How to Choose Countertops and Tile That Will Never Look Dated
If you have ever waited for your turn to renew your driver’s license at the DMV, then you have already experienced what it feels like when time stops progressing. But that’s not the kind of “timeless” we’re talking about. We’re talking about timelessness as it relates to decor – such as countertops and tile, which are, uncoincidentally, Gallery 77’s specialty.
In essence, something is timeless when its beauty is not dependent on contemporary style. Take Elvis Presley’s kitchen as an example of a room that most assuredly isn’t timeless. The King of Rock and Roll’s interior designer was obviously quite attuned to the decor trends of the 1970s. There are dark-colored cabinetry and paneling aplenty, avocado green appliances galore, and flooring with the same pattern that Jerry Garcia might have seen on the backs of his eyelids.
The King’s kitchen has aged like milk precisely because it was trendy. All of this is to raise our first rule to creating a timeless look in your home:
Avoid Trendy Designs
Picture a dated kitchen. If it is dominated by earth tones and heavily patterned tile, then the kitchen in your mind would look right at home in the ’80s. If it only has slightly less oak than an actual oak forest and green laminate countertops, then you are likely imagining a kitchen designed during the ’90s. And if the dated kitchen you’re envisioning is overwhelmed by stainless steel and granite, then it is a product of the ’00s for sure.
While it can be helpful to consider current interior design trends, it is important not to feature any of them too prominently in your kitchen or bathroom remodel. Interior design trends must necessarily change over time. Every interior designer would be out of a job if they didn’t.
Embrace Design Elements That Have Already Withstood the Test of Time
Many design elements simply cannot go out of style. Marble countertops are a perfect example, as they have remained popular in kitchens since the days of the Ancient Greeks. Marble is also exceptionally resistant to moisture and heat, but will require simple maintenance in order to never reveal its age.
Subway tile backsplashes aren’t nearly as old as marble countertops. Subway tile has remained common despite achieving peak popularity over 100 years ago, however, and there is virtually no kitchen or bathroom that it can’t tastefully complement. Kitchen islands also became popular relatively recently. They reached their heyday during the ’80s, but their practicality has made them a mainstay in the American kitchen.
Keep It Functional
While design trends come and go, the most efficient way to move about a kitchen will never change. No matter your taste in countertops or kitchen backsplashes, never design the kitchen triangle out of your cooking space. The concept came into prominence during the 1940s and holds that the cook must be able to freely move between the kitchen’s three key work areas: sink, stove and refrigerator. The kitchen triangle saves time, reduces the amount of effort you have to put into cooking, and even helps to prevent accidents.
Minimalism – a philosophy of design with a self-explanatory name – has often been implemented in bathrooms. It does create quite a chic space, although minimalism should never be embraced at the expense of sacrificing storage. However clean you might prefer to keep the lines in your bathroom, don’t sacrifice the storage you need to keep toiletries and towels out of sight but always ready.
Take a Swiss Approach to Color
What are the Swiss most famous for? That’s right – they are neutral. Big, bold colors can look marvelous in any living space, but they always come with the risk of falling out of fashion. Neutral colors such as white, black, gray and taupe do not carry that risk.
Designing neutral colors into your kitchen or bathroom is a surefire way to keep its aesthetic timeless. If you are going to get experimental, restrict your attention to the paint, wallpaper, artwork and furniture. When you invest in a neutral countertop or backsplash, you can expect it to remain attractive no matter how dramatically interior design trends change over the coming decades.
If you’re remodeling a kitchen or bathroom in the greater Hudson, WI area, then the Gallery 77 team is standing by to help you make it a timeless one. We welcome you to contact us today to get started!
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