When remodeling your kitchen there are so many choices to make. Will you go for a country style kitchen with a rustic feel? A sleek modern design? A craftsman style kitchen? Are you going to replace the countertops, sinks, and appliances? Will you go for fun, quirky, accents or a finish that has broader appeal in case you plan to sell in the future?
The decisions you make will ultimately be a reflection of your style and tastes. You may also want to consider how well the remodel will blend in with the rest of the house. so that it blends in with its surroundings. Although there are numerous styles to choose from, they can be grouped into these three broad categories: traditional, contemporary, and transitional.
To help you decide what makes sense for your dream kitchen, there will be a fun kitchen design style quiz you can take, plus descriptions of kitchen styles to consider.
Traditional Kitchen Style
Even when other styles rise in popularity, the traditional kitchen style continues to hold its own, remaining among the most popular. At the core of traditional kitchens is the attention to detail, with carefully-chosen ones providing layers of styling in a tasteful way. These can include crown moldings, corbels, and more.
Traditional kitchen designs focus on classic color palettes that allow for flexibility and offer the opportunity to add a few bold accents to the room. As far as kitchen cabinet styles, they typically come with glazed or antique finishes.
This style usually works great if you’ve got plenty of windows that create a warm feeling of home. Bay windows, in particular, can fit in well with this style. Don’t feel boxed in, though! The idea of a “traditional” style of kitchen can cover many different styles. Use the elements of this kitchen design to guide and inspire you, not to constrain you.
Contemporary Kitchen Style
If the idea of “embellishments” in your kitchen doesn’t resonate, then how does this sound? Clean. Sleek. Uncluttered. If that description makes you say “ahhh . . .” then it makes sense to consider a contemporary kitchen . This style focuses on streamlined surfaces in a highly usable fashion.
How “contemporary” is defined will change over time, because it really refers to decorating “in the now.” This is in contrast to a “modern” kitchen, which refers to a specific design movement. In general, though, a contemporary look for your kitchen will follow the less is more philosophy, with straight lines and clean-cut cabinets, without fancy molding.
Marble can add a touch of sophistication and, as far as kitchen cabinet styles, glass-fronted ones allow you to display decorative items in a stunning way.
Transitional Kitchen Style
If you find that you appreciate some elements of traditional style—and some of contemporary—then a transitional style kitchen may be just right for you! This style combines elements of both styles in a unique way.
For example, you could have the crown molding of a traditional kitchen, but use the clean lines of a contemporary style. Shaker-style cabinets may make sense, and you might decide to use neutral colors, but in bold fashion.
Think natural, think earthy, think about blending design elements together—but don’t worry if something might be considered traditional or contemporary. If it works, then it works!
If you think you’ll be selling your home, then going transitional is a safe bet to make your home appealing to a broader swath of potential buyers.
Kitchen Style Quiz
Now, that you have an idea of the general remodel options, take a look at the kitchen design style quiz!
Remodeling Your Kitchen
A kitchen remodel can be a way to boost the value of your home, with possibilities ranging from fairly inexpensive—new paint, new faucets, and new cabinet pulls, for example—to a full-scale remodel that can cost you more than $100k.
When remodeling, it makes sense to prioritize your spending in a way that creates a kitchen that works well for your lifestyle.
For example, if you and your partner love to cook gourmet meals and use the latest in gadgetry, it makes sense to appropriately proportion your budget to make room for that. If, on the other hand, you’re envisioning a kitchen where all the neighborhood kids will gather for pizza and homework, consider that in your design.
Financing Your Remodel
Once you’ve decided how you want to remodel your kitchen, then one of the next considerations is how to pay for it. If you need to finance the project, it can make sense to consider an unsecured home improvement loan to help you get the remodel done. Because the personal loan is unsecured, this means you don’t need to put your home and its equity on the line. There is no collateral required.
At SoFi, applying online is quick and easy, with average approval-to-funding timelines of seven days, which means you can get started on your remodel more quickly. Fixed rate payments can help you to budget and keep your project on schedule. Plus, with SoFi personal loans, there are absolutely no fees. What you see is what you get.
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