When designing a kitchen it can be quite overwhelming, I know. There are a lot of choices to consider. Here are a few quick tips to consider if you’d like that classic look to your a kitchen.

1. When in doubt, use a white subway tile backsplash, it is a classic choice and goes with most any cabinet style.

2. If you would like to have color in your kitchen cabinets, but you are not sure how to infuse it, keep the color on your lower cabinets (like you see above) and select white upper cabinets. This keeps the kitchen light and airy even when you have a dark color on the base like gray, black, blue or deep brown. If you like strong colors like red or oranges, I’d recommend you bring them in with your accessories like dish towels or small appliances (toasters, blenders).

3. Everyone seems to like the look of marble countertops, but there is an option by Silestone called Helix that looks very similar but is much easier to care for.

4. Have cabinet panels ordered for your appliances to make the room look more cohesive. If you don’t want to cover your refrigerator then I would at least order a panel for your dishwasher. This keeps the line of cabinets consistent under your countertops.

6. Wood floors look warm and inviting in a kitchen. If you don’t want real wood there are many tiles out there now that look like wood planks. The manufactures have come a long way with the realistic look of the tile even in the last 5 years. Make sure to check them out at your local tile store.

7. When selecting hardware, if you’d like that farmhouse look opt for an oil-rubbed bronze finish. If you’d like a more contemporary feel then go for polished or satin nickel. A cup pull will look more vintage than a straight bar.

Tip:  If your drawer is over 24″ wide then you should order 2 knobs or two cup pulls, one won’t really look right on this width.

8. When selecting faucets try and select a classic style. A gooseneck faucet is always a nice design like you see above. If you select one that is really trendy the look of your kitchen can look dated in just a few years.

9. Undermount sinks keep your countertop looking clean and smooth. Undermounts come in most any style from a farmhouse sink to a stainless sink.

10. Keep some space open to add some visual interest to your kitchen. Add open shelves or open cabinets on a wall to break up all the solid cabinet doors. This simple tip can help add some personality to your kitchen and it can showcase your own personal style with the items you place in them. If you really don’t want open shelves, then consider a few glass front cabinet doors.

The best place to start when designing a kitchen is to gather as many inspiration photos as possible to let your designer, cabinet maker and contractor know what you like. You can find lots of inspirational kitchen photos on my Pinterest page for Viking Appliances. Here’s the link.

A comparison of marble and Silestone’s Helix: