Problem is, we don’t live in a photo shoot. If ever there was a coveted component of shelter magazines and Instagram influencers, it’s the stylized-to-a-T kitchen open shelves. “I don’t usually work with such bright colors, but it turned out fabulous.” 2) Open shelves vs. For example, Giesen recently created a black and white kitchen with "kitschy" red appliances, picking up the same hue on the entrance door and closet interior as well as the staircase leading to a terrace. It will also boost buyer appeal when and if you decide to sell.Īnd there are other ways besides painted walls or cabinets to introduce color. “Texture and contrast are both trends that are going to last,” he says.Īs a dissenting voice, Kelly Giesen, founder of Kelly G Design, still believes the white kitchen is ageless, “it’s been around for about a hundred years and will stand the test of time," she says. He’s also a fan of texture, citing a recent client who ripped out his all-white Philippe Starck -designed kitchen and put in concrete walls and a wood-look porcelain backsplash. “Gravitate towards darker, bold tones for these, such as navy, charcoal, or a natural wood look to stand out against light-colored walls.” She also sees countertops as blending the two colors, "perhaps a neutral marble to compliment."įor Fontan, “darker colors do homey way better than when everything is bright.” His palette of choice involves black or graphite-colored kitchens, with a contrasting backsplash and undercounter lighting to make it really pop. A playful, fun family for instance shouldn’t hold back.”Ĭarr also suggests injecting color by doing a two-tone kitchen. “I like to create a vibe or feeling, which can be subtle and silvery or a dramatic bright blue. Instead, she has recently been doing a lot of colorful cabinets. In that way, choosing a design for a kitchen is similar to fashion-although your choices will have a longer lifespan. Some people "feel the need to reboot after five years," she says.įor her, white kitchens can be great for a super small or dark space but tend to look store-bought no matter the cabinet fronts. Interior designer Jennifer Morris, founder of JMorris Design, says the first question she often hears is, “Am I going to get sick of the paint color?” Her usual response is that it is impossible to say, sometimes your preferences can change over time. That doesn't mean you should avoid white walls or cabinetry or surfaces (emphasis on "or") but rather to work those features into a more bespoke space. The consensus (sort of) is that the all-white scheme is on its way out, at least if you want to avoid having your kitchen look like it’s out of the box. Have a design-light project where you want to focus on one major area, such as your kitchen, and do cosmetic work in the rest of your home, such as finishing floors or renovating your bathrooms in-place? Consider an Agile x Bolster renovation, which allows renovators to move efficiently through design to maximize their build budget. Given that it’s going to cost you at least $25,000 to renovate your NYC kitchen (and more like $90,000 for a larger space), you will want to make the most of your investment. “A good kitchen should last at least 20 years, much longer if you design it in a way that's both modern and classic as opposed to getting wild aesthetically.” Is an all-white kitchen here to stay or on its way out? Are open shelves really what you need or more likely to end up cluttered and chaotic? What’s more on trend: cabinet pulls or no hardware at all? (Spoiler alert: You won’t find any hard-and-fast rules but rather information to empower your decision-making.)įirst and foremost, Laurence Carr, founder and CEO of Laurence Carr Design, says you should “think carefully about the functionality and look you are aiming for.”īabak Hakakian, partner at ddc NYC with experience designing kitchens for new developments and renovations, agrees. That’s why Brick Underground spoke with NYC architects and designers about five of the biggest reno decisions. After all, following home design trends can be tricky. “A lot of my clients tell me, ‘I don’t want to do this year's fad and then have my kitchen look ridiculous in five years,’” says Jorge Fontan, founder of Fontan Architecture.
When thinking about your NYC kitchen renovation, it’s all too easy to be swayed by the debate over what trends are “in” or “out” (and consequently overload your Pinterest board).Įven savvy renovators can get tripped up.