Timeless luxury kitchen

When it comes to designing a kitchen you want it to stand the test of time. This means pairing a truly beautiful aesthetic that exudes luxury with an undisputed level of functionality and quality. While there are many schools of thought that argue about what makes a truly timeless piece of design, we’ve compiled some general advice that should be a useful starting point of the key things that to consider to ensure luxury lasts.

Think ahead and opt for quality

What is timelessness if not forward thinking? The first and, perhaps, the most important thing to have clear in your mind is what your long term needs and desires are. Sharp corners and harsh surfaces may look and feel fabulous, but their functionality will no doubt become less obvious and can become a real headache if you have small children, or may do so in the future.

Childproofing your kitchen by wrapping that steel and glass centrepiece in duct-tape and pillows will no doubt kill the sleek modern vibe your kitchen once had. Classic design lasts because it is easy for us to adapt around it, rather than constraining the user or requiring an entire kitchen revamp when our situations change.

If you don’t have children but may in the future, think about how your kitchen will need to change. For example, breakfast bar seating for two will not offer enough room for a family of four nor will be it practical for two young toddlers. Oppositely, if you have teenage children that are soon to leave home, the large integrated breakfast table may feel too large when it’s just the two of you. If you have young children, you may wish to ensure there is a designated homework space or storage for school bags. It may be that no significant changes are required, however balancing your current and future needs is always worth exploring to give you the peace of mind that you have ticked all of your boxes for now and the future.

Whether you are considering design, installation or furnishing, paying for quality will reap dividends. ‘Quality products don’t wear out, they wear in’, as the saying goes. Of course, having products that survive through the years unscathed, or even age gracefully like a beautiful leather desk area, is a great way to ensure that your kitchen exudes timeless luxury.

At Extreme we have a commitment to providing only the most enduring products. When everything is the best it can be you won’t have to run the risk of ending up with mismatched handles in 5 years’ time. We always aim to ensure that your kitchen will be good as new for years to come.

Always be adaptable

Once you’ve created a perfect kitchen with materials that will endure through the ages, it’s important to think about how the rest of your worldly possessions will fit in. While we all have certain display pieces that we like to show off, from fine art to fine wines, we also all have some pieces which we can neither get rid of nor ever actually use.

Of course it is important to remember that you will continue to acquire things beyond what you currently have in the kitchen, so make sure that you build for what you will need rather than for simply what you have. Equally the easiest way to date a space is to design it around currently existing technology. Hiding things like a television or stereo system and speakers will allow you to replace them with the most up-to-date models without compromising on your vision.

Make sure you are mindful of the space you have, rather than the space you would like to have. Without allowing for some level of continuity between the kitchen and what surrounds it, you risk creating what the architectural critic Owen Hatherley calls ‘futuristic relics’, design divorced from its context and often, simply, jarring. This only needs to be a subtle reference, for example something as simple as echoing a motif found on the outside of your property, or even when looking out of the window. By doing this you can create a sense of unity that will remain appealing and stand the test of time.  

Tell your story

Once you’ve chosen to create a bespoke luxury kitchen you should try to find a compelling narrative. Not only will this reflect your inspirations, it can also act to unify the different aspects of design that you are looking to incorporate into your kitchen. Extreme’s design team will work with you to answer the questions that compel your story, ensuring that your kitchen reflects not simply an aspirational lifestyle, but the unique narrative that only your personal experiences can tell.

By answering these fundamental questions, you will be able to construct an aesthetic which combines potentially opposing motifs, allowing you to create a holistic representation of your imagination. The best architecture endures not simply because it is well built, but because it is able to communicate multiple things to different people. If you stay clear of popular and common current trends and opt for a design that is a unique reflection of you, it’s likely that your home will stand the test of time. The curse of popular trends is that they become tired as we become overexposed to them, they also become a signal of a particular period in time and form a nostalgic association in our minds; just think of mid-century furniture.

Think architecture

One way to ensure décor stands the test of time is by complementing the architecture of the property or locale within which it sits. Victorian furniture and décor in a stately manor is unlikely to feel current, however, it will feel appropriate. By embracing the time period of your property and culture of your local area and creating a design that is sympathetic to this, you will ensure that the interior of your home will feel in harmony with its surroundings, regardless of how design moves on elsewhere.

However, when it comes to making references to architectural movements, moderation can sometimes be best. Relying too heavily on one style, particularly if it is very old or very distinctive can easily stray into the gauche, rather than, for example, acting as a tasteful reminder of past history.

Burlington House, home to the Royal Academy, strikes a careful balance between ascribing the correct importance of various historical people and movements, without ever becoming deferential or regressive. By carefully utilising the key aspects of the type of grandeur you wish to espouse you can be sure that the distinctive nature of your dream maintains its character instead of being lost in a milieu of other styles.

Of course, this is not to say that you cannot create breathtaking modern masterpieces that will transcend a particular aesthetic. Making the brave step to not be bound by a previous style or a contemporary trend is a sure-fire way to ensure that your vision will be as impactful in the future as it is now. Whatever the scale and scope of your design our team are committed to helping you to make a uniquely personal living space that authentically expresses you.

If you’d like assistance with the creation of your own timeless kitchen that exudes luxury, please don’t hesitate to visit one of our studios. Our designers will collaborate with you to create a kitchen that will truly last a lifetime.