Great thread! Having lived in and restored everything from a 1920 Mediterranean-styled mansion to a 1950's Florida ranch, I agree with the posters who view the kitchen as a part of the architectural whole. IMHO, if the home design was well conceived at the beginning it is a mistake to build or remodel any part of it outside its original style.

I am currently building a "traditional" home. The kitchen is separate from the living areas. It overlooks and exits onto the covered patio leading to the pool and waterway. It is large (16 x24) and has a casual dining table for 5, not island seating. The nearby formal dining room is meant to be used regularly.

The refrigerator, dishwashers, and warming drawer are being paneled. The oven is positioned beneath the counter in an area that is not viewed from the entry or table. The only appliances that can be seen are the speed oven and cook top. This is suits my aesthetic judgment that appliances are not pretty things to display they are tools. Everything is where I need it for convenience, including a pot-filler, not because it is "in" or "out".

The cabinets will be ivory and the island will be walnut. Countertops and backsplashes will be granite. I could care less what is coming in future years of kitchen design trends because this house will always demand traditional materials and color schemes.

I, too, have convinced myself not to post in this thread until today.

I confess, I'm dated. In ten years, I'm likely only to become more so. Big sigh expressing deep depression and self-pity.

Please tell me when I become vintage instead of just dated?

Fear not, Bmorepanic. There's nothing wrong with being dated. So what if someone says, wow, this beautiful kitchen was done in 2010? Don't they say...

"Dated is only skin deep but ugly goes to the bones?"

I may think glass tile is the 2010 fad of the year but all that really means is it's super popular now... now that it will be any less beautiful later.

I don't think so much that everything gets D----, I think a lot of people have Design Attention Deficit Disorder: they can't stick to an idea, and they are easily bored.

How many projects have we seen in here where the homeowner has shifted gears dramatically during the course of the project? How many times have we heard "I loved this xyz when I bought it two years ago, and now I hate it."

What? Really? Not because it doesn't work, not because it is falling apart. Just because they changed their minds. I think when it comes to spending $25-40K they need to snap out of it.

How many times have people asked a question about fixtures, finishes etc. and they have been encouraged by many people to not go with a basic choice because it is "boring"? Why not go with the more basic choice because it has less of an expiration date on it?

Which would you feel more ridiculous wearing today: a bubble cocktail dress from 1989, or a wool jacket from 1989?

Too many people are trying to make their kitchens look like the bubble dress...or god forbid their wedding dress...when they should be making it look like the wool jacket.

Palimpsest - your comments are spot on, though I had never thought of it that way. In clothing there are classic styles that stand the test of time, and the same would be true of kitchens. Then maybe the accessories can jazz it up a bit.

As long as my kitchen renovation continues to be functional and efficient and it gives me joy to be in, I won't consider it dated. I have carefully thought out each element and chosen things I love and some, like the backsplash, are purely aesthetic. I have an awfully hard time grappling with this "dated" concept, maybe it's because I don't live in a bustling metropolitan area?

Yesterday I bought a stack of old magazines. There were several home decorating/improvement/remodeling issues in the stack. Leafing through them, I noticed in particular a 1974 issue showing a brick arch over the built in stove that I saw here being ripped out! I like it. Maybe not brick the next time around but I liked the arch. It just did something for the room. And other things I saw, same handles, cabinets, work triangle, even islands. But what struck me as different was the colors. And there was more wallpaper. So maybe it's mostly color that goes in and out of style? With wallpaper costing more than tile these days no wonder no one uses it. All in all, there wasn't much difference in the 1974 kitchens than the 2010 kitchens. Granite, I guess. Otherwise, I even saw the same light fixtures! And there were more kitchen tables with chairs; a specific eating area away from the food preparation area. The older magazines weren't even that much diffrent from today. Someone posted about a 1983 kitchen remodel magazine. It's true. The date never changes, only the accessories. It's the little black dress.

