Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Jan 15, 2012 8:29 pm Hi all, I am looking to use light and airy browns and creams in my kitchen and quite like the look of the kitchen here (in particular the timber veneer): http://www.taradennis.com/kitchen/openp ... fault.aspx I am really conscious of how particular colours and finishes can date a room or house and I'm looking to avoid this. Wood seems to have a particular knack of giving away the date of a house, but it is so nice at the same time. Does anyone - maybe one of our in-house interior designers/decorators - have any tips regarding how to avoid picking decor that won't last/is too fashionable? I know noone has a crystal ball, but maybe there are some simple rules of thumb? Thanks 5.5m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) Moved in!! - 22 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=53455 Re: timeless colours and finishes 2Jan 15, 2012 9:24 pm Hi Juski, While I'm not an interior designer or decorator, I can tell you what I know from experience. We built our current house 20 yrs ago, & my kitchen still looks quite modern. The modern trends with the splashback etc may in say 5 to 10 yrs time show the age of the kitchen. Whereas having a tiles splashback in my opinion will never age. The current trend at the moment is to go for creams & beige colour, again, like I said, that's the "current " trend, have you considered going for say white kitchen cupboards, I'm sure that's one colour that will never go out of fashion...that's my 2c worth anyway. Re: timeless colours and finishes 3Jan 15, 2012 11:26 pm Hi juski (we keep bumping in to each other on this forum!) I have a similar question to yours.... Only I've been thinking I'd have an all-white kitchen, until I started looking through display homes yesterday. Then I played with the 3D designer on the laminex website and now I 'm really not sure about the all-white look!! I like the darker wood-grain look laminates for the cupboards, but I am 99% certain this will date my kitchen rather quickly.... So now I'm considering white cabinets with a black essa stone bench top.... Only I'd had my heart set on Crystal Salt..... Arrrggghhh, this isn't any fun. Coming back to your choice/idea. I like the look of the kitchen you linked to on the Tara Dennis site.... But I am currently liking things that will date quite easily, so I'm not sure that listening to my opinion would help much! timeless colours and finishes 4Jan 16, 2012 6:46 am IMO just about everything dates. So my motto is always "Choose what makes your heart sing". If you were building to sell pretty much straight away I don't think you can go wrong with white / off white cabinets with a stone top in any colour. But if you are building to live in the house then choose what makes you happy whenever you look at it. That was why I chose my photo splashback. To look at my favourite beach in Hawaii every single day truly brightens my day. Some things are worth waiting for. Re: timeless colours and finishes 5Jan 16, 2012 3:57 pm Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Springtime, I probably mean more off-white than cream in reality - but I don't want to have too much white in the kitchen, as easy as it would be! I also think that the very dark browns and woodgrains will date, caz, I am steering clear of too much dark brown for this reason. I noticed it in sooo many open inspections we went to (before we decided to build). You have an excellent point kyton - I think I was secretly hoping someone would tell me to stop worrying about it I'm starting off looking at Caesarstone colours and then seeing where I go from that. I really like Linen and Shiitake. 5.5m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) Moved in!! - 22 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=53455 Re: timeless colours and finishes 6Jan 17, 2012 3:16 pm An all-white or off-white will last much longer than any other colour so if you really want longevity I would definately use all white, and create some interest using accessories. Don't forget you can decorate a kitchen just the same as any other room, using stools, accessories, lighting and artwork to create a different look. The dark wood laminates, while they look great (and yes, I do use them! ) are going to look dated in about 5-10 years I think and probably be considered very '2010/2011'. Think about the 70s kitchens with wood laminates; we might think the current ones are nicer but the reality is they will still date eventually! That said, a timber laminate like the one you have shown in the picture is still neutral (better than choosing blue or something!). Another advantage of the lighter coloured timbers, and the look you've shown in the picture, is that it is very Scandinavian which is a pretty constantly popular style (look at Ikea). As springtime said, a glass splashback or another modern alternative will probably also date more quickly than tiles, just because tiles have been around for a long time (particularly something simple like a subway tile). At the end of the day though, as kyton said, there will still be other ways of telling a kitchen is dated; the tapware, the handle choices, the kicks, the sink style, the appliances. I guess it just depends on whether you want something that is neutral enough you can 'get away with it' for a lot longer and can easily change small things like taps, or whether you just want to go with something you really love now, and worry about the consequences later! Anna Ethos Interiors is a fresh and creative design firm, specialising in online interior design services for clients all over the world. http://www.ethosinteriors.com.au Re: timeless colours and finishes 7Jan 18, 2012 7:58 pm I did Australian Architecture and design in my course, timber has featured in homes and kitchens way back from the first settlements in OZ. It has featured through every period since… till 2012 where it is still popular. So does it date? NO. The only thing that dates is the colour and tone of the timber or laminate. My advice is, if you like the look, go for it. To me timber wether on the floor or as a feature in the kitchen, like in your pic adds warmth and character to any home. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: timeless colours and finishes 8Jan 18, 2012 9:12 pm Isn't it really the style of the design that dates and not the material? Colours go through a fad. Quote: a glass splashback or another modern alternative will probably also date more quickly How long has glass splashback been around? timeless colours and finishes 9Jan 18, 2012 9:47 pm We used a glass splash in our first home we built in 2000. But back then people were still mainly using tiles. My inlaws are currently building and they are in their early 70's - this time they are choosing a glass splash. Some things are worth waiting for. Re: timeless colours and finishes 10Jan 18, 2012 10:21 pm Excellent point, Kyton. I have to say, regarding glass splashbacks, I'm just not sure that they are a decorating 'phase', as they are not purely decorative. Compared to tiles, they are simply far more practical in a kitchen, and for this reason I don't think they will necessarily go out of 'fashion'. Kitchen choices will always be dictated by decorating trends, but perhaps even more so by issues of practicality, as they are out of necessity, functional spaces. Hey. Head to a metal and decide on which profile you will use first. Profiles with larger corrugations can greatly change the appearance of the color in different… 0 3381 Hi all, I am currently building through Simmonds and stuck deciding on my exterior cement roof titles and brick colours. The front and fascade of the house is a pretty… 0 2724 |