Timeless Kitchen Design Styles with a Lasting Impact

May 3, 2023

Is a new kitchen in your future? A kitchen design is an investment in your home and your lifestyle. Like any investment, you want to get value for your remodeling budget. By choosing a timeless, classic style for your kitchen remodel, you can be sure that your design will be as relevant in 10 years as it is today. 

Timeless vs. Trendy

This doesn’t mean your kitchen design will be boring! There are classic design styles that provide a foundation for a timeless kitchen. When paired with an efficient layout, plenty of storage, and high-quality materials, your kitchen will look as good as new for years to come. Trends come and go, but with a simple design, your kitchen will always be in style. 

Image of kitchen with wood countertop.

As your tastes change, you can update your room’s style in easy ways by changing accessories. This could be as simple as getting new towels, decorative items, and barstool cushions in a bright accent color. Or you could change cabinet hardware or light fixtures for the latest metal trends. Any updates you want to make during the lifespan of your kitchen design will fit perfectly with your classic cabinetry and color scheme as a backdrop.

What are the key components of a timeless kitchen design? Our blog explores the elements of a kitchen design that will stand the test of time.

How to Create a Timeless Kitchen Design

From the layout to storage, kitchen cabinet styles, accessories, and color scheme, the essential elements of a kitchen design work together to create an efficient and stylish space at the heart of your home. To create the ideal kitchen for your home and lifestyle, work with an experienced kitchen design expert who can guide you through the process and help you choose styles and materials that will bring your design vision to life.

Layout

The layout is the foundation of any kitchen design. Get your layout right and everything else will fall into place to create an efficient and user-friendly kitchen. First, examine your existing layout and decide what you like and don’t like about it. Work with your kitchen design expert to find the ideal setup that fits your available space and lifestyle, creates an efficient workflow, and provides ample storage for all your essentials. If your kitchen feels cramped, consider expanding it by knocking down or moving a wall, or by moving some of your storage to an adjacent pantry or utility room.

Your layout should be based on key work zones for everything you do in your kitchen. This means you must have easy access to what you need when you need it. It also means key elements should be positioned near each other, like the dishwasher near the sink and dish storage to facilitate loading and emptying the dishwasher. 

Consider how your kitchen layout facilitates other uses, like dining, entertaining, or home working. Make sure these functions can be accommodated and are placed where they will not interfere with key work zones like the cooking area. For example, a beverage bar is an excellent addition to any kitchen design and should be positioned where guests can easily refill their drinks without crossing paths with the cook.

Open-plan layouts are ideal if you love the easy flow of people moving around your first floor. They suit a home where you enjoy hosting gatherings with family and friends or have young kids and want the ease of working in the kitchen while keeping an eye on them in the family room. An open-plan kitchen creates a truly multi-functional space that promotes interaction and is ideal for casual dining or entertaining.

Image of white kitchen with marble countertops.

Storage

Storage is a central component of any kitchen design. Without ample and targeted storage solutions, your kitchen will be cluttered and more difficult to maintain. Create customized storage to fit your family’s needs as part of your layout and kitchen cabinet design. 

Look at what you no longer need or what can be stored elsewhere, such as seasonal items that are rarely used, and do a full declutter before starting your remodel. Then examine what you need to store and where you require it. Incorporate storage solutions including deep drawers, pull-outs, rollouts, tray dividers, and more to make sure that every item has a home in your kitchen cabinet design. Create pantry storage for essential food items and cooking supplies, either in a separate walk-in pantry or as part of your kitchen cabinet design. 

By incorporating customized storage, your classic kitchen design will remain stylish for years to come. Efficient storage means you can keep your countertops clutter-free and work surfaces ready to use. It also makes your kitchen easier to clean and maintain. You can supplement closed storage with some open storage in the form of floating shelves. This provides the perfect place to accessorize a simple kitchen design and add pops of color.

Color Scheme

There is a reason why neutral tones are always popular for kitchen designs. White, beige, light gray and some wood tones are classic and versatile choices for a kitchen’s base color palette. Choosing cabinetry in these tones provides a foundation on which you can add accessories that are more easily changed, such as cabinet hardware or soft textiles. 

These colors go with any kitchen design style and pair well with a wide range of complementary materials for countertops and backsplashes. Far from boring, neutral shades are timeless choices.  You can easily add depth to a neutral palette by varying textures or patterns, such as a countertop with veining or a herringbone backsplash pattern.

The two-tone cabinet design has been in fashion for some time and is another way to give your color scheme an updated look without fully breaking from the neutral palette. Stick to light neutral tones for perimeter cabinets paired with another color for the island or go for neutral wall cabinets with a contrasting base cabinet color. Make sure you select two colors you love so your two-tone cabinet design will not look dated in years to come. 

Image of a kitchen with two-tone cabinets.

Cabinetry

Kitchen cabinets cover a large area of your room and therefore dominate your kitchen’s style. Choose a classic cabinet style that fits any design aesthetic and won’t go out of fashion. One of the top choices is Shaker-style cabinetry, which has been popular for over a century. This cabinet style focuses on simple lines and quality construction and is versatile enough to fit almost any kitchen design style. It is also one of the easier-to-clean cabinet styles, which is a huge bonus! 