Florantha, I laughed when I read your comments about 'Shaker' cabinets. Calling every flat panel, inset door a 'Shaker' drives me wild; so far as I can tell the Shakers had nothing to do with it. More than likely it was the utilitarian door made by somebody's carpenter when a built-in cabinet was made. And, according to my carpenter/cabinetmaker, it used to be the standard for true custom cabinets. When I designed my kitchen 8 years ago, I wasn't a GW member & had never heard the term 'Shaker door' - instead I replicated the door style of the original outside kitchen, circa 1858, using flat panel, inset doors. They might be a trend but they've been around a long time!

'Classic Style' means different things to different people but quality components & good bone structure never completely go out of style.

A few thoughts on this entire thread as I've been out of town celebrating good family events---graduations and new babies---and have just had a chance to read through all of the thoughts here. First, slightly off topic, but what struck me as a consideration of what SHOULD never go out of style in a kitchen is someone who cares about the health and well being of the family. I've had the great good fortune of growing up with 2 grandmothers, a mother, aunts (and uncles), neighbors, and parents of friends who were supremely in charge of what their families and friends were eating. The obesity epidemic we hear of and see all around us was simply not possible when I was growing up b/c a loving family member was always around making sure my siblings and I were making the right food choices. It strikes me that the folks on this forum care so much about making the right design choices for their kitchens as an outgrowth of how much we all care about making the right food choices for ourselves and our families above all.

When I think about what will be dated from this perspective for everyone on this forum, I think anything that is not functional (meaning easily cleaned for me)or doesn't help us achieve the objective of providing the best possible food to our families in a warm and happy setting, will soon be relegated to the purely showcase kitchens. For me in the modern world this mean that I'll never give up my induction cooktop despite the fact that my grandmothers, my mother and my aunts cooked on raging gas ranges making some of the best food I ever ate. I just don't have the time to clean one of those and the induction doesn't heat up my Florida kitchen. The old time kitchens I grew up in didn't have "countertops" of any sort either---just wood kitchen tables (sometimes with a marble pastry stone placed on top for rolling dough) sort of in the middle of the room with the range and the sink and the refrigerator place around the perimeter and a built in cupboard or pantry close by. Thus, I tend to think that the new timeless will be some sort of combination of technological sophistication such as induction cooktops and other appliance marvels that will make the real cooking and cleaning easier combined with natural counters/surfaces such as stone or butcher block arranged in either fitted or unfitted kitchens. To me this is the perfect blend of modern technology and traditional materials. Cabinetry, backsplashes, and all the rest will come and go but the physical basics of a kitchen are the prep and the cooking so the appliances and the surfaces need to be the focus.

Here's hoping that the heart and soul of the kitchen will always be someone who cares enough to tell the children that soda/chips/the latest "in" snack foods are not on the menu regardless of what all their friends or the ads say. It doesn't matter whether the walls are grass cloth or glass tile---that is style that will come and go. Good food and anything that helps us provide it to our families is timeless.

Having spent hours this last weekend looking at pendant lights online, I've decided that small colored glass pendants are going to date todays' mod kitchens. No matter, though. They're fun. They're great. They're everywhere and many cost a lot. But...they will date us. Just like our saddle shoes.

Just finished talking to a number of tile shops. One of the rising trends for this year is fabric-textured tile, linen-like.
Heard it from the horse's mouth.

I think in 10 years I will still be involved in this remodel becuase I cannot make any decisions.

My mother designed and upgraded her kitchen in 1971. I was 11 years old. My mother passed away last April. I sold her house in August. The main selling feature was her open floorplan kitchen that lead into the family room.

She chose traditional cherry hardwood cabinets, carrara marble counter tops and backsplash, stainless trimed double electric ovens with black glass fronts, 36" gas range, cabinet mounted stainless vent hood and a white double bowl cast iron sink.

I remember mom and dad discussing the tremendous amount of money she was spending on this kitchen, something like $15k in 1971 but that was my mom, she always had classic taste.

My point in bringing this up is that other than updating the appliances, her kitchen looked just as good in 2009 as it did in 1971.

I have tried to keep this in mind when planning my new kitchen, and stay away from the trends, but it's sooo hard not to want what is fashionable now.

I've only read the first few and first last comments so forgive me...

