A successful home remodeling project will include design features that grow with you, ones that you love now and in the future. So it’s important to choose classic elements and on-trend accessories that meet these needs, keeping your home’s style ever-fresh and current. To strike a good balance between classic and modern features, thoughtful planning is key, and an experienced design-build contractor can help you navigate this process.
Here are our latest tips to help ensure that your next Dallas home remodel project is attractive, functional, and timeless.
Design and Build a Timeless Kitchen
Cabinetry
Cabinetry is one of the most important selections due to its prominence and function. Since cabinets are a large, long term investment, you’ll want to choose a style that you like, as well as one that will remain timeless. Simple Shaker or traditional raised panel style cabinet doors are always a good choice, as they offer a classic look. They provide an understated yet attractive backdrop for the other important kitchen essentials, such as countertops and backsplash. Cabinets with clean, simple lines will “age gracefully” complementing everything from appliances and furnishings to draperies and other decorative accents.
Cabinet color
Cabinet color is another important consideration, and natural wood or painted cabinets in neutral shades offer a classically pleasing backdrop. White cabinets are extremely popular due to their enduring features and ability to blend well with other design choices. Offering an open and airy feel, white cabinets brighten any area, making even the smallest kitchens seem more spacious. Whatever your preference, select quality materials that will hold up under regular use while serving your household’s needs and potential changes.
Backsplash
The kitchen backsplash offers attractive protection while stylishly uniting countertops and cabinets. Make a sophisticated statement by choosing subtle solids or patterns in neutral shades. A well-chosen tile backsplash offers the unique opportunity to add quiet personality without overwhelming the space. These neutral colors will serve the homeowner well, as they’ll continue to complement the kitchen over time, blending nicely with any future changes in wall color, draperies, or furnishings.
Stainless Steel Appliances
Stainless steel appliances have earned the distinction of being a classic and universal choice. These essential kitchen elements match any décor, blending with all cabinet styles and colors, countertops, and backsplash. Homeowners enjoy their durability and sleek, streamlined presence, knowing that these appliances will serve them well in the long run.
Combining these important elements will help provide a timeless kitchen design for your home. This attractive plan will not only function efficiently, it will provide long-term enjoyment for you, your family, and guests.
Combine Classic, Neutral Colors
Neutral colors, whether for larger elements such as cabinets or flooring, or secondary items like paint colors and fabrics, provide an inviting backdrop for any space. Subtle and quiet, neutral tones offer a fresh palette for home design, providing a pleasing contrast with other colorful features like accessories, draperies, lighting, furnishings, and seasonal decor. Beige, white/off white, soft greens, and other nature inspired tones provide an attractive and timeless look. These shades will serve your design style well while creating a warm and comfortable environment you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Expand Your Living Space with an Indoor/Outdoor Concept
The indoor/outdoor design concept is a popular feature with many homeowners. Always in style, it brings the benefits of the outdoors inside and has many useful applications for everyday living and for family and other gatherings. These relaxing spaces offer the benefits of natural light and fresh air.
Whether large or small, the indoor/outdoor concept adds depth and interest. Making use of sliding, folding, or French doors, these spaces offer an airy, outdoorsy feel, providing an inviting, retreat-like space. This design feature can be enjoyed by all ages and adds value to any home.
Include Custom Built-ins
Custom built-ins are designed specifically for your home. They provide attractive, functional storage for items such as the television, sound and media equipment, books, decorative items, and everyday accessories like clothing, bedding, and bathroom essentials. Built-ins keep items nicely organized now and in the future, adding serviceable value to your spaces.
While in the planning stages, choose quality materials in design-friendly neutral shades for a classic, ageless look that complements your style. Ask your design-build contractor about using a combination of adjustable shelving and drawers so that these custom pieces will best suit your needs. Design wise, we suggest built-ins with clean, simple lines and moulding for an attractive, unobtrusive look that promises long term value.
Make Storage a Priority
Storage never goes out of style, and adding more, especially in the kitchen or bathroom, is always a wise choice. It will serve your household well now and add value to your home should you sell someday. From kitchen spice rack units and trash bins to drawers for clothing, bath, and other accessories, keeping your home better organized is easier than ever. It’s not always the large spaces, either, that are necessary to keep items in order. Smaller areas, like under a staircase, wall space above the washer/dryer, and vertical surfaces on the inside of a closet door also offer great storage potential.
