Are you thinking of remodeling your kitchen or bathroom? Being familiar with different styles means you can decide which appeals to you the most, which will best fit into and enhance your overall home design, and which will have the best staying power. Arming yourself with knowledge of the different design styles opens your eyes to the possibilities but also helps to narrow down your vast sea of options when choosing products for your new design.
From flooring to faucets, tubs to tiles, each component comes in a style that works for your chosen aesthetic. Color, texture, and shape is important as well as the layout of your remodel. A design expert can help you decide what suits your requirements, but you should choose a style that represents your personal taste and that will make you feel at home every day.
Here’s our guide to the most popular kitchen and bathroom design styles to inspire your new look.
1. Choose a Layout
Whether your design is large or small, a good layout maximizes every inch of space to make a design functional and comfortable. What are the most popular layouts for kitchen designs?
- The One-Wall kitchen layout consists of storage along one wall and is especially good for a small space.
- A Galley Kitchen involves storage and work areas on opposite walls with a narrow space in between.
- An L-shaped kitchen has cabinetry along perpendicular walls and can make good use of its corner space with custom storage.
- A U-shaped kitchen layout is planned along three adjacent walls and provides ample storage combined with a good workflow.
- Add a kitchen island to create a large work and storage area in the center of the design.
- A peninsula kitchen is similar but with a counter that extends from a wall or a cabinet, and is ideal for a smaller kitchen design.
Bathroom layouts have several options to maximize your footprint, including:
- A three-quarter bath design, which puts a sink, shower, and toilet on one wall.
- A full bath layout, which includes a tub or tub-shower combination.
- Another option is a versatile bathroom layout, where the vanity and toilet are at one wall and the tub or shower on the opposite wall, giving you space and storage.
- You can enlarge your plan by placing your tub under a window or including a double vanity with seating or a large walk-in shower on the third wall. These fluid lines give an open plan feel to your design.
- You could also enclose your tub or toilet with a half wall or glass bricks, or if space allows include a separate toilet room for added privacy.
Once you’ve decided on your layout, you can start to consider which style would work for you. Colors, cabinets, hardware, and finishes all fall into place easily when you have a defined look you want to achieve.
2. Transitional
Transitional design is a subtle mix of traditional and contemporary, staying firmly balanced between both design camps. It retains the warmth of traditional design balanced with the clean lines of contemporary looks. Colors tend to be soft, from off-white to blue, brown or gray for peaceful surroundings. Transitional features include shaker-style cabinetry, marble or quartz surfaces, subway tiles, undermount sinks, and sleek versions of classic lighting fixtures like chandeliers or wall sconces. It is a timeless look that fits in easily to any home, and so is one of the most popular design styles today.
3. Modern
Modern-style kitchens and bathrooms embrace strong lines and sleek, handleless cabinetry. This look focuses on the quality of the materials used and leans toward clean, crisp colors such as white, black or neutrals with pops of color in accessories. Other popular elements of modern interior design are minimalist faucets, floating vanities, freestanding tubs, frameless mirrors and streamlined lighting fixtures.
4. Contemporary
The contemporary look is similarly sleek, but less structured than a modern design. It includes elements of other current styles and embraces technology. It favors color palettes which combine two strong, contrasting shades. The main thing when creating a contemporary kitchen or bathroom design is to avoid overly ornate details or embellishments. Go for sleek cabinetry and faucets with statement tiles and smart touches such as voice-controlled lighting, smart kitchen appliances, or touch-screen mirrors.
5. Traditional
Traditional kitchen and bathroom remodels are timeless and defined by their decorative details and high-end materials. They embrace classic elegance and antique touches like chandeliers or furniture style vanities. Colors used in this style are soft neutrals and wood finishes, as well as blues and greens. Deeper shades of these colors and wood tones also work well. Clawfoot tubs, dressing tables, decorative molding, arches, and natural stone surfaces all enhance a traditional design.
6. Farmhouse
The farmhouse look is based on rural living and modern simplicity, resulting in a warm style that’s functional yet comfortable. It’s best done in shades inspired by nature, or a classic white trimmed with black. Avoid experimentation with this design and choose stylish fail-safes such as shaker cabinets, large apron front sinks, open shelving, large wooden dining tables, sliding barn doors and wall paneling. Keep flooring classic in wood or natural stone for a look that’s made to last.