1. Fabric tiles? Not for a backsplash I hope - unless you mean faux fabric that's washable?

2. "I think in 10 years I will still be involved in this remodel because I cannot make any decisions." Hahaha that cracks me up!! :)

3. I think it's easiest for those of us who have very old houses. We can easily choose to go "period" and I'm sorry but that is indeed timeless. What I imagine most of us (w/ old houses) will do is be classic but w/ little hints here and there of the current decade, and those little hints can be swapped out later in the next decade without it being a major remodel! ;) Of course eventually things wear down and have to be replaced, in some cases.

I imagine (have never lived in a modern house) that it's harder - but maybe also funner - for those who design/decorate a modern kitchen in a much newer and modern looking house.

The tiles are "fabric look": Daltiles "Kimona Silk" and "Fabrique" being two examples. They are scored or crosshatched to resemble a fabric texture, and matte in finish. They are also larger format. This has been trending in commercial tile for some years now, and the thing that I like about them is that they are not trying to mimic stone. They read as relatively monolithic surfaces.

@nishka: I'm sorry about the loss of your Mother. I bet her kitchen was fabulous. I love looking through old home design books and mags and I dream of living in a modliscious mid-century home in Palm Springs someday after I win the Lottery!

Someone in this thread mentioned how it's more likely *color* that goes out of fashion. In a way I think that is true. Some things really never do go out of style, but maybe the colors or the surfaces change a little.

Some things do go out of style, or do look very dated. I wish I could put into words why I think this is. This is going to sound very snobby but most of the stuff that is considered dated now is stuff I never liked in the first place. Isn't that strange?

I always think about my Mom with every decision I make during my current kitchen remodeling. My Mom passed away in 2005. Right before she became ill she told me she was considering redoing the kitchen in her funky little all metal Lustron home (if you've never heard of the Lustron please do a quick search!!). Boy that would have been a fun project to plan.

@adh673: Fabric Tiles. Ahhh. I've seen plenty of them in the various tile stores I've been visiting lately. I wonder if they will catch on? I doubt it. There are also a lot of wood-like porcelain tiles. I think they're pretty cool, actually, but I'm not going with them in the new kitchen.

I'm debating on a very light colored glass backplash (subway or stacked 3X6) or a light, plain ceramic tile. Whatever material we choose we know it's going to be very light and plain. The house I grew up in had never been remodeled and all the bathrooms had subway tile. I grew up with it. It's been around a long time and I think it's a classic style that can compliment any design.

whatever I choose, I'm choosing what my husband and I like and we're trying not to worry about it too much.

I found and am re-reading my 1993 copy of Chris Madden's Kitchen book, which I found so useful when I renovated a kitchen back then. Back in 1993 every kitchen in the book looked gorgeous to me - I find it fascinating then to read in 2010 and see how everything held up!

Maybe it's because these kitchens represented the cutting edge, but some trends remained very much the same - the opening and enlarging of the kitchen for socializing, dual sinks, dishwashers and other appliances. Islands abounded. I saw a farm sink, runnels cut into a countertop and even a pot filler!

What didn't date: Sub Zeros, Vikings and Wolfs; layouts; white kitchens were very popular then as it is now.

What did: shiny gold or brass hardware, cabinet styles particularly of "traditional" white kitchens, floor tile styles, black and white appliances, wallpaper and colored paint choices

Money definitely did not prevent dating - the single most dated kitchen to me was one of the most expensive! The most surprising thing to me is that the traditional kitchens looked the most dated, primarily because the rise of the Shaker-style and beaded cabinetry has really supplanted the styles popular back then (don't know what they're called but you probably know what I'm talking about). The contemporary kitchens held up much better, as they tend to be monochromatic and the plain front cabinetry hasn't changed. That isn't to say this will continue to be the case - maybe contemporary cabinetry is due for a sea-change - but those kitchens did hold up. The countertops of the modern kitchens also tended not to be granite.

Hardware isn't too tough to change; neither is paint or wallpaper. Painting cabinets isn't super bad either. The 1993 kitchens do make me think that countertops and cabinet styles are somewhat important, as cabinets are pricier to switch. Just my 2 cents.

