When you imagine your ideal home, a few ideas might come to mind: a contemporary living room with unique architectural details, an expansive patio perfect for dining alfresco in the summer, and so on. The most common answer that we hear from Tile Club clients? A timeless kitchen design - one that will feel fresh and current but provide long-lasting quality and style. That’s because it’s more than just another room—kitchens should be both functional and welcoming, making it essential to both your enjoyment and your home’s resale value!
A timeless kitchen, in true definition, refers to a design direction that isn’t stuck in one genre or affected by the passage of time and fleeting trends that can make you fall out of love with the space as styles change.
So, before you get started designing your ideal kitchen, it’s crucial that you have a clear vision of what’s important and why—as well as what elements can remain in vogue year after year. Of course, you want to create an inviting and liveable space that you’re excited to cook and host in!
From durable surface finishes like porcelain floor and glass backsplash tiles to classic neutral color choices, we reveal ways to create a kitchen that taps into both style and longevity, along with functionality a chef would dream of.
What Does a Timeless Kitchen Look Like for You?
If you want to create a kitchen with enduring style that all the family will love and enjoy, it's crucial to take your time with each decision to ensure that the established design is one that can grow and adapt to your changing needs no matter how much time passes.
A thoughtful design makes room for craftsman-like features to avoid your cooking space becoming dated after just a few years—whether your choices are functional or purely for aesthetics. The best approach is to create a kitchen mood board with a collection of colors, finishes, and materials that make your heart sing! Include paint swatches, tile samples, and other elements to help you visualize the final product as you narrow down your selections for the appliances, backsplash, floor, and more. You can always play around with on-trend accents and colors while keeping to traditional features to create a classic yet personal kitchen aesthetic.
Green and blue cabinets are the perfect colors to add to a classic kitchen design if you’re looking to break up a neutral color scheme. We love how our Thassos Square and Carrara Octagon Marble Mosaic Tile pairs easily with both neutral and bold elements.
8 Tips to Style a Timeless Kitchen Design
Kitchen interior design that goes the distance while maintaining function and flair is the homeowner’s holy grail. The desire to choose eye-catching and trendy colors, finishes and materials can be all too tempting, but trends are exactly just that—trends! They can fall out of fashion just as quickly as they take the design world by storm, so it can be best to consider your personal preferences and needs over what’s on designers’ ‘must have’ list this week.
Fortunately, you can create a long lasting kitchen design with high-quality basics, even with the latest in innovation and technology. Below are great ideas to consider when building a brand-new kitchen that will hold up to years of wear and style whims!
1. Forget trends and create a lasting foundation
Mustard yellow kitchen cabinets? Been there. All farmhouse everything? Done that. The truth is no one is entirely safe from the fleeting style obsessions of the moment. It's easy to get caught up in making rash changes and follow the current flair only to tire of it in a few years.
We get it, trends are fun to embrace, but what looks good now may not be practical over time. No matter what trend comes and goes, wood look floor tile like our Wooden Beige marble hexagons will remain an enduring finish loved by designers and homeowners alike.
A swoon-worthy and timeless kitchen incorporates quality craftsmanship with distinctive features that transcend time and give your home endless appeal. To achieve that goal, realize that style isn’t about chasing after the next big trend, but instead opting for choices that address your needs, your home, and your personal desires.
2. Choose kitchen colors with staying power
Crafting a perennial space by choosing time-tested classic white or neutral shades such as cream, beige, ivory, taupe, or earth tones can be an investment in future-proofing your kitchen. Not only do neutral kitchens impart a fresh, bright, and warm welcome, but they also maintain their charm for decades far better than the latest bold and bright color fad.
The Lexington White Marble Mosaic Tile gorgeously complements white cabinetry work and wooden architectural features in this stylish kitchen. White and wood tones offer the perfect backdrop to add pops of color and different styles of accessories that can be easily switched out with changing seasons or as your design preferences evolve.
Better yet, timeless kitchen colors contribute so much depth when materials and textures are layered. Tile—whether glass, porcelain, or marble—excels as a backsplash that won't go out of style while it guards against moisture, is easy to care for, provides incredible durability, and looks stunning doing so.
