Kitchen Trends

I grew up in a household where we moved every one to three years. No, my dad was not in the service…it was my mom. She loved nothing more than buying a house, gutting it and remodeling while we lived there. Then, once it was complete and she had completely renovated and decorated our “home” she’d want to start a new project. Thankfully, she did it all within the neighborhood of our school district while I was in elementary school, we moved to a different city for middle school and high school and this continued well after I had left home. As a matter of fact, we had a joke in our family. I moved out on my own for the first time and when I came home (to move back in) they had left with no forwarding address. Of course, that’s not completely true (but it always makes family members smile, because they knew it meant my mom needed a new canvas to create her masterpiece in).

My husband’s family was just the opposite. They lived in the same house for most of their lives. I think he was in SHOCK when he realized that I  had a bit of my mom’s “gypsy” as we used to call it, in me.  While our “mansion” is only a few years old,  I get those goosebumps when I see photos of before and afters in decorating.

Kim Freeman of the Freeman Design Group does some beautiful clean looking kitchen designs.

Kim offers her guidelines for updating a kitchen ~

∗ Create a space that encourages gathering of family and friends

∗ Keep it simple – Kim likes creamy white cabinets combined with backsplashes of crackle glaze tile, glass, marble slab or subtle colored tiles

∗ Make sure all the elements are harmonious – avoid anything out of proportion or overdone such as carved dark wood, over-scaled lighting, or overpowering veining in natural stone countertops that you may grow tired of

∗ Appliances can be upgraded and scaled down in size depending on space by incorporating freezer drawers and under-counter refrigerators

∗ Wood floors are attractive and easy on the feet. Kim favors random planks with a satin or matte finish stain

Photo by Robert Grant

In the complete renovation of a nineteenth century farm house kitchen pictured above, stainless steel appliances and ceiling fixtures in a nickel finish were combined with more traditional elements such as wide plank wood floors, cabinets with recessed panels, and a coffered ceiling. The family eating area is just steps away. I love a kitchen that’s not only work friendly, but a gathering place for friends and family like the one pictured above.

So, maybe I live vicariously through photos for a while…until I’m ready to move again (don’t tell Mr. “S”, but I’ve been looking at condos in Fort Lauderdale on my weekend visits).