I honestly don't see stainless appliances going out of fashion. It's like jewelry to me... matches everything, you can put color around it... unlike black or white that can look stark next to the wrong thing (if you change your cabs or counters, for instance). My white appliances look good with my white cabs, but if I change to something else, it's too white. But stainless just reminds me of my silver jewelry... always works with every outfit. That can't be said for old avacaodo green or harvest gold. I don't know about oil rubbed bronze appliances... I haven't really seen them.

I found and am re-reading my 1993 copy of Chris Madden's Kitchen book, which I found so useful when I renovated a kitchen back then. Back in 1993 every kitchen in the book looked gorgeous to me - I find it fascinating then to read in 2010 and see how everything held up!

Maybe it's because these kitchens represented the cutting edge, but some trends remained very much the same - the opening and enlarging of the kitchen for socializing, dual sinks, dishwashers and other appliances. Islands abounded. I saw a farm sink, runnels cut into a countertop and even a pot filler!

What didn't date: Sub Zeros, Vikings and Wolfs; layouts; white kitchens were very popular then as it is now.

What did: shiny gold or brass hardware, cabinet styles particularly of "traditional" white kitchens, floor tile styles, black and white appliances, wallpaper and colored paint choices

Money definitely did not prevent dating - the single most dated kitchen to me was one of the most expensive! The most surprising thing to me is that the traditional kitchens looked the most dated, primarily because the rise of the Shaker-style and beaded cabinetry has really supplanted the styles popular back then (don't know what they're called but you probably know what I'm talking about). The contemporary kitchens held up much better, as they tend to be monochromatic and the plain front cabinetry hasn't changed. That isn't to say this will continue to be the case - maybe contemporary cabinetry is due for a sea-change - but those kitchens did hold up. The countertops of the modern kitchens also tended not to be granite.

Hardware isn't too tough to change; neither is paint or wallpaper. Painting cabinets isn't super bad either. The 1993 kitchens do make me think that countertops and cabinet styles are somewhat important, as cabinets are pricier to switch. Just my 2 cents.

Heavily patterned counter tops with patterned back splashes with patterned tile/stone floors is a look I think will date the current era of kitchens. It takes a special talent to mix patterns so they're not gaudy & a lot of future buyers won't like the mix. Also, gimmicky range knobs with built in lights, colors, etc. will date easily.

Sooooo...I guess this all means we all have around ten years of updated life before we have to rip out the backsplash, change knobs and update the countertop? I can live with that I think but it does have me thinking about how much I will now spend on the countertops and knobs/pulls. Don't know...

My parents back in 95 finished their new condo in painted gray walls, a white kitchen and marble countertops. I helped renovate the condo again in 2005 and thought the marble, grey walls and white tile in the bath and kitchen looks so dated and would never come back, lol

Now here it is five years later and gray is supposed to be the new neutral, marble is back in style as well as white tile and white cabinets...... So the 95 condo would be more up to date now then maybe some of the things we did in 2005.

So kitchen trends seem to be like bell bottoms in fashion and everything most likely will come back.

I believe there is a huge regional and cultural spread in exposure to, awareness of, immersion in, implementation of, and eventually tiring of, trends and tastes.

Then, there is perhaps, differences in "design IQ": there are the innovators, the ahead-of-the-curve trend followers, the wait-and-see-if-it-lasts group, the laggers, and the people who are not paying too much attention at all/not important.

So there is a group of people designing, or getting people to design--kitchens that aren't in the magazines yet, there are people who look closely at the hottest trend as they hit the trades and the web and want to implement that, there are people who fall in love with a look when it is in all the magazines. (and this means it has probably been being done for 5 years already), and then there are people who don't look much at the magazines and may do what a KD or contractor tells them to do.

I think this leads to a spread of At Least a decade.

So there are people who are calling their kitchens "dated", replacing them with what they think is something new and fresh (to them), and there is a whole other group to which that is already dated. And, as trends go, the "Latest" is being put in by the innovator almost simultaneously with the laggard tearing it out.