Stick to quality materials that will last and choose a finish that is easier to maintain. Sturdy wood cabinetry with high-quality components will give you a much better return on your investment over the lifespan of a classic kitchen design. If your home and personal style tend to be more modern, you could also consider a contemporary slab cabinet style. The flat cabinet door and minimal embellishments mean it is simple to maintain and, if you are committed to a modern, clean style, will remain in fashion for years to come.

Countertops

Once you have your cabinet storage sorted, your countertops become a clutter-free surface where you can cook, bake, dine, or keep a few carefully curated accessories to add color. Choose a surface that can take everything you throw at it and remain stylish for years to come. It pays to choose a quality material that can withstand sharp objects, heat, splashes, and spills. 

Engineered quartz is an obvious front-runner that is long-lasting, nonporous, and can tolerate all but the highest heat. It does not need to be resealed over time and comes in a wide range of colors and styles. Choose a classic look, such as a white background with veining that accents your color scheme. 

Image of a classic kitchen design.

Another sophisticated option is to choose a natural material such as granite, marble, or wood. These choices never go out of style, but keep in mind they require a specific cleaning and maintenance routine. Research your preferred options and make sure you are happy to commit to the ongoing care of your surface to ensure your design looks great in the years to come.

Backsplash

The kitchen backsplash serves a key role in protecting your walls from grease splatters and food splashes. It also sits at eye level and therefore impacts your kitchen design style. As with other elements of your kitchen remodel, choose quality materials that will last and fit your design aesthetic. 

Subway tiles are a top choice that has been popular for over a century. You could go for the classic white subway tile, or change it up with a different color, texture, or arrangement such as a herringbone pattern. Another option is to pair white subway tiles with a dark grout color, which is easier to maintain and looks amazing!

You could also opt for a natural material for your backsplash such as stone tile. Keep in mind, just like with countertops, this porous material must be carefully maintained over time. Another option is a slab backsplash, which looks amazing and has the added benefit of being easy to clean with virtually no grout lines. For a truly clean look, you could even install the same material for your countertop and backsplash.

Image of a kitchen with a marble backsplash.

Flooring

Kitchen flooring must withstand constant foot traffic, pets, spills, and heavy items being dropped on it. Wood is a classic choice that is popular for kitchens, as it looks amazing and naturally warms up any kitchen design. It works especially well to balance the light neutral color schemes that give your kitchen design staying power. Wood can last for decades as it can be refinished over and over; however, it is more prone to scratching and damage in high-traffic, moisture-prone areas like a busy kitchen. 

If wood and its ongoing maintenance do not fit your lifestyle, you could consider other materials that give you the look of wood with a lower maintenance surface. Luxury Vinyl Plank is a top choice as it closely mimics the look and feel of wood in a top-quality, durable, and truly low-maintenance floor. Other options include wood-look porcelain tile, laminate, or engineered hardwood. 

Sink 

The sink is the unsung hero of kitchen designs, where everyone goes to wash hands, prepare food, rinse dishes, and clean pots and pans. It can also be a lifesaver during a party when you need to stash dirty dishes while entertaining guests. While different sink styles come and go, you can never go wrong by choosing a large, single-bowl sink that can accommodate pots and pans. 

Farmhouse styles fit this functional requirement while also enhancing your room’s style and come in a wide range of materials that fit any design aesthetic.  Even better, go for a Galley Workstation, which is a multi-functional tool that will transform the way you work in your kitchen. The Galley Workstation is available in sizes to fit any kitchen design. It pairs with a wide range of accessories that allow you to transform your sink from food prep to serving to clean up with ease.

Appliances

Appliances are your tools in a kitchen design that allow you to store food, cook, and clean up safely and effectively. It pays to choose quality models that fit your requirements and will last you for years. In terms of style, stainless appliances are a classic choice for a timeless kitchen design. 

Recent trends have seen more color in appliances. If you are happy to commit to this trend, then a refrigerator or range in a bold color could be a fun accessory for a neutral kitchen. If, however, you want appliances with staying power, stainless is the way to go. Ideally, you should match your appliance finishes to create a cohesive look for your room. 

Another classic option is to go for paneled appliances that match your kitchen cabinets. This creates a truly cohesive look for any kitchen design where your cabinetry continues uninterrupted across the room. This way your appliances will be in fashion at least as long as your kitchen cabinets are!

Create Your Timeless Classic with a Simple Kitchen Design

A simple design style is always a wise choice to turn your kitchen design into a timeless classic. Go for quality materials like wood, stone, and quartz in a neutral base color palette. Pair this with clean lines like Shaker-style cabinetry. Give your space personality by including different textures, patterns, and accessories that add a pop of color and a dash of personality. 

Your kitchen design will be durable enough to withstand daily life and stylish enough to last for years. Let our experienced design team help you create your ideal kitchen design!