How to Choose a Unique Kitchen Style For Your Family

The kitchen remodeling industry is booming, and more and more homeowners are spending their well-earned money on "big-ticket" remodeling projects. With the increase in spending, the industry is offering an unprecedented variety of options.

Unfortunately, this variety often stymies even the most industrious homeowners. From the ceaseless amount of kitchen appliances to endless flooring options--not to mention the lighting, backsplash, and cabinets--today's homeowner face a bewildering amount of remodeling decisions.

So how do you cope?

At Master Kitchen & Bath Design, we advise our clients to refine the process by choosing a preferred décor style based on your family's unique temperament.

Your custom-designed kitchen can inspire the thrilling excitement of a professional kitchen or the humble contentment of a Hobbit-hole. Either way, when you choose a distinctive style, you will necessarily limit your choices--and this is a good thing! By designing a kitchen to suit your family's personality, you can create a space that truly inspires contentment.

For this MKBD project, the family desired a simple, yet elegant retreat, so we advised warm colors, cabinets with windows, and a classic layout.

In most modern homes, the kitchen layout determines the tone for the entire house.  

Contemporary kitchens tend to be bright, airy, and clutter-free. If you prefer a minimalist design, you might do best with a contemporary kitchen design. A contemporary design also tends to include soft lines and curves as well as an effortless blending of various design elements. Spas and health centers around the world exploit this design to inspire a mood of renewal and relaxation. If you're looking a simple space that evokes a spa-like ambiance, try a contemporary design.

A modern kitchen is defined by geometric shapes or patterns, neutral colors, and eclectic fixtures. A modern kitchen is best suited for the innovative family who prefers style and a dash of originality. Modern designs might include artistic sculptures, glass tables, or a rectangular mirror positioned above the cooking area.

Traditional kitchens might appear dim in contrast to a contemporary kitchens, but for those who prefer subtle lighting a better description is warmth. A traditional kitchen is perfect for the family that prefers a cozy space with copious details. Indeed, a traditional kitchen might appear relatively crowded (in comparison to the contemporary and modern styles) with vintage knick-knacks, decorative curly designs, cabinets supported by decorative brackets, or floor furniture with thick legs. But if your family is the type that enjoys the distinctive charm of an antique shop or bed & breakfast, you might do best with a traditional kitchen design.

The backsplash in this Philadelphia kitchen is inspired by the ornate logic of the traditional style, but the professional-grade stove top is purely modern.

Of course, homeowners will add your own touch to these distinctive kitchen styles, but how do you decide what décor style is best for you and your family?

When choosing a style for your next kitchen remodeling project, look to your current home style for inspiration. Homeowners often mistakenly believe that a modern kitchen will create a nice juxtaposition for a traditional-style house, or vice versa, but the result is often discomfiting.

Just imagine: You walk into the foyer of a traditional-style home and see two antique chairs supported by thick legs with engravings, and white light bulbs shaped like candles in the windows. The corridor leads to the living room, where you see two pattered couches with silk pillows, a rocking chair with wooden curls at the chair base, and honey-hued wooden floors. The living room has three walls adorned with family pictures, and a fourth wall opens to a a clean, spacious modern kitchen with a recessed spotlight in the ceiling placed right above a rectangular kitchen island with two stainless steel stools. On the counter, a glass mosaic backsplash borders stainless steel cabinets.

Feeling confused?  Well, you guests just might feel confused, too!

The key is consistency. This is why we suggest choosing a style based on your family's unique personality. Remember, your designing this kitchen for your enjoyment, so make it feel like a second home.

FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate!

If you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk budget and more! Call now! 215-355-4747.

Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!