Case in point is brass. Even in this forum where the design IQ is above average, the recommendation to remove "that dated brass" is made regularly. The innovators have been putting it back in for several years now:)

Good points pamplimpset, I put glass tile mosaic borders in both bathrooms 10 years agoI just liked the look and colors and had never seen it before. Now Im going to put it in the kitchen which was not my plan originally as be it may not have a long life span but I do love those little staggered thin bricks w/three colors. I am going to do something different behind the range to hopefully that will counter act a possible sooner dated look. Kitchens are such an expense and right out there for all to seeguess thats why we all worry about all our picks so much and how much time we have to be with-it after spending lots of money.

"I believe there is a huge regional and cultural spread in exposure to, awareness of, immersion in, implementation of, and eventually tiring of, trends and tastes. "
Yes, indeed. Also, Some regions never implement what other regions see, immerse in, implement, tire of, and discard. The very sense of time differs from region to region; in some cases, people decorate over time and for all time, or until the kids inherit. What you see in a home is an amalgam of what has been available over several decorating eras, not a single, particularly date-able look. I'm considering some rural areas now.

Who knew that I am an "innovator" only because I prefer brass to stainless or nickel. I have some shiny brass,antique brass and burnished brass in various rooms because I thought it looked better with my color choices. I'm happy to hear that it is back in style again. I'm sure my new kitchen and baths will look dated in ten years but I hope I still love them as much as I do at this moment.

I think the most important aspect of any successful remodel is to pay attention to the architecture of the rest of the home. A tuscany or arts and crafts style kitchen in a mid century modern home may constitute a major remuddle in the future. People who want a mid century modern house won't be thrilled with a kitchen that looks out of place with the rest of the home.

There are ways to update and modernize kitchens without forgetting the roots of the rest of the house. We own a 1912 house that is by definition outdated. Whenever we take on a project, we try to ask ourselves what would be appropriate to the house. Our house style gets first priority and has the largest vote. Hopefully, we have done nothing to take away from our transitional craftsman home's roots.

I've read as much as I can--now I'd like some advice. I'm doing my first and only ever kitchen remodel on a 1926 home in my beloved gray-most-of-the-year Portland. I mention the weather because it requires me to work towards light and bright. There's not a drop of light to waste. (although we have water and chicks--gray, incubated and otherwise.) This concern about light plus my affaire with Sienna Bordeaux granite for the countertops and maple cabinets (shaker fronts-to-be I'm afraid. Other ideas entertained gladly. Just say the word.)and white subway tile backsplash (again, not cast in grout, as yet) has me considering white appliances. Oh they seem so hokey. but the black are too bulky and the stainless too finicky. Will I be sorry? I expect everything I purchase to last until it blows a head gasket. (or I will.) Thanks for your counsel-oh knowledgeable ones. 112cornets@gmail.com

Welcome, Beasweet! May I suggest you start your own thread with your questions? This thread has been around a while and will not necessarily draw many back (I almost bypassed it myself).

If you start your own thread, you can give it a title to draw people in with at least an idea of what to expect.

Again, welcome and please check the "Read Me' thread!

Beasweet: I love white appliances too. I tire of the stainless steel in EVERY magazine kitchen and EVERY parade of homes houses.

Stainless steel is definitely the "look" in 2010. I'm seeing less black in marketing photos, but there's a lot of it in stores.

I'm another white appliance person. Am reusing existing appliances. And installing two white sinks. It is my hope that in time, there will be white induction ranges in affordable formats so I can get one. White appliances are not sold with a bottle of stuff for caring for the white enamel--I like that because ease of care is important to me.

There is a definite anti-white bias on the GW kitchen forum (except for white cabinetry). People like me just have to work around it in order to find more eclectic advice about design and appliances. White appliances are the most commonly sold appliances in the nation, I believe. It's just that marketing and hype and fads make them seem passé.

I was at HD last winter when making my plans. I talked to the employee there who was assigned the dusting range hoods. I asked about the black ones. Employee rolled her eyes, said she has to go back and re-do them over and over again. I can't live like that; I am fully aware of my own dusting habits. Mine will be a working kitchen, not a showpony.