White subway tiles, for example, are a timeless choice for a classic kitchen design and add as much pizzazz as any other surface finish with color. Coming in both polished and honed finishes, they are simple, sophisticated, and a wonderful canvas to let the rest of your kitchen shine. We especially love how they can be paired with any style of cabinetry from modern to traditional to contemporary!
In addition, a neutral base foundation acts as a blank canvas, making it easy to introduce your personal touch with styling and accessories. Textiles, small appliances, artwork, and any other tweaks that promise an instant refresh without the hefty renovation can be switched up periodically, bringing newness to the space each time.
3. Embrace the beauty of quality fixtures and fittings
When it comes to high-use fixtures and fittings, investing in top-quality items that have a sturdy body and won't chip, scratch, or wear out can ultimately save you time and money. Choose a reputable and trusted brand to ensure quality, or look for materials that provide a long-wearing finish.
High-quality fittings and fixtures offer a sense of pizzazz to the overall design scheme of a classic kitchen. Here, the Calacatta Gold Arabesque Marble Mosaic Tile acts as a stylish canvas for champagne bronze dome lights and matching sink hardware. The resulting combination is harmonious with a luxurious finish!
Smaller considerations such as cabinet and drawer handles, knobs, and hinges are equally essential. Poorly made fittings will need to be replaced in a few years while high-quality (but more expensive) materials will last much longer. Investing in your kitchen design choices may cause sticker shock at first, but the long-term benefits are well worth the coast over time.
4. Put the spotlight on durable surface finishes
A classic kitchen has to hold up to a lot, so it makes sense to invest in materials that excel in durability and longevity, even if they cost slightly more. This mindset shouldn’t restrict you from incorporating craftsman-like details that add warmth and beauty! It’s a lot easier to opt for customization if you’re looking for life-proof countertops and cabinets but still want distinctive details that are unique to your space and home aesthetic.
Our Calacatta Gold & Thassos Bricks Mosaic Tile is a durable surface finish that effortlessly complements any style of kitchen. To enjoy the beauty of this natural stone, we recommend regularly sealing your tile and grout.
Tiles are one of the most durable surface finishes that stand the test of time, require little maintenance, and add greater functionality to your timeless kitchen remodel. Porcelain wall tiles, for instance, provide a shield around working areas including the backsplash—and when laid on the floor, they're hard-wearing, easy to keep clean, and deliver a lasting allure that still feels current.
The different styles and colors of tiles open a whole different world to create a look that truly reflects your taste. If you fancy the authentic charm of timber, wood-look porcelain tiles are a great fit for the kitchen as they capture the natural beauty of real wood plus the practical benefits of porcelain. Unlike hardwood flooring, you don’t have to worry about warping, cracking, expanding, or staining with wood look floors.
All the charm of wood floors without the pain of maintaining them - our warm brown porcelain plank tiles are a low-maintenance flooring option that will give your home effortless charm!
Your countertop selection will essentially define the overall look of your kitchen. Bright or bold colored countertops continue to trend, but if you’re looking for “timeless,” you may want to go for materials that are a staple of quality kitchen construction such as natural stone. If your cabinet design is neutral and plain, extra pattern or texture plays a more stylish and eye-catching role. Marble with stronger veining can lend an elegantly punctuating touch to the scheme of things.
5. Consider cabinet style and details
Cabinet style and details play a big part in the success of a timeless kitchen remodel. Shaker-style cabinets are one of those evergreen elements that have endured for decades; they’re not everyone's cup of tea, but it’s a look that offers beautiful simplicity that flies right over turbulent trends.
Elegant white marble and shell tiles and shaker-style cabinetry keep things charming yet contemporary in this swoon-worthy classic kitchen design. While cabinet paint choices may come and go, this backsplash will stay in style for years to come!
Their flat-side rails and flat-inset panel craftsmanship deliver clean lines and tidy corners that don’t detract from a kitchen’s overall aesthetic. This style of cabinetry is a classic that works perfectly with both characteristics of minimalism and bold details and makes for a great canvas for various hardware choices and tile selections.
