two needed to share one of the two remaining bedrooms, and all three kids shared the second-floor bathroom. Another problem the family needed addressed was that John needed a private home office, and the one they currently had was a shared space that did not work well for his job.

Let's take a look at our creative solution for this young family!

A New Private Bathroom for the Adults!

One of the major elements on John and Amy's wish list was a private bathroom space just for them. They wanted plenty of space to get ready in the morning, away from the kids, and we delivered! The bathroom features a handcrafted Amish custom double vanity with a tower cabinet in alder wood, stained Carbon Gray. The contrasting Linnstone Quartz Calcutta pattern countertop brightens the space and ties in visually with the elegant tile work in the spacious walk-in shower. We added custom alder wood framed mirrors stained in the same Carbon Gray as the cabinets to complete the vanity. Over each of the mirrors, we installed Quoizel 2 light vanity fixtures to provide plenty of warm light.

In the shower, the 21st Century Tile 12x24 floor-to-ceiling tiles in Tivoli Silver give the room a bright and modern feel, and the low entry shower makes entering the shower safe and easy for the couple. We included a helpful niche in the shower for shampoo and other toiletries and, for contrast, used a beautiful hexagon mosaic accent tile. The glass doors give the space an open feel, making it bright and inviting. The Arbor Hills luxury vinyl plank flooring in timber adds a warm feel, giving the room a natural look with the benefit of waterproof LVP.

The Result

The final result of this second-floor master suite addition is a home that fits John, Amy, and the kid's needs and lifestyle perfectly. John now has the perfect private office space. Since John and Amy now have their private master suite, and each of the kids has their own bedroom giving them their own space to grow as they grow, their home is more comfortable and functional. And on the exterior, you can't even tell there's been an addition!

Are you considering an addition or other home improvement project? Let us help you design the perfect finished space! If you live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. We can take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Ready to learn more? We're always happy to answer your questions.