If you're looking for appliances that are easy to keep clean and don't show much, then stainless steel, to me, is the answer. My kitchen is a working kitchen and I'd rather not have to constantly be cleaning appliances.

There seems, to me, to be a lot of misinformation about SS appliances out there...that they're difficult to keep clean. I've had white, black, and now stainless steel...and by far the easiest to keep clean (and looking dust-free) is the stainless steel! White shows every fingerprint and every splatter and I found the handles on the white appliances eventually do not clean back to white...they become stained over time.
Black shows dust, especially the glossy black.
I have to look closely or touch my SS appliances to see if they need to be wiped down. In reality, with the exception of the appliance handles, my appliances only get wiped down every couple of weeks...and that's b/c the maid service does it, not b/c they need it. I rarely find that I need to wipe them down. The one exception is my KA DW...it does get water drips...but over time they seem to be getting less. I don't know if it's b/c of the cleaner I'm using or b/c we're dripping less... (I wipe down the handles daily when the counters are wiped down b/c I assume they need it...)

We're all different and have different expectations, tolerances for cleanliness, etc. So isn't it great we have choices?! I would really hate for a time to come when there are no choices... Can you imagine, for example, walking into several stores and finding the exact same clothes...in the exact same styles, colors, materials, sizes b/c that's the most popular? I shudder to think of such a thing! (Unfortunately, we do seem to be getting closer to that...and I find it sad. Too many stores now rely on marketing studies so they can provide the most popular things at the expense of variety... *sigh*)

fyi: Just happened upon this article on trends to avoid. It's another of these "less is more" pieces. Some tidbits...

"fit the remodel with the price point of the home and the neighborhood it's in."

"People are staying put and reworking their space so that it functions more efficiently. 'Right-Sizing', which describes living better in the space that you have, is right on target."

"Most people are shopping smart and not buying compulsively."

Article also urges us to quit our fantasy thinking, such as the fantasy that we're the stars of a food show or that mere things will solve larger problems such as a too-big house.

Oh Florantha, that article hurt my feelings and I don't even have Uba Tuba! You did manage to gleam the good points in your synopsis, however.

"Seven years into a ten year espresso cabinet trend," huh? I can honestly say that I know not a single house with espresso cabinets in my neck of the woods--not a single one! Beware the experts' pronouncements. These are the writings of people who rely on the cycling of trends for a living. Sometimes these trends aren't matters of fact, but more of magazine fiction.

"I think in 10 years I will still be involved in this remodel becuase I cannot make any decisions."

HIlarious and in my case, so true!

Here is a link from the Wayback Machine, an internet archive, that shows the first page of the kitchen forum way back when it was the Kitchens & Baths forum in the Fall of 2000!

I am not sure if the actual posts are archived as well. But the titles of the threads give you an idea of what people were thinking about ten years ago.

I certainly miss some of these GW members. They designed some fabulous kitchens that I have no doubt are as beautiful now as they were back then.

Here's another Wayback Machine link, this time to 2004. This is about the time I joined GW. I remember that "unfitted kitchens" were popular at that point in time, in addition to back splashes designed with enormous, floor-sized tiles.

I think that the Kitchens Forum was now separate from Bathrooms at this point. Only the first page of threads works, and I believe most of the links to the posts are dead since the posts are not archived. But you never know what the Wayback Machine might have archived.

And for the record, as wonderfully practical as the tall arched faucets are (and I have two in my kitchen one at the main sink and one at the prep sink), I do believe that they will date my kitchen. In fact, a few days ago I was thinking that I wanted to replace at least the one at the main sink with a faucet a little subtler. To this day I cannot get over how huge these faucets are. And these are the smaller Vinnatas. At one point I had the larger Vinnata at my sink, but when it broke (under warranty), I asked Kohler if they would replace it with the smaller faucet, which thankfully, they did. Mine are chrome (which I will never grow tired of. I love chrome).