7. Rustic
Rustic-style kitchen and bathroom remodels are the embodiment of outdoor beauty. They embrace natural materials with distressed, worn, and rough-hewn finishes. The opposite of a sleek, white design, the rustic look is all about warmth and texture, using wood, stone and brick, and paint shades that echo these colors. Copper tubs and sinks, natural stone surfaces, wooden vanities, vintage appliances, heavy throws, rugs, and filament bulb lighting are all trends that contribute to the feeling of being in a mountain cabin imbued with style.
8. Industrial
Industrial kitchen and bathroom design is inspired by warehouses and factories, resulting in a utilitarian look that prizes durable and raw materials and finishes. Colors used in this design are based on these materials, so the gray of concrete and stainless steel is often used alongside shades of brick and the sleekness of white ceramic. Pops of color can be used to punctuate this urban landscape. Industrial design concentrates on function, finding its aesthetic in the way its elements perform. Key components are stainless steel countertops, trough sinks, exposed pipes, glass and steel shower enclosures, white subway tiles and heavy, sliding doors.
9. Coastal
Coastal style is based on beach house living with a palette of soft colors, deep blues, and nautical stripes. Coral and tropical green is also a bold twist on this look. It works really well in a light-filled, open plan space using light-reflective surfaces such as marble and washed-out wood. Other natural materials such as rattan and rope add to the casual, beachy vibe while metallic touches keep it polished and white surfaces lend freshness. Choose a bold tile or wallpaper, wall paneling, a large shower, glass fronted cabinets and textures such as pebbles, driftwood, and mother of pearl.
10. Mediterranean
Mediterranean-style kitchens and bathrooms incorporate classic elements and natural materials combined with a warm and earthy aesthetic. Rich colors inspired by the Mediterranean coastline bring blue, terracotta, orange, coral and yellow to the fore against a background of whitewashed walls or cabinets in natural wood hues. Natural stone, brick and burnished metals also imbue this Spanish revival look with warmth. Arched cooking alcoves, colorful tiles, beamed ceilings, decorative lighting, statement mirrors, and circular vessel sinks are all part of this style.
11. Craftsman
The Craftsman movement was a reaction to the mass production that came from the Industrial Revolution. The Craftsman style focuses on the beauty of quality materials and crafting techniques. Craftsman-style kitchens and bathrooms are simple yet refined and never stark or boring. They use earthy tones like green, rich browns, and warm neutral shades. Wood tones are central to the Craftsman color palette also. Predominant features of this charming look are shaker cabinets, handcrafted tiles, stained glass, natural stone, and angular lighting fixtures with geometric details. A combination of these, along with rich wood, results in an understated, cozy, and welcoming design.
12. Cottage
Cottage style kitchens and bathrooms look back on simpler times and encourage a bright and breezy sentiment. Beadboard, subtle colors, floaty window dressing, and vintage hardware bring harmony to any space. Its trademark look is open airiness and a coastal or lakeside ambience. Whitewashed wood on floors, ceilings, or walls brings a unique vintage vibe as do touches like antique medicine cabinets or pedestal sinks. Open storage adds depth to any space and can emphasize the relaxed, casual nature of this design. Custom storage can mimic a vintage look to evoke a cottage style.
13. Eclectic
There is always a chance that you can’t decide on one specific style for your kitchen design or bathroom remodel. Don’t worry because there’s always a design solution to bring out your own style. An eclectic remodel lets you mix and match ideas from several styles, resulting in a look that’s personal to you. The key is to have a common thread to link everything, whether it’s color, texture, pattern, function, or a theme such as a retro element, or a country you’ve visited. Decide on a definite layout to avoid a cluttered, confused look. You can include features that you’d like in your kitchen or bathroom, regardless of their styles. For example, a ceiling mount showerhead, concrete countertops, rustic table, or art deco clock can all find a home in your eclectic bathroom design. Just put a cap on the number of styles you have, to maintain definition in your design aesthetic.
If your kitchen or bathroom is ready for an update, why not see which layout and style would suit your kitchen or bath remodel? Your choice should work on its own but also blend in with the overall design aesthetic of your home.
Once you have decided on your style, a design expert can show you the impressive selection of products we offer at McDaniels to complement your kitchen design or bathroom remodel. We have many years’ experience and realize the investment you are making is important for you and your family. Whether you are remodeling to sell or to stay, we can help you with your project. Contact us today to talk to us about your style preferences and practical requirements. We’ll work with you to make your dream kitchen or bathroom remodel a reality.
