Dated Rooms - ?

[lb2006]

Our home remodel begins next week and we still haven't decided on cabinets for the kitchen.  I like dark-stained shaker cabinets and also white/antiqued shaker.

This remodel is a biggie and will be the only one for a few decades.  Would you think a white/antiqued cabinet will look "so 2000s or 2010s" in 10 years?  I'm having a hard time deciding.  We're going with a lighter granite (i.e. bianco antico or something similar) and the back of our house is all windows & doors for views of the lake. 

[munkii]

I think both dark-stained and white/antiqued will age badly and sooner than 10 years (dark stains in kitchens are already falling out of favor). Your best bet would be non-antiqued white or a medium stain.

[lb2006]

Right - i like white and/or antiqued. My husband would like a darker maple or white. We just can't decide

[munkii]

Ok, when you wrote white/antiqued, it came across as antiqued white. Tell your husband dark is not the way to go.

[tarheels]

There's a poster, and I can't remember who she is, who says when she was looking to do a huge kitchen reno, she went and looked at all these 80s and 90s kitchen design books and magazines at the library or that her mom had saved. She said the only finish that looked timeless was white. The shiny brass hardware was a giveaway, but that would be an easy change out.

I think plain white (not antiqued) would be the safe bet.

JMO, but I wouldn't pick a busy or highly contrasting granite. That already loudly says aughts. I'd go for something more uniform in color that doesn't have a polka dotted look. (I don't know granite names like some people do, so if your color is solid-ish, ignore me.)

And as an aside, isn't medium-dark wood (lighter than espresso) coming back for kitchens? Who's got one of those "next big thing for kitchens" links? (On my phone)

[kaylie]

I think dark stain would be current longer than antiqued what. I think specialty finishes like that are more likely to go in and out of style faster.

We went with white cabinets, but I think darker ones would look great with bianco antico. Especially if you have a lot of natural light in there.

[bunch]

I'd just pick what you want. Anything will be dated in 30 yrs. you can always paint them one day.

Signed, just installed charcoal shaker cabinets.

[lb2006]

I like the granite with bigger veining (if that is a descriptor)   not small dots

I would love concrete countertops, but per sq. ft they are more expensive than granite & the cabinets would have to be built more sturdy to support concrete weight

[TBM]

I think door style dates cabinets more than finish...unless it is something like the pickled finish in the 80s/90s. ;p

That, and whether or not the style of the cabinets works with the style/age of the house. We have a 70s modern-ish house that someone put new, traditional style cabinets in. In a more traditional or transitional house, new or older, the cabinets would look just fine, but in this house they look oddly dated rather than new...they just don't work.

I have seen antiqued cabinets my entire life. Trends are cyclic, but some things can work even when not at the height of popularity and not look dated. I always thought when they weren't the trend, antiqued cabinets looked less dated and like they belonged in an older home or home that was styled in a way that mixed old and newer so they didn't stand out as being from another era. Does that make sense?

[kaylie]

Jun 7, 2013 9:15:08 GMT -5 lb2006 said:

I like the granite with bigger veining (if that is a descriptor)   not small dots

This is what we went with. H had very extreme taste in granite and I liked the more subdued look. We went with azul aran and I love it even though it has a bit more character than I originally planned on. I'll probably post finished kitchen pictures soon, but even though it's loud, it's not overwhelming.

This is our actual slab:

[Deleted]

Jun 7, 2013 9:13:58 GMT -5 bunch said:

I'd just pick what you want. Anything will be dated in 30 yrs. you can always paint them one day.

Signed, just installed charcoal shaker cabinets.

This is kind of where I am. I get not wanting "outdated" in five years, but I think people kid themselves if they expect something installed in 2013 to still look "fresh" and "current" in 2043.

[clementine]

I like medium-ish wood tones. They are just kind of neutral and don't immediately strike you as too dark! or too light! I also think of white as timeless, even though it is currently trendy. Bottom line, get what you like!

[lb2006]

Jun 7, 2013 9:34:18 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Jun 7, 2013 9:15:08 GMT -5 lb2006 said:

I like the granite with bigger veining (if that is a descriptor)   not small dots

This is what we went with. H had very extreme taste in granite and I liked the more subdued look. We went with azul aran and I love it even though it has a bit more character than I originally planned on. I'll probably post finished kitchen pictures soon, but even though it's loud, it's not overwhelming.

This is our actual slab:


Yes, that's the type of 'veining' I'd like - but most likely a little lighter.  I think we plan on going with white cabinets  i just have a hard time making decisions on $$$ items

[raangoli]

I've been wondering the same thing for when we think about remodeling our kitchen. The cabinets are white now, but they are poor quality and need help. I do find myself getting drawn back to them though since that is mostly what I see and I don't want to make the kitchen dark.

I think in the end we will go with what we like since we will be the ones living with it for some time to come.

[pitterwoo]

Jun 7, 2013 9:09:44 GMT -5 tarheels said:

There's a poster, and I can't remember who she is, who says when she was looking to do a huge kitchen reno, she went and looked at all these 80s and 90s kitchen design books and magazines at the library or that her mom had saved. She said the only finish that looked timeless was white. The shiny brass hardware was a giveaway, but that would be an easy change out.

Me.  My mom was getting ready to do the big reno when she got sick and had stacks of kitchen mags from the 90s and early 2000s.  I just grabbed a bunch of them last summer to go through.  :::goes to grab the file:::

So many of the kitchens look really busy with too much tilework and busy granite patterns and ornate cabinets with glazing.  The white on white kitchens by far offend the least.  You also can't go wrong if you make sure the renovation is in keeping with the rest of the home, unlike TBM and lshoes's former homeowners.  You can still do a renovation that feels current, while also being tied to the context of the home.

What I would do/did is:

1. think about the age and style of the home

2. do the search for inspiration pics thing

3. throw out any ideas that conflict with the house

4. throw out any ideas that you only like because they seem "different".  It's probably something that will look crazy dated

5. narrow down what your pictures all have in common and go from there 

[SusanBAnthony]

auntie also said she picked a white kitchen based on old kitchen magazines.

I myself am not a huge white cabinet fan, i like light woods. But if I was going to spend the money on a whole gut, i might be able to be convinced to go white just because it is more timeless, and does probably appeal to more people. I know i walked in to dark wood kitchens and recoiled when we were house hunting, whether they were brand new or 30 years old. Wood colors elicit strong opinions in people, whereas white is neutral and non-offensive.

[cosmowife]

My neighborhood is full of post and beam, flat-roof, California style ranchers. So many people have updated them with these horrible traditional kitchens. The realtors always list it as a selling point - beautiful updated kitchen! To me it just looks bizzare. We put white slab front glossy cabinets, white marble, and subway tile backsplash. It is modern, but seems to fit the style of the house. I think fitting the style of the house is the best way to hopefully avoid looking dated.