What does your dream kitchen look like?
Sleek and modern — or Old World charm?
Your age offers a clue as to which look tantalizes your visual tastebuds, according to a new survey. Younger homeowners tend to drool over contemporary kitchens, while older homeowners prefer a traditional look. That finding surprised Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz, the home and remodeling website that recently released its first "Fall Kitchen Trends Study."
"I didn't expect to see such a breakdown by age," Hausman said. "I think it's a shift."
The Houzz survey, based on more 7,800 responses, showed a distinct, age-related progression, with the youngest homeowners (ages 25 to 34) most likely to describe their style as "contemporary" or "modern" and the oldest homeowners (ages 65 and up) most likely to describe their style as "traditional." The shifting point appears to be the mid-40s, with "traditional" the top choice for homeowners over 45, and "contemporary" the preferred look for those under 45. The study was national, but a similar style shift also is emerging in the Twin Cities, according to some local designers.
"I would totally agree with that," said interior designer Mary Rossi of Minneapolis-based Mary Rossi Designs, who reports less demand for the elaborate trophy kitchens of years past. "The younger generation isn't so taken with trappings, and don't want palatial homes to take care of. They want a simpler, cleaner, uncluttered life" — expressed in a desire for simple, clean-lined design.
Most Minnesotans undertaking kitchen makeovers are now seeking a "transitional" look that combines elements of traditional and contemporary design, said Charlie Simmons, president and principal of design at Charlie & Co. Design Ltd., Minneapolis. A blended style allows homeowners to update the look of their kitchens without clashing with the style of their existing house, he said.
He still frequently designs projects that are "traditional, bordering on historic preservation," he said, even for some young clients. But he's also seeing increased interest in modern style. During the design process, clients share photos of homes they like, many of them contemporary, he noted. "Then they say, 'We love this stuff, but we don't want to do it. We don't want to stick out.' This is a sophisticated community that appreciates new ideas, but when it comes to home, people are afraid to do something their friends don't have." But their friends may be more receptive to cutting-edge style than they realize. "What I find interesting is that as soon as a contemporary home hits the market, it's gone."
