An Insider's Guide to Style Vs Quality Kitchens

When remodelling a kitchen, it might not be about making a few changes. If it’s sufficiently old or simply out of style and the rest of the home is modern, it’s probably time for a significant overhaul. Choosing any new kitchen is a major decision. What can be achieved in the space available is one factor, but quality vs. style is another too. Here is an insider’s guide to how to think about style and quality considerations for kitchens.

Appearance and Functionality of the Existing Home

The appearance of your home and how it functions as a liveable space is an important thing for homeowners. The home could be in a bustling city, where dinners are produced quickly after work. Then everyone decamps to the lounge to recover from the day’s stress. Weekends are then filled with outdoor activities to enjoy good weather days, etc.

In the above example, the kitchen is functional because life is fast paced. Less time is spent in the kitchen preparing meals from scratch. With a farmhouse or similar non-urban setting, a home might be more laidback, with a kitchen that’s similar in appearance. It doesn’t scream high-tech necessarily, and the kitchen equipment isn’t flashy. Likely, despite a more rustic feel, people spend considerably more time in this kitchen producing delicious meals and hanging out. What’s your home life like? How does the kitchen play a part in it?

Making a Kitchen Unique to You

A new kitchen should be unique. It needs to fit what feels comfortable, useful, and satisfying to you. If you have a family, then it’s a decision to make together.

The Kitchen as a Central Gathering Spot

When you’re increasingly spending more time in the kitchen for meal prep, and socialising with friends and family, then it has become a social space in itself. This is increasingly commonplace now. In this situation, own it, and have a kitchen designed to reflect that need.

Ensure the kitchen has stylish tones that match the lifestyle you aspire to, and guests will feel comfortable socialising within it. No one wants to feel out of place.

Breakfast Bar vs. Kitchen Table

One of the other choices with a new kitchen is whether to incorporate a breakfast bar? Or if there’s sufficient space, should you add a kitchen table instead? Or both?

Children that are grown up enough to want to eat away from their parents may prefer to consume a bowl of breakfast cereal at the breakfast bar. Other people may be happier eating a larger table and find it more convenient, especially if there isn’t a separate dining room.

Stylish Kitchen Designs vs. Kitchen Size

With stylish kitchens, they often use more open space between the cabinets, sink, kitchen appliances, kitchen island, and so on. A cramped kitchen won’t win any style points.

Smaller kitchens where there isn’t a realistic way to expand their size need to be designed to reflect the need for spaciousness and style. Therefore, less is more here. Fewer countertops and clean lines are required with reflected light to make the kitchen feel more expansive.

For larger kitchen areas, the variety of styled designs is virtually unlimited. There are endless possibilities to have a kitchen created to prep, cook, eat, and socialise in comfort. Including places to sit and eat or stand and pick at some snacks while catching up on gossip makes a stylish kitchen feel comfortable.

What Does Quality Mean with Kitchens?

Quality is seen in the chosen materials, and how they’re used. Mainly, it’s observed in the kitchen’s finishes particularly. How are countertops, cabinets, and woodwork finished? Are they pristine or is something lacking?

While different materials can be selected to work within a reasonable budget, it’s always better to be a little minimalistic yet stylish, instead of downgrading the quality of the kitchen’s building materials. The better kitchen designers know this and encourage their clients accordingly.

Can You Find a Happy Medium Between Quality and Style?

Absolutely. Pairing elegant design with quality countertops and respectable appliance brands go perfectly together. Superior quality like laser edging on the countertops or a glossy lacquer puts the finishing touches in places that get noticed.

Style impresses; however, quality shines through every time. This doesn’t just mean the finishes, but also the attention to detail too. Style and quality aren’t like yin and yang. They should complement each other.

When taking the significant step of choosing a new kitchen concept, it’s important to be clear on your goals. Any frustrations with the existing kitchen such as a cramped layout, nowhere to sit and eat, or that it won’t accommodate a larger fridge, need to be addressed with the new kitchen design. Otherwise, we’d call that a failure. Ensure that a functional kitchen is designed to deliver on style, quality, and the necessary features.