Trends come and go, but white kitchens always seem to be in the mix. White kitchens are actually coming back strong. It has periodically since the 1920s. Many designers like white kitchens. Because they go with almost any style, from traditional to ultra-modern. Homebuyers like it because it is the most neutral of colors. You can do almost anything with it.
Despite its popularity, though, many people consider this the lazy option. White kitchens tend to be the easy choice when doing kitchen remodeling. However, there are many reasons why white kitchens keep coming back to the far.
Historical context
Psychology ties in closely to the history of white kitchen design. Back in 1918, a terrible outbreak of the Spanish Flu brought half a billion people down around the globe. Before it was over, it had killed between 3% and 5% of the world’s population (approximately 50 to 100 million), including half a million or so Americans.
Suffice it to say, Americans became quite paranoid about anything that looked germy. As a result, manufacturers began offering appliances in white, and only white. People associate white with cleanliness and purity, and they capitalized on that.
Of course, just because it is white does not mean it is clean. The flu virus, or any virus and bacterium for that matter. It is not visible to the naked eye. White does show most visible dirt quite easily. So, people took comfort in the fact that they kitchen looked nice and clean. It was a smart decision on the part of appliance manufacturers.
Since then, white kitchens have been more or less on the fringes of kitchen design trends. It has not recaptured the popularity it had in the 1920s. But it has never entirely gone out of style, either. There was the decade of strong and patriotic colors, followed by a decade of softer, more cheerful hues such as mint green. In the 1960s and 1970s, psychedelic gave way to groovy, eventually segueing into earth tones and the 70s wound down. All throughout, white took a back seat, but still there.
By the 1980s, kitchen design signed out of the adventurous colors themes and went into neutral, eventually evolving into the rustic and country styles of the 1990s. A decade later, modern kitchens with natural stone or engineered countertops, stained cherry or maple cabinets, and glass tile walls began to make an appearance, most against a white backdrop. White was slowly coming to the fore as kitchens began to look more modern and utilitarian, and eventually started trending again in its own right.
Homebuyer favorite
White has always been a designer favorite, mostly because it most homeowners and homebuyers like it. It is a classic, a crowd-pleaser, and that makes it marketable. If you are planning a kitchen remodel to help sell your home, your best bet is still white. Consider a white quartz countertop or white cabinets as the main features of your new, sellable kitchen.
Appliance manufacturers concur with these conclusions. Both the Home Appliance Manufacturers Association and National Kitchen and bath Association state that white still sells better today than any other color.
White sense-ability
Designers and industry experts study the psychology of color to find out which ones will most likely appeal to more people. People associate white with innocence, purity, and even happiness. Aside from emotions, white also serves a functional purpose. It makes any room look airy, spacious, and bright, all of which are important attributes in the kitchen. This is especially important today, as many people live in small spaces and even smaller kitchens.
Classic combinations
You need to understand that white kitchens do not mean they should be all white. A kitchen qualifies as a white kitchen when it serves as the counterfoil for other colors. In most cases, this means having white walls and dark cabinets, or white countertops and cabinets with hardwood floors. The main function of the white in the kitchen is to give it depth and contrast, to make them seem almost to float in some cases.
The thing about white is that it works with almost anything with the right design. You can think of it as the little black dress that works for any occasion. A white kitchen is like a blank canvass on which you can express your style and personality without hitting a sour note.
It is also very easy to find anything in white, as most manufacturers have cabinets, appliances, sinks, faucets, tiles and counters available in white for styles and models. That also means you can probably indulge your preference and budget when choosing stuff for your kitchen remodeling project.
Finding a profession for kitchen remodeling
A white kitchen is a safe bet when remodeling your kitchen, but you can be as adventurous as you like if you have a reliable remodeling contractor to help you. GBC Kitchen and Bath is just the company you need. We have the experience, skill, and products from the top manufacturers and suppliers in the country to do the job right.
When you contact us for your planned kitchen remodel, the first thing we will do is give you a free design consultation and quote, so you are already ahead without spending a dime. We can promise the best customer service, expert fabrication and installation, and speedy execution of any project so that you stay on budget and the project stays on deadline. You will never get that from big box stores.
We guarantee the quality of our products, and you can see it for yourself in our showrooms in Rockville Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia. We service the DC, Virginia, and Maryland areas, specifically Alexandria, Arlington, Washington, Tyson, Vienna, Falls Church, Fairfax, Springfield, Burke, Bethesda, and Rockville,
Contact us today to get a free quote for your kitchen remodeling needs.