Thank you for this wonderful thread!

kitchendetective: I think kitchen trends are a regional thing somewhat (as are other trends like food and clothing). In the Pacific Northwest, a lot of very nice condo's have espresso cabinets and I see them all the time in higher end contemporary homes. If you live somewhere with more traditional architecture, then it's understandable that they would be less common. Personally, I never see these ornate very traditional white on white kitchens that are so commonplace on this forum. It just doesn't fit in with the west coast feel of architecture out here.

Having spent an inordinate amount of time cruising cabinet knob websites, am finding that "Swedish iron" and other raw iron looks are creeping in. Is this the start of a trend? Could it be that "colonial" black wrought iron is not far behind?

Am also finding that marble and granite knobs are easier to find on the web now than last year and are probably going to drop in price also. An indicator of a trend?

Art glass pulls are becoming easier to find on the web--an indicator of a trend?

Are "birdcage" swirled metal knobs and pulls a trend that has peaked and is declining? Same with pulls with a cylinder of ceramic in the center?

I read these "what's dated" threads always with some degree of amusement and bafflement. This type of consideration has never entered my mind as Ive simply gone after what I love, and what makes me feel comforted and cozy... and that often is "dated" by intention. From the late 1970s on I've always lived in old houses and always have had some sort of vintage kitchen. I think maybe Im trying to recreate a fantasy version of my grandma's farmhouse kitchen with elements in it that span 1900-1950s. In my current kitchen I've taken the dream much further and its more fully realized - Someone described it as "industrial farmhouse."

It cant go out of style, because it never was in style. It has some of the emptiness and austerity of the very early 1900s kitchen (I love that first kitchen in above link! Paradoxically, theres something kind of modern about that esthetic). There are some built in cabinets, some free standing pieces, shelves of antique dishes, painted wood floor. I do have some stainless steel in it the sink, big chunky stove but in the context of the other stuff it just reads as "industrial" and functional, and trendiness (or lack of) just doesnt play into it.

OK Ill slink back to the Old House forum now!!

" * Posted by ellendi:

I think we have to accept the fact that in 10 to 15 years all our 2010 kitchens will look either very dated or at least some what dated.
"

DITTO THAT

" * Posted by kaismom:

When you walk into the house and the house feels warm, inviting, cohesive, well put together and then walk into the kitchen and you feel that the kitchen absolutely belongs in that house, then that kitchen will endure in that house.

"

DOUBLE DITTO THAT

I say relax and enjoy our fabulous new kitchens and remember how lucky we all are for being able to remodel.

jabelone,
i had to chuckle and respond to your post.

I live in Seattle, WA. I am in the city and so are most of my friends. Just about every house I walk into that has a remodeled kitchen in the past 5 years have white kitchens. Most of my friends live in rather expensive homes that are starting at million $ or more. I feel like a pauper in the crowd because I don't have a multi million $ home..... These are very rich folks.

A lot of new homes that I have toured to "buy" seem to have white kitchens also. i think it definitely is in the midst of trend. But I know plenty of folks that put in white kitchens 10 to 20 years ago.

I agree that all new condos featured in the newpaper and magazines tend to have espresso slab European kitchens...

There are blocks of spec houses one neighborhood south of me that were completed about 4-5 years ago. They have oak cabinets with a recessed square panel on the lower door and an eyebrow on the upper door. So what we are saying in these forums is terribly d---- is still being installed. Granted, these houses were built for working and middle class, mixed income buyers who may like the old familiar rather than the cutting edge, but they are of a market value of $250K-375K--not cheap.

Now, to paraphrase Lambchop:

This is the thread that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friend. Some people started singin it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singin it for ever just because this the thread that doesn't yes it goes on and on my friend. Some people started singin' it....

