When embarking on a home remodel, there are many design styles to choose from. Most homeowners try to coordinate their design to reflect the home’s natural style, while others want a more drastic change. Whichever route you plan to take, you might wonder what each style entails and how a professional designer could help you achieve the intended look in your home. Let’s discuss it!
Farmhouse or Farmhouse Chic
Farmhouse-style kitchens are extremely popular right now. With their ship-lap walls and Carrara marble countertops, it’s easy to see why this comfortable style is so appealing! It’s a stunning look that also feels warm and welcoming. So, how do you create your own farmhouse-style home?
White cabinets, white walls, white trim…white everywhere. Adding some bronze or matte black lights and cabinet hardware can create a beautiful contrast.. Open shelving and a traditional apron sink and bridge faucet can help complete the picture.
Having a contrasting island countertop in a farmhouse-style kitchen is also very popular, as well as the use of authentic barn wood in the form of doors or beams. . Stick with bright and warm colors in keeping with the theme. Keep in mind you want your space to feel lived-in, but also neat and tidy. It’s sometimes easy to overdo and clutter the room, making it appear messy. Let your designer help you achieve exactly the look and feel you want.
Modern Styles
Though it took the Midwest awhile to catch up, modern-style projects have been gaining popularity over the past five to ten years. If you are dreaming of creating your own modern design, here are a few key components to include.
Clean, simple, smooth, and sleek are all words that describe a modern-style space: no frills with this style. Always keep in mind the axiom “Less is more”. Try to stick with slab-front cabinets and/or floating cabinets in some areas. If your flooring is concrete or gray-tone tile, consider wood cabinets that are simple in style but add a little warmth to the room. Alternatively, go with painted cabinets, adding warmth with a contrasting island.
Avoid copper and gold fixtures and chooser polished chrome, brass, or stainless steel. Instead of round sinks, square sinks are a good choice. Also, be sure they are under-mount to keep the sleek and clean look.. Consider an induction cooktop as an option. They work great with modern-style kitchens and keep the kitchen looking clean and clutter-free. A built-in refrigerator and dishwasher will help give the cabinets a smooth, seamless look.
When decorating your modern kitchen, think of one accent color and keep it simple. Avoid clutter and keep it as minimalistic as possible. Unlike a Farmhouse, where the ” lived-in” look is desired, a modern kitchen should always look camera-ready.
Traditional Cincinnati Style
If you are like most homeowners in the Cincinnati and Tri-State area, you probably have a very traditional-style home, since so many were built here over the years. Many of our projects still follow this style, and they look great, mirroring our city’s rich traditional heritage.
Here are some tips for remodeling your kitchen to achieve a more traditional style. For cabinetry, choose rich wood tones and raised panel door styles.. Granite countertops along with walnut or rich wood tops on an island provide warmth and the feel of natural materials. Ogee or decorative edges on the countertops can add that extra flare. Brass, chrome, or brushed nickel fixtures will make the space shine. Crown moulding with a more ornate profile and furniture feet applied to the cabinets will help complete the look.
When it comes to traditional design, it’s all about the attention to details and embellishments. You can also choose a built-in look for your appliances to keep a consistent feel in the cabinetry. Lots of warm, darker colors will make your space the perfect traditional-style Cincinnati kitchen.
Transitional Style
If the stark, sleek lines of modern are too cold for you and traditional is too ornate, maybe a transitional style is the answer for you! It’s simpler than traditional but warmer than modern. Here are some helpful suggestions for re-doing your space in a Transitional style.
Clean lines are essential to this design style, but not as stark as in a modern design. This means keeping the embellishments and flare to a minimum but allowing them only in some limited places. A raised panel can be used, or you can move to a shaker style with a flat panel design. Slab doors are too sleek for transitional. The transitional style is more subtle, where details blend rather than stand out, and combine both traditional and modern features. The flexibility can be fun as it expands your choices. For example, you can use either a composite sink or stainless steel and choose from a variety of fixture finishes.