Aside from their subtle and elegant beauty, shaker-style cabinets provide great durability and function as they can hold up well to the various needs that occur in the hub of the home.
6. Stylish tile backsplash with great longevity
With a huge variety of colors, finishes, and shapes to choose from, tile backsplashes can make or break the idea of a timeless kitchen design. And because it is one of the first features to draw attention, it's important to opt for a backsplash style that gives the space a distinctive finishing touch while supporting the style choices you’ve made for your cabinets and countertops.
This Calacatta Gold Basket Pattern Mosaic Tile makes for a fantastic backsplash that won’t go out of style. The chic basketweave design complements just about any interior style so it can play nicely as trendy decor comes and goes!
Backsplash tile that won't go out of style is a fantastically versatile way to influence the space’s entire mood and also offer a hygienic and easy-clean finish against moisture, splatter, steam, and grease. A geometric mosaic glass or mirror backsplash in a neutral hue exudes a high-end contemporary feel. Better still, the shiny surface reflects light beautifully, creating an illusion of an even bigger and brighter kitchen.
Subway tile is another style that lends a classic and refined design that will endure for years to come. A marble-look porcelain backsplash is entirely unique due to its natural beauty and delivers a luxe finish without the need for periodic sealing. For a gorgeous focal point with great impact, extend your backsplash design to the ceiling.
7. Create a durable foundation with tile flooring
Stunning and durable flooring is the foundation for a functional and beautiful space that gets heavy use. And a timeless kitchen design requires a surface finish underfoot that can stand the test of time.
If you’re a fan of natural stone, marble floor tiles are about as classic as they come! Investing in a quality stone mosaic or paver floor is a great way to keep your kitchen looking chic for years to come.
The dramatic veining of our Selo Grand Hexagon Carrara and Thassos Marble Mosaic adds visual intrigue and extra dimension to this neutral kitchen design. Laying the same style of tile on the walls and floor ties in your wall and floor decor, making a unified design you’ll love!
More durable than the likes of hardwood, vinyl, and laminate, porcelain is a fantastic choice that allows you to inject individuality into your kitchen. Depending on the style you want to achieve, it can mimic classic choices: marble, stone, and wood—making it a truly dynamic and versatile material.
Along with the all-important need for longevity and beauty, porcelain tiles are appealing, highly water and stain-resistant, and provide outstanding durability and strength for a space notorious for getting lots of activity. And because they’re micro-sealed during production, they require little upkeep. When installed, grouted, and sealed properly, tile generally lasts a lifetime and can be a huge contributor to creating a classic kitchen!
8. Stylish kitchen lighting that’s incredibly practical
We believe that stylish and plentiful lighting should be at the core of every timeless kitchen. And we don’t necessarily mean One Big Light Fixture at the center of the room. The kitchen’s interior looks more upscale with lighting that is in sync the space - illuminating your countertops for prep work or your island for visiting over drinks. Lighting should be bold enough to make a statement, yet understated when you want to create ambiance.
A lighting scheme that’s designed to brilliance not only increases productivity and overall visibility but also introduces texture, depth, and lasting appeal to your kitchen design! Picking one focal point - like this patterned waterjet backsplash tile and pairing it with relatively simple globe lights - sets up your space for a beautiful impact.
For this reason, a layered lighting scheme should be considered at the planning stage to maximize design opportunities. It's important to maintain a combination of two types of illumination: shadow-free task lighting integrated into wall cabinets or above working areas, and mood lighting with a soft, diffused glow for when you want to create an atmosphere ideal for unwinding or entertaining. If possible, it is worth considering dimmer switches for a multi-functional kitchen to alter the brightness and create different moods at the flick of a switch.
-
We’re believers that you can embrace the newest design trends while keeping classic appeal and reliable functionality in mind! As you select colors, finishes, materials, and lighting for your kitchen, make sure they're high quality to set your home up for long-term success. At Tile Club, we offer a range of tiles perfect for creating timeless appeal that are built to last with style!
0 comments. Write a comment