My 4-square was buit in 1927. When I designed my kitchen 8 years ago, I wanted it to look dated. The inset white cabinets match the existing living and dining room built-ins. The subway tile backsplash and hex floor closely match the tile in the bathroom. A kitchen table instead of an island. I think any kitchen designed to complement the style of the house will always look "right"

Well I think I read 90% of the posts and my mind is not changed, I refuse to think about what might be dated in 10 or 20 years. I've lived with my current oak veneer cabs and formica counter for 25 years and honestly, they really aren't that bad now (lol, thats what hubby says anyway)! What will I replace them with, 1st more oak cabs, solid this time! I love oak wood and I'm going with what I love. I'm going a shade darker to match our existing chair rail and changing the style, but thats it. For the counters funnily enough, I was torn between formica and the Eco glass and finally decided on the glass. The hardest part for me was actually finding an over the range microwave in the bisque almond shade to match my 25 year old refrigerator. It works perfectly and I love the drink bar in the door and have no desire to change. Since I plan to live in my home till I die, there's no one to worry about pleasing but me. If moving were in my future I might redo to be trendy with an eye to the future but since its not, I say go with what you love.

I confress, secretly I want it to go out of style so I
can start again...

And even when I can't change my own kitchen, I can have fun
watching all of you change yours.

I love GW.
~boxer

kashka kat,
It cant go out of style, because it never was in style. I'm right with ya!

Colors come and go, even white. Granite and other stone and counter materials are colored and may have pattern; they can eventually look dated as well. (Friends used granite in their bathrooms ages ago; the pink in one and gray in another look dated to my eye.)

Lighting and lighting fixtures to hold them change. A lot of this has to do with innovation.

Maybe not in 10 years, but in 15 or 20 years, I see a trend away from huge open kitchens. Baby boomers will be too old to want to entertain much and will be eating more simply. Universal design may become a bigger consideration with at least the possibility of conversion to a lower cooktop, at least one lower counter or pull-out surface, sink with fixtures that work for a person with limited hand mobility, etc.

Just as the most stylish, extreme designer clothes look the silliest down the road, the same thing applies to kitchens. Think extra big shoulders, lapels, pants, etc. This means that the most boring, stodgy kitchens will probably look the least dated.

If you have to sell your house in 10-15 years w/o remodeling again, a potential buyer will be able to envision a fashion facelift more easily if you have a great layout than if he or she would be stuck with an unworkable one.

I'm glad I stumbled into this forum. I was researching subway tile on Google. I must say I enjoyed getting sidetracked into reading the entire forum about kitchens. To start, I own a beautiful 1913 bungalow in the midwest. I am so grateful that all of the original atributes are intact and in fantastic shape. Douglas fir built-ins and collenades, floors and woodwork. Original wavy glass and plaster and lath. I knew this was where I was going to retire when I first toured it. The first thing I did was tear out the 2 layers of old and very old vinyl in the kitchen and have all the floors sanded and refinished, bringing the kitchen back to original also. I have repainted rooms with nice neutral colors I like from Sherman Williams. The only room I did not paint was the bathroom on main floor, it was very nice and I liked it. It has original honeycomb tile with a marble sash between it and the wood floor in next room and of course a clawfoot tub. I have very nice wool area rugs and runners throughout. The kitchen was to be my last project. I took out old painted over wainescoting and put in new oak 4 feet high as before with 2 coats of poly. Put in new wide crown molding painted white to match ceiling. I'm a white ceiling guy. I also have white appliances. I have always liked a yellowish kitchen and went with Fun Yellow. There were beautiful antique Farley and Loetscher solid wood cabinets that I painted Dover White. Sticking with the original hardware also, did not like the different options I saw, was looking towards glass. I guess the only thing that upset me about the house was somewhere along the line someone painted the woodwork, door frames and windows white in the kitchen. I repainted them Exreme White. I just finished putting in a new high definition laminate countertop and reused the sink and faucets, good Delta stuff. I had decided to go with a bicuit subway tile with some 1 inch tannish and brown glass highlights. Started questioning this after I started reading this thread even after I have everything bought. Will be sticking with the subway tile with a mocha grout. I beleive every room compliments the next and the kitchen will fit perfectly with my old house. Also made some changes to appliance configuration so I could have an eat in kitchen, there is a formal dining room off the kitchen also. Glass doorknobs throughout match the antique glass highlights I am so fond of searching out. The topper is the Heritage Lace valances over the vintage 2 inch wood blinds and lace panels on transoms and full view beveled glass oak doors. I am glad I have made myself happy by keeping it a timeless period piece. Now to start my tiling job...