When planning a remodel, it’s best to note your storage needs early in the process, so that your design-build contractor can plan and accommodate it as much as possible. If you aren’t sure what type of storage you need, it’s helpful to think ahead. As your household grows and/or your daily routine changes, consider what potential storage would be helpful to meet these needs. Additional storage retains its value, and is one of the smartest upgrades you can make in your home.
Add Universal Design Features
A home with universal design features can accommodate a person of most any size and ability. Designed with user-friendly amenities, it offers safe and accessible options for anyone, including those with limited dexterity or disabilities, homeowners in their “forever home”, and for general convenience for young and old alike. Safety and accessibility are key, as this design style considers potential and future needs or changes.
There are numerous ways to incorporate universal design ideas into your home. An open or easily navigated floor plan is one good option. Other examples include using door levers instead of doorknobs, installing a curbless shower, ample lighting, smooth thresholds, and easy access to outlets and switches. Homeowners can personalize these timeless elements to best suit their daily activities, guests, and general comfort and ease.
Wire Your Home for the Future
When remodeling, it’s important to meet any current technological needs and make plans to accommodate future demands and connectivity. Homeowners need practical and reliable systems to support smart home design for their phones, computers, televisions, appliances, HVAC systems, lighting, gaming, and other devices.
Remodeling offers the perfect opportunity to examine your home’s capability and to add any necessary wiring, outlets, security systems, and other elements to support future needs and pursuits. A home that is wired for the future not only offers convenient access for homeowners and guests, but excellent long-term value as well.
Design Flexible Spaces
Flexible spaces are those that are suited for use beyond their current purpose. After a son or daughter moves out, for example, their bedroom might be converted to a home office or gym. The basement family room might be converted to a mother-in-law or guest suite. Designing flexible spaces takes note of how rooms correspond to each other and how they might suit future needs and changes.
A simple home design plan suits flexible spaces well, as they easily adapt to change with their classic style and elements. Flexible space planning can look different for everyone, but it often includes clean lines and neutral décor, an open floor plan, quality flooring, built-ins, ample storage, and other similar features. Timeless and functional, flexible spaces can easily meet homeowners’ changing needs, activities, and lifestyles.
How and Where to Go Trendy
Well-chosen classic essentials such as cabinetry, countertops, and flooring are complemented nicely with secondary design elements such as area rugs, pillows, draperies, cabinet hardware, furnishings, artwork, and other interesting accessories. These items are easily changed, seasonally or otherwise, and add color, depth, and comfort to your home. Less expensive than replacing cabinets or flooring, these on-trend features create an inviting and personalized environment. Decorative touches such as these are easily changed or replaced, and won’t scare away potential buyers should you decide to sell your home in the future,
Splashes of color, like an accent wall in the bedroom or behind the fireplace, are other ways to add interest and elegance. Powder rooms, breakfast nooks, pantries, home gym, or the family room are other great spots to infuse a pop of color using paint, wall coverings, or framed prints.
With a little creativity, you can add stylish character, personalizing your home to suit your tastes. Aim to strike a balance between classic elements and trendy, modern accents. Doing so will give your home a timeless look, creating a warm and welcoming environment in which to live and entertain.
Smart, Timeless Design with Blackline Renovations
As a Dallas design-build contractor, we’ve seen home remodel trends come and go, and we can vouch for the credibility of creating a timeless design. Quality materials and classic elements serve homeowners well, standing the test of time while offering space to change and grow.
Since 2002, Blackline Renovations has maintained our goal of providing customized remodeling services that exceed homeowners’ expectations. From consultation to completion, we are knowledgeable about all facets of the remodel process. Our portfolio illustrates our expertise in remodeling kitchens, living rooms, bed and bathrooms, utility/mud rooms, ADUs/garages, and home additions.
Give us a call at 214-827-3747 or schedule a consultation with our team. We’d be happy to answer all your questions regarding your home remodeling plans.
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