Dont Make Your Kitchen on Trend, Make it Timeless
If you’re of a certain age you may remember the ‘Avocado’ bathroom suite; all the rage in the 1970s but guaranteed to put off buyers a decade later. Of if you’re a child of the nineties, you may remember how fashions in interior design encouraged us to stencil the living daylights out of every wall and surface with repeating motifs in a pastel palette?
These are just a couple of examples of how perilous it can be to jump on the latest trend without considering its longevity. Take our advice, when it comes to specifying a kitchen, stick to classic, timeless design.
Of course, taste is individual. There may be plenty of homeowners who selected a red gloss finish for their kitchen a decade ago and are still thrilled with the vibrant colour that engulfs them every time they make a cheese sandwich. However, most home buyers and property investors understand that bold fashions are usually transitory and such choices may be difficult to live with or sell on later.
Fundamentally, for developers and property investors, kitchen specification is not about personal taste but about appealing to a majority of buyers and achieving a look that each individual can tailor to their own style.
The only effective way to deliver that philosophy is by selecting neutral, classic shades and finishes that complement the overall interior design of the property and do not overwhelm the space. The show home can then be accessorized with this year’s hottest colours and design trends.
For example, this year, rose gold is everywhere, so accessorising a neutral kitchen with rose gold utensils and glasses in the show home can demonstrate how the apartment could look bang on trend. Tropical themes have also been in vogue, with pineapple and flamingo motifs proving especially popular, and these quirky contemporary touches can complement the neutral palette using items as eclectic as tea towels, artwork, lamps and crockery.
The basic rule here is that potentially transitory design trends should be featured only in items that can be removed and updated as fashions change. Fixtures with a level of permanency, such as kitchen cupboards and worktops should remain as neutral and timeless as possible so that any buyer could walk in to an apartment at any point in the next decade and make it their own.
