Article by Sara Huebener, as published in the SW News Publications - March 31, 2018
I’ve shown a lot of homes – new and old, dated and renovated, simple and grand. And I learn a lot from listening to people’s comments when going through them. What they say is illustrative of which home trends are growing in popularity, and what is falling out of vogue. 
If any room in the house is sure to generate a comment, it’s the kitchen. Certainly, consumers while away hours on decorating and inspiration sites like Houzz and Pinterest, hence establishing an expectation for what one thinks a kitchen “should” be. And when it comes to resale, many sellers stress: Will my kitchen ever stack up?
The answer to that means different things to different people. Unless your budget is unlimited (as a majority of Pinterest kitchens appear to be,) most kitchens cannot be all things to all people. 
So how does the average person find that happy middle ground with a kitchen that meets both functionality and style? As my friend Renee and I learned as we went through our kitchen makeovers, it’s probably not as hard as you think!
Interestingly, given our similarly-laid out kitchens, our priorities were as different as our personal style. My style tends to be traditional and earthy, with a mix of vintage and transitional elements. Meanwhile, Renee’s style tends to be more transitional, with a modern, sleek flair. Though we approached our project with vastly different objectives, we both ended up with a kitchen that took us away from the builder’s cookie-cutter look, improved efficiency, and avoided a costly gut job.
No matter whether you are looking at improving your kitchen’s storage, or updating the cosmetics, here are easy places to start. Keep what you love, and go from there. Even just one change can be room-transforming! 
- Shake up the look of a matchy-matchy wood-toned kitchen by painting the cabinetry. If you’re nervous about going drastic, try painting just the island. I chose a “dirty” cream for my cabinetry, while Renee chose pure white and painted her island taupe.
- Dress up (or add) lighting above an island or peninsula. Renee chose a hanging, multi-light fixture for above her island, while I chose smoke-colored crystal pendants. (Pendants can also hang above a peninsula!) Even the most conservative kitchen can have conversation-starting lighting!
- Rework dead space. To prevent having to remove items from the front of my pantry to access the back, I installed sturdy custom roll-outs strong enough to hold all my cans. I also added a tip-out near the sink. Renee reworked her clutter-catching desk area, by removing the desk and ordering a more functional cabinet by the same cabinetmaker that was an easy fit. She also installed a trash pull-out.
- Mix your metals! Or not. I mixed metals in my kitchen, pairing my existing stainless sink and faucet with bronze cabinet hardware and other decorative details for texture. Renee used brushed nickel throughout her entire space for a clean, consistent look.
- Add some drama! I had a local cabinet maker build a furniture-style island with deep drawers, and then refitted my existing granite top onto the new island. I chose a soft-sage green to contrast against the hardwood floors and cream cabinetry. An alternative option would be to just add paneling to the island. Renee scraped her ceilings smooth. Then she installed substantial crown molding above her cabinets, closing the entire soffit to the ceiling, for an elegant twist on her modern kitchen.
Even a highly personalized kitchen can have mass appeal. There is no right way or wrong way. Determine what is most important to you. If it’s cooking, you might find that function sets the tone for your kitchen update. If so, function need not be the enemy of aesthetics. If you can retain what you enjoy about your kitchen, and re-work a few areas that are inefficient or dated to improve their appeal, you’re well on your way to a kitchen that will stack up to your (and a future buyer’s) expectations.
(Photo of my friend, Renee!)
